When You Were Here

I am going to do something I have never done before. Leave a series of pictures to explain my feelings through out this book. \<br><br>When I first started reading When You Were Here.<br><br><br><img src="https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/hostedimages/1380429737i/861081._SX540_.jpg" class="gr-hostedUserImg" loading="lazy"><br><br>In the middle when Danny is really getting to know what happened and feeling his mothers presence all around in Tokyo.<br><br><img src="https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/hostedimages/1380429737i/861082.jpg" class="gr-hostedUserImg" loading="lazy"><br><br>NOW THE GOOD STUFF. THE TWISTS NEAR THE MID ENDING. At first I was like..<br><img src="https://images.gr-assets.com/hostedimages/1380222758ra/580547.gif" class="gr-hostedUserImg" loading="lazy"><br><br><img src="https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/hostedimages/1380429737i/861083.jpg" class="gr-hostedUserImg" loading="lazy"><br><br>But then as I read on my anger set in. I felt the betrayal and hurt that Danny felt.<br><br><img src="https://images.gr-assets.com/hostedimages/1380429737ra/861084.gif" class="gr-hostedUserImg" loading="lazy"><br><br>Now the ending..that is really where all the deep stuff comes. Where Danny realizes everything in his life and knows what he wants and...<br><br><img src="https://images.gr-assets.com/hostedimages/1380429737ra/861085.gif" class="gr-hostedUserImg" loading="lazy"><br><br>Now that I am done with the book I am just sitting here like...<br><br><img src="https://images.gr-assets.com/hostedimages/1380429737ra/861086.gif" class="gr-hostedUserImg" loading="lazy"><br><br>Really though I am sitting here thinking of all the truth that was spoken in this book. About living life and coming to peace with everything and really I am just pondering it all...<br><br><img src="https://images.gr-assets.com/hostedimages/1380395430ra/761640.gif" class="gr-hostedUserImg" loading="lazy"><br><br><img src="https://images.gr-assets.com/hostedimages/1380222758ra/586936.gif" class="gr-hostedUserImg" loading="lazy"><br><br>No book has made me feel that way.<br><br><img src="https://images.gr-assets.com/hostedimages/1380429737ra/861087.gif" class="gr-hostedUserImg" loading="lazy"><br><br>I HIGHLY SUGGEST READING THIS.

2.5 stars<br /><br />I have students who write about childhood traumas, and I feel bad giving them a C on their paper, because if someone spills their guts out, how can you give them a C? But I have to separate the event and emotion from the form. That's not to say this book is poorly written - it's not - but just because Danny's mom dies of cancer doesn't mean this book deserves a higher than 2.5 star rating. <br /><br />The book begins right before Danny's high school graduation. He's the valedictorian, but he's angry and unhappy, since his beloved mom didn't hang on until he graduated; she died just a couple months prior after a five-year battle with cancer. Also, Danny's girlfriend, Holland, broke up with him a few months before with no explanation. Searching for answers, he flies off to Tokyo where his mom sought treatment in her final days. <br /><br />Tokyo? <br /><br />Yes. Because, see, Danny's family has an apartment in Tokyo, with like a manager and everything. Their home in L.A. is paid for. They have all kinds of money. So Danny doesn't have parents. But he does have cash. <br /><br />L.A. Gotta love it (I lived there, so I speak from experience). <br /><br />I was so turned off by all this cavorting around - hey, let's buy a one-way ticket to Tokyo! - I was rolling my eyes pretty consistently. This is a world where dogs get flown in by private jet. Danny's mom can afford to retire at a young age and seek cancer treatment all over the world. How many cancer patients can do that? And how many kids who lose their parents are completely set for life? Not many. The opulence (and it IS opulence in my world) just left a bad taste in my mouth. <br /><br />I liked the descriptions of Tokyo, as well as the love Danny has for his dog. However, many other plot points (including his estrangement from his sister, who was adopted from China and leaves the States to return to her roots) felt contrived and unnecessary. I also didn't buy the reason behind Holland dumping Danny; it was so angsty and unbelievable. They were childhood friends; their moms were besties. Surely she knew she could trust him? <br /><br />Too many deep issues are resolved here too easily. Danny has a huge change of heart, makes amends, etc. Throughout the book, he's popping pain killers like candy, but addiction isn't mentioned. Apparently, once he's happy and comes to terms with life and death, he'll just stop (right, because that works for everyone). <br /><br />I guess money can't cure cancer, but it sure helps.

