Just One Book*

Every once in a while you stumble upon that book that changes everything.

Last fall Gayle Forman released Just One Day. I got an advance reading copy and began reading it immediately. I adored If I Stay and Where She Went and was very much looking forward to seeing what kind of book this new one would be. At first, I'll confess, I found myself increasingly frustrated with the main character, Allyson, but those feelings began to dissipate when I realized the very things I found aggravating were essential in showing Allyson's own expanding self-awareness and development as the story progressed.

Shortly after having finished the book, I helped with Libba Bray's Portland school visit and while we were standing outside the high school in the glorious October sunshine we started talking about books. I mentioned I had recently finished reading Just One Day and when she asked me what I thought about it I gave her the most honest answer I could. I told her what a genius the book was, how frustrated I was with Allyson, and how incredibly rewarding it was to see her character come into her own, and how important the book was. Libba asked me if she could tell Gayle what I said. I have no idea if she ever did.

The companion to that book, Just One Year, is set to come out in October and a few days ago I was given access to an advance copy. In all my 15 years of bookselling, I have honestly never been more excited to read a book early. Needless to say, I devoured the book in little more than a 24 hour period. (It probably would have been less if work hadn't gotten in the way.) This book tells the other half of the story, Willem's half.

Now I'm left with the best kind of book hangover. These characters have wormed their story into my heart. I cried with them, I laughed with them, I loved and I lost with them. And the writing? The story itself? Pure genius. These two novels are so dense I feel like I could spend years peeling back layer after layer after layer.

As a writer, I crave to know how Gayle Forman did it, how she constructed such a masterful plot with such honest and true characters. And the language? Lovely. The writing is so full of wonderful details and thoughtful, necessary insights.

As a reader, I just want to thank her again and again and again and again.

I have honestly never thought about writing fan fiction, it's never been something that's appealed to me, but I'm not sure I can let these characters go. I want (dare I say need?) more time with them.

I've also concluded I must read both novels simultaneously, watching the story unfold from both perspectives over the course of that one year.

It's just been some time since I read a book that really challenged me to think of writing in a different way, in a better way.  It's been some time since I've finished a book and wanted to work on my own with such feelings of desperation, as if it's something I absolutely must do.

Sometimes that book comes along in a way you never expected. It challenges. It expands you. It overwhelms. It satisfies.  And it really does change everything.


*I may be talking about two separately published books, but they are simply two halves of one whole.