Outside my comfort zoneI must be a masochist because Adele Griffin keeps kicking me in the gut and I keep coming back for more. I mean this as a compliment. Her books make me feel on a gut-wrenchingly real level. Don’t be deceived by the tiny page counts: Adele knows how to make every single word count and come together to create a powerful story. Her choice to use alternating narratives (one first person, one third person) was a stroke of genius, subtly adding incredible depth, characterization and atmosphere that would not have been accomplished as well with a different narration style.Falling into the contemporary genre and dealing with the aftermath of death, I wasn’t really into this book for a while. I’m a reader who likes happy stories and I primarily gravitate toward books with some sort of fantasy element and a lot of fast-paced action. It could be argued that WIWtB does have fantasy elements because half of the story is told from the perspective of the deceased sister, but at its core I think this really belongs in the contemp genre.Given all that, I didn’t really love the story. The genre is just not my thing. And yet, you may notice I gave this book a four star rating. That is because, even though this isn’t my genre, I was so incredibly affected by my reading experience that WIWtB has become precious to me.A letter to my heartNot only was I sobbing at various points throughout the book, but I even had a dream inspired by it that caused me to wake up crying. I can only remember one other time in my entire life that I have cried in my sleep. I'm still pretty shaken up about that. Reading Where I Want to Be was a startling and deeply moving experience, to say the least.Instead of connecting with the characters, I felt like the book was speaking directly to me. I do not have a mentally ill sister, I have never lost a sibling, and all but one of my grandparents are alive and well (I never really knew the other grandparent). So my experiences are not at all similar to those of the characters in this book.But I do have a sister. I do have grandparents. I have experienced loss. At their core, the relationships and feelings described in this book are something I can relate with deeply. Beyond genresI didn’t realize how invested I was in the book until about halfway through. It sort of snuck up on me. One minute I was reading normally and then the next thing I knew my heart was in a death-grip and I was struggling to see the words through my tears.This isn’t just a book about grief. While there is that, and the characters do grapple with emotions surrounding a death, there is also much more here. It is a book about coming to terms with and accepting the people we love as they are, even if that is different from how we wish they were, and coming to terms with mixed feelings as a result of this reality. But really, it's even more than that, and it's never preachy. Adele so sensitively and accurately cuts to the heart of emotional issues and human experiences that I often wonder, does she have a secrete doctorate in psychology?I want to point out the page numbers again. One hundred sixty. That’s it. That this book contains such incredible weight, depth, and poignancy despite its tiny page count is a testament to Adele’s magnificent ability to write. Where I Want to Be will silence those who believe YA books are incapable of capturing the maturity or seriousness of adult literature. On a purely writing level, her sentences are the kind that make me to stop to consider their beauty and read aloud just to hear and feel them.Final wordsIn another author’s hands I don’t think I would have enjoyed this book all that much. I didn’t particularly like the characters (though I want to wrap them all up in hugs to comfort and shelter them) and the plot didn’t grab me (remember, not my genre). In Adele’s hands, however, this book transcended its bounds and touched me at my core. Some books introduce you to characters you will cherish, others take you on adventures, and a rare few reach beyond the fictional world to affect who you are as a person. For me, Where I Want to Be is that latter gem.If contemporary and sad books aren’t your thing, try not to automatically dismiss this book. I would have done that if I hadn’t already read and loved two of her other books, and I would have been missing out. For fans of the genre, I can’t imagine this book not soaring to the top of your list. Also worth mentioning, Adele was nominated for the National Book Award for Young People’s Literature for this book, and it is clear why.Originally posted at Small Review
Where I Want To Be is a very good book. It has a lot of drama in it so if your in to drama this is the book for you. I think this book had a lot of different perspectives on different situation. Which makes it more interesting and easier to get a better understanding of every characters view. So to the situation's that are happening in the book you just don't get to see one character view you see all and it opens your eyes up to a better view of all things in life too not just in a book. And I really like that about this book and I honestly didn't think this was going to be a good book but it was great book. When I picked this book I really didn't really care about it at all. But when I could connect with the book. That's really when I got into it and just the way it goes back and forth between future and past is remarkable that really caught my attention. But when I first started reading the book it wasn't that good it was boring but that's how a lot of book are they are always boring in the beginning and get good in the middle and end. But over all this book is good. But there a lot of things that the book leaves unanswered. Such as Jane special need condition. Plus its Jane and Lily relationship the book is mainly about and how they grow apart but I think it mainly because of Jane condition that really affects everything because Jane wants to stay in her own little world. While Lily grows up and lives her life. And also goes to do teenage stuff such as go to the mall, hangs out with friends and get a boyfriend. I think that's okay for Lilly to do what she wants to instead of be bored and do stuff that she doesn't wanna do. Because what teenager wants to do things they don't want to do ? I know I don't like to unless I'm forced by my parents.And I'm not blaming Jane for her condition because she doesn't even want it. But in my opinion if she didn't have that condition it would be easier for Lily to hang out with Jane because she would want to do stuff that Lily does and be more involved with her sister life. They would be closer and it would be way easier for both of the girls and Jane would be able to have the life that she deserves. Also even with Jane condition she still was a big sister because she always help Lily get over her storm fears. When it would storm Lily would come running in to Jane room. Be scared and Jane wold sit there with Lily and talk her threw it and get her over the storms. But even with the condition Jane still did her job as a big sister.