So glad to see YA authors are branching out and leaving High School cafeterias behind. Can't wait to see where Daisy's talent takes us &lt;3<br /><br /><br />__________________________________________<br /><br /><br />May 29th.<br /><br />I always feel awkward when I review books (which is very unfortunate since that’s what I do) but this time I feel especially inadequate. Because this book was beautiful and heartfelt and all I could think about was: WHAT KIND OF CANCER DOES ELIZABETH HAVE?<br /><br /><br />Really. My mind couldn’t stop swimming around all the possibilities and the possible treatments, and then I was just like; tea that cures cancer?! BS! <br /><br />Yeah, not my classiest moment but sometimes I get carried away because I want everyone to win against cancer and I want to do everything possible and use ever single drug that’s been proven works. <br /><br /><br />I couldn’t concentrate, I couldn’t stop thinking what they could have done to save Elizabeth. I was a mess of feelings but not for the right reasons I think.<br /><br /><br />But then, when Danny (Elizabeth’s son) learns about the reason why Holland left him; I stopped, breathed in, and it was like I saw the story with different eyes, a new light was shed over the pages. I started to get the real point of the story.<br /><br /><br />That’s when my heart started breaking, because when your mom dies, omg I can’t even. Danny’s inconsolable, I was too; cancer’s an awful thing but when the person you love most in the world has it, how are you suppose to function still? I am fortunate enough to have my mom with me (thank God) but I still got Danny’s pain, felt it like it was my own, and grieved right along with him like it was my lost.<br /><br /><br />Despite all the sadness this book brought to my life (and believe me, it was a lot) there were some awesome aspects to it too. The most amazing of them all was definitely Japan. Now I’ve never been one of those girls obsessed with Japanese stuff, before this book I haven’t even considered ever visiting there, but I had another thing coming because Japan sounds awesome! The Karaoke! All the crazy colors! The fun merchandise! It sounds like I could be one happy gal over there.<br /><br /><br /> Also, I love boy point of views, and I personally think Daisy Whitney nailed it! I totally believed Danny’s voice, he didn’t seem like he was trying too hard at being all macho and ‘I’m a man, erase all doubt!’, he was teenage-boy-confused not only because his mom just died, or because he is now an orphan, or because the-big-secret-Holland-kept-from-him, it was everything that rolled into a big ball of destruction that crushed the life out of him. The real magic came when we got to see Danny rising from the ashes with the help of a city where dreams come true. <br />

I didn't really find anything wrong about the book plot-wise and even writing-wise. In fact, it's kind of an original story about a young man trying to find himself back after losing everyone he loves especially his mom who has just passed away recently. Suddenly he decides a visit to Japan in the hopes of understanding his mom better, to find answers to some of his questions. There is even diversity in the characters and the setting so it's kind of puzzling why I didn't like the book as much as I thought I would.<br /><br />I couldn't pinpoint exactly though what went wrong but maybe it's the overall lack of emotional impact because as far as I'm concerned, the subject of the book alone is already supposed to be full of emotions. I'm supposed to be empathizing with Danny as he goes through his grieving process but mostly I got angst and privilege and self-indulgence. It's a real deal breaker when the character is already unlikable and also difficult to connect to.<br /><br />But still, like I said it isn't bad at all. It's still worth a read. The other characters especially Kana, Holland, and even the dog are likable enough to compensate for Danny's flaws. Lol. And just check the list of cons I enumerated above.

