Customer Reviews
Excellent Read - By: Jade x, 23 Jun 2008 
This book conjures up the same heart warming, life-questioning emotions as How I Live Now did, something that I felt Just In Case did not.
I just wish Rosoff's books were longer, with such intriguing writing methods she constantly keeps us hooked to the story. Some how I have come to believe that Rosoff works best when describing the long & often harrowing journies of a person & the architecture of the buildings they come across, as both How I Live Now & What I Was contained these features, something that made the books stand out to me.
With Hilary describing his journey from St.Oswald school to the life he wishes he has in Finn's hut, both factors of architecture & journey are opened up & gives us a vivid imagination of what the journey is like. The emotion between two people, I believe, has never failed to be written well by Rosoff & at times can bring on laughter & tears with just one line.
I hope Rosoff will continue to write such amazing books as this.
Still brilliant - By: bigdaddy, 24 Apr 2008 Even after the author's win last year, the Carnegie Medal nomination is well deserved. This is a thoughtful musing on age, youth, friendship, sex & gender set on the atmospheric Dunwich coast. No one else is writing books like this for teens, & though reluctant readers might find some of the language a bit challlenging, enthusiastic book-loving readers will love it.
Not up to her previous standards - By: M. Atkinson, 01 Feb 2008 
I greatly enjoyed Meg Rosoff's previous books, "How I Live Now" & "Just in Case," partly because of her writing style but partly because the novels included strong, subtle threads of magic. In "What I Was," the magic seems to have been ruthlessly excised, leaving the book as drab, grey & soggy as the boarding school it is set in. Disappointing.
Great Book - By: Je Mischenko, 29 Dec 2007 This is a wonderful tale about a boy named Hilary who is sent to boarding school then he befriends Finn, a mysterious boy living on his own in a seaside cottage.
Young friendships - By: Wyvernfriend, 29 Nov 2007 
This is an interesting story of contrasts. Hilary is in his fourth school, having been thrown out of three before this, the school reallly doesn't provide for him. When he comes across Finn, a youth who lives alone on a tidal island this changes his life. Finn doesn't go to school but has learnt as much as is possible with the resources available.
As time goes on the friendship deepens but can they keep their friendship a secret & what are the secrets that both are holding in their hearts?
It's a story of friendship, of finding a place in the world & of assumptions. It's heartwarming & interesting & would bear re-reading well.
