REVIEW: How I Got Here, by Hannah Harvey

Title: How I Got Here Author:   Hannah Harvey              How I Got Here is a young adult novel. It takes us through...



Title:
How I Got Here

Author:
 Hannah Harvey

             How I Got Here is a young adult novel. It takes us through River's story, a young girl who has been in hospital for a long time. She's incredibly withdrawn and lonely. Nobody around her tries to understand her symptoms, choosing instead to brush it aside. Until Oliver, a young doctor who works hard to figure out what's happening with her.

             How I Got Here is a story about how much words can affect people and how rushed, hasty decisions can be followed by gruesome consequences. We're all reminded in this book of how much damage bullying can do to us and how much damage we can do to ourselves, without even realizing it.

             River is just a normal girl, who likes to read a good book, who likes listening to music and who'd rather stay home rather than go to a party and this is what sets everything into motion. Of course, there's that one girl at River's school who just demands attention and does anything to get it, even if it means breaking others. Her name's Kim Jenkins or as I like to call her, Jerkins - we'll go with this name from now on - and she's a shallow, conceited, superficial biatch that should get eaten by the tiger from Life of Pi.


            Because of Jerkins turning every person against River, including River's so called "friends", she starts getting spiteful e-mails every day, she becomes the mockery of the entire school, she almost drowns, she's invited by a guy to the ball only to find out that yet again she's being laughed at.

            The story is told while River is in the hospital and she's writing letters to Oliver, who works there, and that he's genuinely willing to help her. No, not because of medical reasons, but because he likes her. Of course, they both develop feelings for each other and to be honest, there were times when I thought their story was beautiful and times when it was just cheesy.
                     
            The book is written quite well, but there are a bit too many commas when the sentences should just end.

            "You've been saying no for the past week, you said that it was too risky, that you could get into trouble, you said you were worried about me going out."

             "I never did anything to upset her, other than not attending her party, but that was all it took for her to take a dislike to me, and that was fine, I never craved to have everyone like me, if she didn't want to be friends with me, I wasn't going to lose any sleep over it."

            Overall, it was an interesting book with a story that many can relate to and with a romance that shows us that even in our most difficult times, there can also be good things happening to us.

Favorite quotes

“She feels everything so deeply, happiness and sorrow and everything in between, with her, halfhearted isn't an option. The books she reads become part of her existence and she becomes engulfed in them, invested in the characters.”  
Words have a way of being incredibly powerful, from I Love You, to I Hate You. They carry sentiments, truths and lies.”  

Rating


Characters: 3/5

While I know much about River, there's not much I know of Oliver and I would've liked to find out more about him.

Romance: 3/5

It didn't feel... natural, it was like the romance was just thrown in my face.

Pacing/Length: 3.5/5

River's letters felt endless sometimes, it felt like many sentences and passages were just fillers.

Cover: 4/5

I do love the cover, it's beautiful and the girl reminds me of River.

Plot: 3/5

While the subject is an interesting one, it could've been told better.


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2 comments

  1. Uhh, I love the header! So,avem aici o alta carte de la autor. :) Pai imi place ce ai zis de coperta fiindca si eu aveam aceeasi impresie. Cat despre continut,pare ok,dar doar ok. Nu e chiar deosebita,dar pare ceva placut. Te rog sa-mi zici daca vrei sa fac comm-uri in engleza fiindca vad ca sunt cam singura care face pe blog. :))

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    1. Ti-am zis ca e ok sa dai comm pe romana, no probs!! ^^ Si da, cartea este ok, dar doar atat. Si ma bucur ca-ti place headerul!! ^^

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