Book Review: Just One Day by Gayle Forman

Title: Just One Day

Author: Gayle Forman

Publisher: Dutton Juvenile

Published On: January 8, 2013

Source: own copy

A breathtaking journey toward self-discovery and true love, from the author of If I Stay
When sheltered American good girl Allyson "LuLu" Healey first meets laid-back Dutch actor Willem De Ruiter at an underground performance of Twelfth Night in England, there’s an undeniable spark. After just one day together, that spark bursts into a flame, or so it seems to Allyson, until the following morning, when she wakes up after a whirlwind day in Paris to discover that Willem has left. Over the next year, Allyson embarks on a journey to come to terms with the narrow confines of her life, and through Shakespeare, travel, and a quest for her almost-true-love, to break free of those confines. (Goodreads)

My Thoughts:

My heart currently feels like its being pulled at the seams. Ever heard of the phrase "suspended in disbelief"? It's an idea from Aristotle that conveys a feeling of being so into the story that you feel you are a part of it. And I am, or was, absolutely sure I just suspended by disbelief in Just One Day.

Again, Gayle Forman showed the world how astounding she is in writing and creating stories. She brought upon me that hopeful and expectant feeling all throughout the book. I was always waiting for something to happen, not really sure of what it is. I was always on the verge of falling apart not knowing what happens next, and the thrill of waiting almost killed me, lol. I don't know where she gets these out of this world but possible events that could happen in real. She turned simple events and simple ideas and turned it into something....beautiful. I cannot even begin to fathom how lovely, how mysterious, how frustrating and how ludicrous all of this seem like. It's that very wonderful dream I don't want to wake up from. Every turning of the page just made me curiouser and curiouser. Always bringing me on the edge of the world.

Allyson is a girl not very much like the kind of girl we always read about. She's definitely a far cry from the usual main characters I have read about, and I'm saying this as a positive thing. Reading from her perspective was surely a breath of fresh air. I don't want to sound so arrogant but I understood where she comes from as I am also a very closed and well-protected child, except that I don't have a mom like hers. I pity her well-contained life where everything was already planned and decided for her even if she hasn't even heard the rest of the sentence. So, meeting Willem, spending that day with him in Paris, was anything but everything she is not. The 100 or so pages of their adventure was so so worth reading. The zing and ping of the electricity they both exuded excited and sent a rush through me. I have always liked that idea and notion of randomly meeting somebody and strike up a bond with them, as if you knew them already. I haven't experienced that yet, and the hope that maybe one day I will. The fate and circumstance and just the miracle of it is something so magical. And it was, for Allyson. 

The heartbreak and the seemingly domino fall of the turn of events after meeting Willem was a shock and depressing. It even made me question what's the use of all the wonderful one day experience if it will only end up in nothing, and then I told myself to wait for it, not even entirely sure what that "it" is, and I am so glad I did, of course I did, there was no way I could just live it at that. This is Allyson's story. Of learning to cope, to live, and to find who she really is. I am astounded with the many people she met in her journey. The random strangers turned friends, the kindness each and everyone emanated to her. It all seemed too good to be true. But, the nes you expected niceties from, old family and friends, those are the ones who even bring you pain and makes u feel like a failure, ehat an oxymoron. Even if it's quite so false and fictional to even happen in real life, but I know in myself it does, becaus in our lives we meet these people, and just the kindness and graces we meet in these travels and journeys make me realize how good it is to live and experience life.

Though I was thrilled especially by the end of the novel, I was reeling with excitement and my hope dwindling up and down, and ultimately, the ending left me hanging, big time, I loved loved the book, and I am so sure I will read it again in the future. And I cannot wait to get to Paris and have an experience of a lifetime! :)