<b>3.5 stars</b><br /><br />Danny Kellerman wanted his mom to see his graduation - after fighting cancer for five years, she almost made it, but succumbed to the disease just two months before his valedictorian speech. His address to his high school relates to the meat of his journey: <i>F*ck high school. F*ck everyone. I'm outta here</i>. In an attempt to distance himself from his magnetic ex-girlfriend and to uncover his mother's secrets, he travels to Tokyo, where he meets an uncouth yet helpful girl and a doctor who may hold the truths behind his mom's passing.<br /><br />I liked <i>When You Were Here</i>. It delved into Danny's recovery process in a realistic way. His relationship with his dog, the platonic friendship he forms with Kana, and the reconciliation between himself and his sister stood out as the book's high points. The lesson of accepting and understanding things you don't agree with struck me as well-written and vibrant; Danny must come to terms with a bunch of difficult realizations, one of which took me completely by surprise.<br /><br />However, I felt an odd emotional distance from Danny, similar to how I felt about Willem in <i>Just One Year</i> by Gayle Forman (even though the books are quite distinct). Daisy Whitney could have focused on fleshing out his connections to other characters instead of trying to add in tangents that related to the story, but failed to contribute any true meaning. For example, Danny's burning desire for Holland felt forced and only based on past anecdotes, and perhaps allotting more pages to their romance as opposed to several paragraphs on religion would have powered up the pathos.<br /><br />Overall, I would recommend <i>When You Were Here</i> to fans of contemporary young-adult fiction, especially those interested in a male protagonist who faces the death of family. Not my favorite or least favorite book, just one that will stick with me for only a short amount of time.

4.5. <br /><br />Heartbreaking, aching, and yet utterly hopeful. <br /><br />Danny's mom, who has toughed out five years of cancer, wants to make it just long enough to see him graduate valedictorian from high school. But before that date comes, his mom dies. Devastated by the loss, as well as the loss of his father a few years before and the loss of his adopted sister who chose to move to China to rediscover her roots, Danny is angry, broken, and confused about what the future could possibly hold. There's also another complication: Holland. She's the girl he'd been in love with forever and the girl who was in every way perfect for him. But their relationship ended much too soon and without any resolution. Danny was left in the dark when she suddenly disappeared from his life. <br /><br />Faced with big decisions about where to go from here, Danny chooses to figure out what it is that kept his mom going for so long. Why she continued to be hopeful and happy, even though her life was near the end. To do this, Danny decides he's going to fly to the apartment they owned in Tokyo, meet the doctor who meant so much to his mother, and really think about what he wants out of his life.<br /><br />Along the way, Danny meets Kana, who helped take care of the apartment before his mom died. She's quirky, she's energetic, and she's invested in making sure Danny makes the most of his time in Tokyo. It's not at all romantic -- which is a huge plus in my book -- but rather, it's Danny's opportunity to rediscover the value and importance of friendship. <br /><br />Maybe most important was the twist in the story. That's Holland's story. <input type="checkbox" class="spoiler__control" aria-label="The following text has been marked spoiler. Toggle checkbox to reveal or hide." onchange="this.labels[0].setAttribute('aria-hidden', !this.checked);" id="e0713ceb-e0c9-4399-806e-3c7892274f47" /><label aria-hidden="true" class="spoiler" for="e0713ceb-e0c9-4399-806e-3c7892274f47"> The reason Holland disappeared from Danny's life was that she got pregnant. Since Danny had been the only boy she'd been with and their relationship hadn't been going on that long and she had been on the pill, it was a reality she hadn't quite wrapped her head around. What made it worse was when she went into early labor and when baby Sarah died. Danny is the only person not in the loop on this, and he learns about his daughter when going through his mom's things in Tokyo. His mom had known about the baby, but she and Holland both chose not to tell Danny. It wasn't a choice out of cruelty but rather, it was done to protect him because he had already lost so much in his life. And the truth of it was that the entire situation was scary and heartbreaking for everyone involved. </label> <br /><br />When Danny does get to meet the doctor his mother had invested so much in, not only does he understand the value and purpose of his mom's life, but he has a moment and realizes what value his own is worth.