I am through week one of the Gayle Forman read along! I LOVE THIS BOOK. I am finding that I can relate to Allyson sooo much! Usually I don't relate to characters very well - I just live vicariously through them but this is different! So we have six questions to answer this week and here are my answers!
1. At the start of Just One Year, Allyson, a girl just out of high school, attempts to “reinvent” herself by cutting off her long, dark hair. Have you ever “reinvented” yourself, either physically or as a break in your usual routine? Why?
--------------->I have never physically reinvented myself but I've definitely changed myself on the inside. I used to be a really angry person all throughout my teen years and I was mean to everyone. I was constantly negative and just not happy. But then one day, I woke up and just changed. It was so weird. Suddenly I felt happy and positive. It's been really difficult to keep it up all of the time and I've definitely slipped back into my worrying stage a lot more but I manage to still be pretty positive and try to believe that everything is working out how it should be.
2. When we first meet Allyson, she is an all-American “good girl” who has just undergone a European Tour. But other than her hair, she is no different than she was in high school. On the other hand, Melanie has managed to reinvent herself, turning from a “good girl” to a party-all-night flirt. What did you think of the ease with which Melanie reinvents herself?
--------------->I think she's done it pretty well. It doesn't seem like she's being a total rebel but she's getting out there to some extent which is good. I still think you can be a good girl though and not have to turn into a party person.
3. After watching Twelfth Night at the waterfront, Allyson finds herself at a morose standstill. The play is over, but Allyson continues to clap and clap, hoping to make the moment last, so lost was she in the play. She hesitates to return to her “normal” life, associating the play (and also movies) with a “greater” reality. Have you ever felt the same, that a movie, play or book seemed more “real” than your own life?
--------------->I feel this way a lot when I go to concerts! I hate this feeling. I don't even really know how to describe how I feel when I get like this, I just know it makes me sad. My concerts are always the greatest ever but I get sad. I saw a quote or something that basically said we get like this because we're worried that something as great as that moment you just went through, won't ever happen again. I think that's true. I'm 24 now and I'm pretty close to being done with my concert going and that scares me because I don't get to keep being a teen.
4. When Allyson decides to go with Willem to Paris, Melanie is not happy. It seemed as though, even though Melanie was trying to encourage Allyson to change, when Allyson actually did something adventurous, Melanie still wasn’t happy. Do you think maybe Melanie liked having a friend who was more serious so she could be the exciting one?
--------------->I totally think that Mel wants to be the more exciting one but I also think (even if she doesn't realize it) that she's scared because even though she has "reinvented" herself, she's still the same girl she was before. She's probably scared that she's going to be left behind.
5. At this point in the book, who do you find yourself more similar to? Allyson or Melanie? Why?
--------------->ALLYSON!!! I can't even really describe how I can relate to her. Reading her thoughts, I just see that I have literally had the majority of thoughts that she has had so far and it's just weird seeing her internal battle of wanting to change but she has family to please.
6. Allyson seems to experience more with Willem over the span of just one day in Paris than she did during her entire European tour throughout the summer. What do you think it is about Willem (or this one day) that brings out the adventurous side of Allyson?
--------------->I love Willem's mentality. I love his thoughts on falling in love versus being in love. I love his thoughts on "accidents." I think he brings out the adventurous side in Allyson. I've had people like that in my life and it's scary. And then I've had people in my life who are scared and that holds me back a lot. I don't think anything necessarily has to do with this "one day." I think everything has to do with Willem and how he looks at life. I love it.
I just finished Just One Year this week so it was fun to see your reponses ;)
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