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BlogHer sent me What Happened to Goodbye," by Sarah Dessen for the Book Club. I wasn't sure if I wanted to review this book at first due to Mclean, the main protagonist, being in high school. In my stage in life, I wasn't sure I'd be able to relate -- but then again? I have, indeed done high school and survived being a teenager. So, I took it on thinking that I could perhaps relate after all.
This is a smart book. It's a realistic look at life. Life is hard, life is messy, relationships take work, and this book takes a look at all of that.
I could really relate to Mclean's relationship with her mom. That tangled web of emotions. The "I love you, but I hate this right now" type of relationship. I could also relate to her search for her identity. I think I still struggle with that at age 36.
The book is funny at times, and complicated, just like life. That's what stands out most to me -- it's a novel about life, not just Mclean. It's about finding yourself, and finding out where home really resides. It's about growing up -- but I think it's about growing up at any age, not just from adolescence into adulthood.
The book doesn't slow to a crawl. You're kept moving throughout at a good pace. This is my first Dessen novel, but it has whet my appetite. I'm going to check out her other books. So -- for my first Dessen venture? A positive review.
