In a single moment, everything changes. Seventeen-year-old Mia has no memory of the accident; she can only recall riding along the snow-wet Oregon road with her family. Then, in a blink, she finds herself watching as her own damaged body is taken from the wreck...
A sophisticated, layered, and heartachingly beautiful story about the power of family and friends, the choices we all make—and the ultimate choice Mia commands.
Review:
If I Stay was a beautiful and heart-renching story in which our main character, Mia, has to make the biggest decision of her life; whether she should stay or go. At the start of the story, we are introduced to Mia and her family. They are a lovely, ordinary family- it could've been anyone's family- that is until they fall victim to a car accident.
It was at this point that the book really caught my attention. The detail that Forman gives in describing the destruction in all its gory graphicness means that those images are forever engraved into my mind. The story continues to be told from Mia's point of view, except her body is injured and she is not conscious. Therefore, the point of view is whatever left Mia's body at the time of the accident; either her consciousness, her soul/spirit or something much more abstract.
As Mia's body begins to fail, she recounts memories she has of her family, her friends and her boyfriend. Music is also an integral part of If I Stay as Mia plays the cello and music is what brought her and her boyfriend, Adam, together. Though there is some romance in If I Stay, it does not overshadow Mia's recounting of her life, her love for her family and friends and of course the dire decision she has to make. Her memories felt very realistic and I wouldn't have a problem believing that Mia exists in reality.
The writing flows gracefully and seamlessly, almost like a ghost floating past and of course, this suited the story exceptionally well. If I Stay is a serious and emotional book which you have to sit down and think about to really digest and to appreciate it. It asks some life changing questions. What would we stay on this earth for? What would we go for? Could we choose if we were ever in that position and is it right to?
The main theme, as the title suggests, is choosing. Though Mia is exposed as a vulnerable character due to the accident, she still has the strength to choose her path. Mia somehow knows that the choice is hers and not up to someone or something else.
The main theme, as the title suggests, is choosing. Though Mia is exposed as a vulnerable character due to the accident, she still has the strength to choose her path. Mia somehow knows that the choice is hers and not up to someone or something else.
The actual story-from the time of the car accident to the end-spans a day, however, by this time and through Mia, we learn about everything important to Mia and are privy to her memories. I appreciated the fact that If I Stay came to a sound conclusion and didn't have me pulling my hair out, but I'm happy to learn that there will be a sequel. Without revealing too much, I will say that I was pleased with the ending.
In conclusion, If I Stay was a highly-charged, emotional story which made a great impression on me. There were some moments that I felt were repetitive and extraneous. Also, I did think the story could have moved along just slightly faster and I don't believe that this would have affected the high quality that the story is currently at. I would recommend If I Stay to other people, but warn them to have a tissue box at hand as this book did make me emotional at certain points. I look forward to reading the sequel of If I Stay which is entitled Where She Went.
Book Rating: 4.5/5
Cover: 5/5
Concept: 5/5
Author: Gayle Forman
2 comments:
It spans over one day, actually. :P Loved it. Nice review. Can't wait to read WSW! (Lucky I already won a pre-order, otherwise I would've gone crazy)
...I don't know where my head's at. Lucky you have a pre-order! I look forward to your review of it=) Thanks for commenting!
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