What do You think about Where I Want To Be (2005)?
I listened to this book on CD. It takes place in alternating chapters, each one narrated by a different sister. Jane has recently died in a terrible accident and it takes awhile to understand that her chapters are written in the present tense, as she recreates daily the "perfect day", visiting their grandparents. Lily is younger and she has always had a difficult time being Jane's sister. Jane had mental and emotional problems that embarrassed her and that now cause her lots of guilt.The narrators are good, but Jane's is done by an older woman, which I found disconcerting. Jane died as a teenager. Lily's narrator sounds exactly the right age. Both girls essentially must confront Jane's death and during this summer. I like the reality of the questions they ask and the answers they receive. It wasn't a book I was particularly anxious to get back to, though.
—Casandria
Two sisters, Jane and Lily. Jane suffers from severe depression, and while the author doesn't mention schizophrenia, it appears that Jane also is in the throes of hearing voices and slipping in and out of reality.The family is loving and understanding and tries to the best of their ability to help Jane. When she dies in an accident, they are left wondering if it was purposeful. Lily is left with grief.The subject matter is intense, but somehow the writing style lacked depth.I cannot recommend this one at all.
—Linda Lipko
The book where i want to be by Adele Griffin is about a girl named Lily and her big sister Jane that were totally different but looked like twins. Jane was always a shy girl and never had much friends growing up, she was always teaching Lily to play make-believe, make-believe was a game that Jane really enjoyed playing while she was growing up, it was her escape from reality. But while Lily was growing up she was always hanging out with her many friends and even dating some guys. “For Jane, the line between fantasy and reality had always blurred, whereas for Lily lived for a future bright with expectation and change.” (back cover) Lily had fallen in love with a boy named Caleb but the only problem was that Jane loved him first. Jane was frustrated that her little sister has eclipsed her all Jane could do was watch. Lily and her sister were growing further and further apart and then one day something terrible happened that changed Lily’s life forever. She wished she had more time and that she payed more attention but she didn’t and she regrets it. Read the book where i want to be by Adele Griffin to find out what happened that left Lily and her family in pain and tears. tI think the book where i want to be by Adele Griffin is a great book filled with lots of drama, so if you are into drama this would be a great book for you. In this book there were many different perspectives of different people. I thought it was interesting how every chapter it would change from Jane’s point of view how things used to be and Lily’s point of view how things are and used to be. There are many party of this book that are unanswered, this book mainly talks about how Jane and Lily grew up but it doesn’t tell what Janes special needs condition is. I think the reason Jane and Lily weren’t so close is because of Jane’s condition, Lily wanted to do her own thing as a teen and Jane also wanted to do her own thing. But during this time Jane was doing what she had to do as a big sister, comforting Lily when there were thunderstorms and talking to her when she was sad. I think that you should go and take a look at the book and maybe try it out, you never know, you might like it! From this book I definitely learned to not take things for granted and spend more time with the people you love because not everything will stay forever.tI would give this book a 4-5 stars because it was a very good book and nicely detailed, but it was missing some parts to it, like what Jane’s Special Needs Condition is and it doesn’t really talk about how her mom and dad handled things and it also didn't talk about Lily much from Jane’s perspective, it was all about Augustus and Grandpa at there house that Jane called Orchard way. And on Lily’s side it didn’t talk about Jane so much it was mostly about her boyfriend Caleb and them hanging out. I think it would be 5 stars if it wasn’t missing parts like that because it would make the book so much more interesting and wanting the reader to keep reading the book. I think the author should have put more information in because, the more information the more interesting and the reader would want to read on and possibly read more of Adele Griffins books. This book is a very short book about 160 pages in the book so it is fairly short and it is a quick easy read. From the effort put into making this book and the information that was in it, I think I would go and read another book by Adele Griffin.
—Amber