<br /><br />Whitney handles all of the topics in this book so delicately and powerfully in equal measure. Danny's voice is knock out, authentic, and it is pained. Danny is a boy of action -- his feelings play out in the way he acts and the words he chooses to use. They're not always kind and he's not always rational. But these things happen the way they do because it's how Danny works through his pain and his grief. It's the way he begins to make sense of the world. This is why he chooses to get on that plane and go to Tokyo. It's why he doesn't simply DWELL in the anguish but rather, he works and walks through it, step by tortured step. Where the twist element came in, another author could have pushed the envelope too much, adding simply <i> one more thing </i> to the list of horrible things going on in a character's life. But Whitney introduces and weaves this in so carefully and thoughtfully that it instead amplifies the core of who Danny, his mother, and Holland really are as people. <br /><br />Danny's understanding of his mother's fight -- and his mother's desire to quit the fight -- comes to a head when he meets with the doctor to whom she claimed saved her and to whom she dedicated so much energy and belief. And boy, did I cry. <input type="checkbox" class="spoiler__control" aria-label="The following text has been marked spoiler. Toggle checkbox to reveal or hide." onchange="this.labels[0].setAttribute('aria-hidden', !this.checked);" id="3e1110c5-6044-464e-a96e-7b48585c2bae" /><label aria-hidden="true" class="spoiler" for="3e1110c5-6044-464e-a96e-7b48585c2bae"> It started on page 233, when Danny understands that choosing the time one lives and the time one dies was the central force of his mother's hope, even in her battle with cancer. It's philosophical without being pandering, and it's spiritual without being spiritual (if that even makes sense). Whitney excels are imbuing the narrative with the Eastern and Western philosophy not only in how she structures the story and Danny's journey, but even in the way that death and life are explored. </label> <br /><br />The writing in this book is sharp, searing, and noteworthy. It doesn't take a back seat to the complexities of the story nor the complexities of the characters. I give huge credit, too, for how well-done <input type="checkbox" class="spoiler__control" aria-label="The following text has been marked spoiler. Toggle checkbox to reveal or hide." onchange="this.labels[0].setAttribute('aria-hidden', !this.checked);" id="7d649956-cf79-4be5-84fb-0f526768da7c" /><label aria-hidden="true" class="spoiler" for="7d649956-cf79-4be5-84fb-0f526768da7c"> the sex scenes in this book are. There is a great contrast in the sort of sexual relationship Danny has with Trina -- it's one where she is in control, where she calls the shots, and where she gets what she wants and he takes it because he feels so empty and broken from all of the loss in his life. It's not Holland, and it's not an emotional and deeply satisfying act of intimacy. When Danny and Holland reconnect in Tokyo, after laying bare all of the things that were keeping them at a distance, their intimacy is raw, powerful, and healthy. Danny is in it not just physically but emotionally and mentally. And maybe what made it so good in that moment was that almost nothing is said at all about the mechanics. Because that didn't matter. </label> <br /><br />I've read a lot of grief books, but without doubt, this one stands out. It's so good it hurts to think about. My one big qualm -- and this is such a non-qualm for most people -- is that I HATE the comparison to Forman's Where She Went. Yes, both tackle the loss of a relationship from a male perspective and both were written by female authors, but I think Whitney nails a male voice in a way that Forman didn't quite get. Will readers who like Where She Went like this book? Absolutely. But I think that Whitney's book has a far wider appeal in terms of reaching male readers (and part of the blame on that is in the fact Forman's book has a girl on the cover). <br /><br />Bonus points for a kick ass pet sidekick in the story. <br /><br />Longer review to come much closer to publication date.

As far as Young Adult - and New Adult - is concerned, <i>When You Were Here</i> has so much to offer. Whitney has broken free of the constraints these two genres seem to impale and created a novel that, really, has so much to love. From the beginning itself, the grief of Danny, our narrator, is so palpable. Not only has Danny's mother recently passed away after a long, five-year battle with cancer, but his father was killed in a car crash years back and he is now alone. With graduation looming around the corner, Danny is reminded of his mother - and her loss - even more, especially as his graduation was what she lived for. And ultimately couldn't see. Now, Danny is simply seeking answers, both of his mother's life and his own. Quite simply, Danny cannot understand how his mother, who was dying, could be so happy when he, well and truly alive, cannot be. <br /><br />And this is such a beautiful idea to explore. I feel as if life is always throwing us curves, testing us to our limits, and this question, this unattainable answer of happiness, is forever crossing our minds. Or at least mind, at any rate. As such, to see Danny attempt to answer this in his own way, on a trip to Tokyo, the city he loves, was a truly beautiful journey. Danny is grieving, he is sarcastic, he is in pain, and yet he is curious and his love for Tokyo and its culture and lifestyle is so palpable. Everything about the setting of this novel, including the people Danny meets there who soon become his friends, are so vividly written and portrayed. Whitney's characters are fleshed out and solid, the type of people who have flaws and are still loved. And they all have their back stories, their pasts, their problems. And they're