I Was Here — Content Guide for Parents
Themes present
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Content themes
Factual summary of themes present in this book. No opinion — just the facts.
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Religious themes
PRESENTContains references to prayer and church attendance. A minister character plays a supporting role in two chapters.
About this book
When her best friend Meg drinks a bottle of industrial-strength cleaner alone in a motel room, Cody is understandably shocked and devastated. She and Meg shared everything—so how was there no warning? But when Cody travels to Meg’s college town to pack up the belongings left behind, she discovers that there’s a lot that Meg never told her. About her old roommates, the sort of people Cody never would have met in her dead-end small town in Washington. About Ben McAllister, the boy with a guitar and a sneer, and some secrets of his own. And about an encrypted computer file that Cody can’t open—until she does, and suddenly everything Cody thought she knew about her best friend’s death gets thrown into question.
I Was Here is Gayle Forman at her finest, a taut, emotional, and ultimately redemptive story about redefining the meaning of family and finding a way to move forward even in the face of unspeakable loss.
Frequently asked questions
Is I Was Here appropriate for a 7-year-old?
The book deals with the topic of suicide, specifically detailing that one girl kills herself and is found dead. This central theme of suicide is presented in a disturbing manner, highlighting the emotional and psychological impact on those left behind. The book is described as an intense read with disturbing details about suicide and the psychological struggles associated with it. This may be considered scary or unsettling for some readers, particularly younger audiences.
Does I Was Here have violence?
The book deals with the topic of suicide, specifically detailing that one girl kills herself and is found dead. This central theme of suicide is presented in a disturbing manner, highlighting the emotional and psychological impact on those left behind.
Does I Was Here have scary content?
The book is described as an intense read with disturbing details about suicide and the psychological struggles associated with it. This may be considered scary or unsettling for some readers, particularly younger audiences.
Does I Was Here have religious themes?
The narrative includes a character described as a Christian stoner, which indicates the presence of religious identity within the story. Additionally, there are references to Christian themes such as forgiveness and divine love in quotes from the book.
Does I Was Here have racial/cultural content?
No explicit themes of race or racism are detected in the search results, and the narrative does not focus on racial issues as a central theme.
Does I Was Here have profanity?
The narrative includes multiple uses of strong language, including profanity such as 'f**k', 'd**k', and other crude terms. This suggests that the book contains a considerable amount of profanity throughout.
Does I Was Here have climate change?
No themes related to climate change or environmental issues are present in the narrative, and the search results do not indicate any focus on climate topics.
Does I Was Here have sexual identity?
The book contains frank sexual dialogue, mentions of a teen couple having sex, and discussions about sexual relationships, including casual sex among characters. This indicates that sexual content is a significant aspect of the narrative.
Does I Was Here have gender roles?
The book presents a complicated relationship dynamic where the male character is portrayed as someone parents might warn their daughters about, while the female protagonist is depicted as inexperienced. This suggests a critique of traditional gender roles and expectations in romantic relationships.
Does I Was Here have lgbtq+ themes?
The book includes a bisexual character and depicts casual sexual relationships among teens, including a male character who has casual sex with multiple girls. This suggests a normalization of diverse sexual identities and relationships within the narrative.
