Confessional, Detailed
The writing style of What Happened to Goodbye is extremely straightforward, but also stark and honest. Mclean doesn't have many close friends that she can talk to, so it makes sense that the book would read like a running monologue of everything that happens to her—and how she feels about it. She describes every detail, giving the reader deep insights into both her day-to-day activities and her psyche as things happen. For example, we get to know exactly how she feels when her mom calls:
Then when he let go and went down the hallway to his room, I pushed out the door and went there. I wanted to break something, or scream, but none of these was really an option in this neighborhood at four on a Wednesday. (10.79)
Ultimately, thanks to the confessional style of the writing, we get to see everything that happens. Nothing is spared for the sake of decency or to keep Mclean's embarrassment at bay—so though we may not be her friends when the book opens, we certainly feel like we are by the end.