all still sticking it out, each day at a time. <br /><br />For me, this is where my issues with this novel begin to emerge. While I appreciate the efforts Whitney took in creating such stark and realistic characters, I do feel as if our exposure to them was too minimal. Danny's sister, for instance, who is adopted shares a gripping story of her own growth and acceptance into finding herself in her Chinese roots. Clearly, while this is important to Danny, that importance is never felt to the reader for her screen time is so short. Even the characters who did play a greater role, such as Kana, the Japanese girl Danny befriends, remain static upon the page because, despite their depth and impact on Danny, their influence is never fully felt emotionally. <br /><br />And yet, <i>When You Were Here</i> does have its emotional moments. Danny himself undergoes a slow, creeping growth that, though concluding in a neat epiphany, was very well-written. Holland, though, had the story that drew me in the deepest. Danny has had a massive crush on Holland, his neighbor and the daughter of his mother's best friend, ever since he was young. With carefully timed flashbacks and present-day scenes, their love story is built up, from its nascence to its sudden end. Surprisingly, though, the romance is subtle, never resorting to meaningless drama and proving to be rather poignant overall. Even the sex scenes - the few of them that lie in this book - are awkward and realistic, making me adore this novel for the places it was willing to go and the boundaries it was willing to climb over.<br /><br />Still, the fact remains that, in the end, <i>When You Were Here</i> didn't do a whole lot for me. It was a quick and memorable read, one that managed to pack a punch in its short pages, but sadly not <i>enough</i> of a punch. Whitney's novel has been compared to Forman's <i>Where She Went</i> and while I believe that fans of Forman will find much to love in Whitney's latest, the two novels are vastly dissimilar. Where Forman's work is marketed as a romance, proving to be an in-depth analysis on a young man as he comes to terms with himself and his life, Whitney's novel is really about a young man...and so many more people too. Danny's story was not the all-consuming emotional investment I expected it to be. Granted, it's a lovely book, full of tales that will likely influence many readers, but it didn't do much for me simply because I wanted more from it. And the fault most definitely lies with me - I am not an easy reader to please. On that count, <i>When You Were Here</i> is a beautiful edition to your shelves (LOOK at that cover!) and a touching novel with unforgettable characters. Just don't expect too much from it and it will likely deliver the full impact you want it to.

<b>2.5 stars</b> I read this entire book waiting to feel sadness or joy or grief, or...something. It seemed like I was on the brink a few times, none of those emotions were ever really stirred. I'm afraid I didn't connect with this one on anywhere near the level most people seem to be. <br /><br />Short review to come.

I couldn't finish it. It was hard to like the main character and the whole story was unbelievable. Boys have to separate from Mommy when they are a teenager. That is an important part of becoming a man. If he was ten then I could see losing his mother as a traumatic event. But teenage boys are rarely best buds with a parent and selflessly hang out to take care of them.<br /><br />The book is a good example of an author blurring any sense of what is ethical and letting her character get away with poor behavior and illegal activities. Life has consequences and young adults need to know that--a book that doesn't come to grips with that is doing a disservice to the reader. <br /><br />Danny had years to grieve his mother's illness. But does he accept the inevitable and plan for a future without her? No--he acts like the world owes him--he behaves like a bratty little rich kid. And yet the author lets us know that he was mature beyond his years caring for his mother through a long illness and cleaning up her vomit. He shares all his secrets with her. Really, how many 17 year old boys would actually be that intimate with their mother? <br /><br />It is hard to believe he is actually the valedictorian of his high school class. He gets into Stanford, his girl friend is beautiful, his sex toy is beautiful, he has a great dog, his Dad always did fun things with him, he has enough money that he doesn't have to show respect for other people's possessions, and he has no guilty feeling over breaking the law or doing something that is less than honorable.<br /><br />It is unbelievable that he is a world traveler and has an apartment he can stay in when he goes to Tokyo but has never bothered to learn the language.<br /><br />The author lets him get away with bad behavior and never suffer the consequences:he damages someone else's car, he has sex just for sex sake with someone he doesn't love, he takes drugs that aren't prescribed for him, he gets his dog into a foreign country without going through quarantine. He is incredibly self absorbed and doesn't really have a clue about what love is all about. <br /><br />My Dad was sick from a stroke and died when I was 17. So I know you just have to move on and get on with life. I didn't go around breaking things to express my anger at the unfairness of life.

