Young Adult Lit; Family Drama
Young Adult Literature
This is definitely the kind of book that's geared toward teenagers—the angstier the better, right? (And yes, we know angstier isn't a word, but whatever.) Mclean is the human definition of struggle as she makes her way through her high school years, unable to form serious friendships and constantly trying to figure out who she is. And Dave Wade, dreamboat next door, is in the same position—he's trying to figure out what it's like to be young and wild and free after spending most of his time in a lab or with his nose stuck inside a book.
With the help of their friends, the teenagers in What Happened to Goodbye embark on journeys of self-discovery—complete with the rumor mill, parental pressure, and plenty of other teenage drama along the way.
Family Drama
You can cut the tension in What Happened to Goodbye with a knife—especially when it comes to Mclean and her mom. Ever since Mclean's parents divorced, things have been pretty awkward and rough, and the book deals with a lot of Mclean's feelings of betrayal, and how she comes to redefine her relationship with her mom. Heck—we wouldn't even have a book if Mclean's mom hadn't gone and cheated on her dad three years ago. And when family drama is a catalyst for the plot, it's a safe bet that the book you're reading falls into the, well, family drama genre.