*Also posted at <a href="http://oopsireadabookagain.blogspot.com/2013/06/review-giveaway-when-you-were-here-by.html" rel="nofollow noopener">Oops! I Read A Book Again</a>*<br /><br />First and foremost, thank you to Kelly of Inkslinger PR for the chance to read one of my favorite novels of the year and that's saying a lot as I've read tons of five-star books just this May. But not all five-star books are gonna be in my favorites shelf but this is one book I will never forget.<br /><br />Danny Kellerman will graduate as the valedictorian in his high school but no one will be able to see it. His dad died in an accident years ago, his estranged sister is in China and his mom died of cancer. He has three months left before college, three months left with nothing to do but remember all the pain, grief and sadness in his life. Until a letter from Japan comes, a letter from their apartment caretaker's daughter, informing him that his mom has left some of her belongings there. Danny then goes to Tokyo to try and piece together his mom's last months there. How she lived, who she met, where she went and hopefully come into peace with his mother's passing by knowing how she remained happy even in her dying months. In there, he meets Kana, the caretaker's daughter, who has been a friend to his mom. Kana takes him to relive his mother's last stay in Japan and in the process learns a whole lot more about his mom and about himself.<br /><br />I know, that was vague but I won't divulge the plot because the fun or more aptly, the pain is in the not knowing. When the rug gets pulled right under you, you will become a slobbering mess of tears. The pain this book caused me was tangible. My chest ached for Danny. He's such a real character that I felt everything he felt. I cheered him on, I hated everyone he hated, it was as if I was in his shoes. I understood him on every level, his way of thinking, his feelings, his intentions, his thoughts. It is easy to relate to a character, to root for him/her, to want him/her to win and to grow. But how many novels are out there where you can say that you not only related to the character but you felt like you were the character? This is one of those novels.<br /><br />The novel is told in Danny's perspective and in that aspect alone, it is worth a read. I don't think there are a lot of draining contemporary novels with a guy as a main character. When You Were Here was realistically written as well. It's inspired by a person Daisy knew and while this is fiction, all the feelings were truthful. The characters felt like real people, dimensional and flawed. The writing was beautiful, in that you can quote blocks and blocks and passages and passages of text, type it into a picture and everyone on Tumblr will reblog it. There's a cloud of sorrow and serenity looming over it, without veering into the overdramatic. It's like a good dramedy film such as 50/50, where the parts that were meant to be funny will make you laugh and the parts where you should choke back a sob will make you do just that.<br /><br />Daisy Whitney, I am hereby offering you my glued together minced heart served on a sushi platter. When You Were Here was wonderfully heartbreaking yet uplifting. I cried while eating hashbrowns at McDonald's. Guys, potatoes and crying don't go together. Potatoes are my go-to comfort food. I didn't know I could cry while eating hashbrowns but When You Were Here did just that. It's not outright depressing but it's sad. And yet it's happy and hopeful, showing you the beauty of life, its nuances, its strained relationships, mending said relationships and finally, letting go of life and finding inner peace. Read it NOW or I will be forced to put you on the edge of a cliff and dangle you there until you swear that you'll read it. It will be physically painful and heavy on the chest but the lift, the lift is worth it. When I finished When You Were Here, I didn't read another book just yet. I just holed up in my room, curled up in my sheets with the rain as my background and felt and let it all soak in and eventually reread When You Were Here. Twice in a day? That's a first.<br /><br />I recommend When You Were Here to any reader looking for an emotional read. Yes, it is emotional as you will feel a spectrum of emotions while reading it. Happiness, sadness, grief, sympathy, shock, loneliness, gratefulness and a whole lot more. If I could just reach out to the characters in the book and hug them so tight, I would. Sure, books hinging on the death of a parent are common in the young adult landscape. But Daisy Whitney has crafted a tale packed with punches to the heart yet peppered with peace, acceptance and love. Heart and gut-wrenching, When You Were Here will break you apart and put you right back piece by piece. When You Were Here will move you and make you move forward, to live your life and to love.