If I Stay by Gayle Forman [Review]

4.5 out of 5 Robots!

   

If I Stay by Gayle Forman

Series: If I Stay #1

Genre: Young Adult Contemporary

Release: April 2, 2009

Hardcover: 201 Pages

Publisher: Dutton Juvenile

My Copy: Purchased

Reviewer: Shannon

Buy the Book: Amazon

Book Summary:
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 heart-achingly beautiful story about the power of family and friends, the choices we all make, and the ultimate choice Mia commands. (Courtesy of the Publisher)

 
Shannon's Thoughts:

I have been hearing about this book for awhile now.  It has been making its rounds on top ten lists but I don't generally read contemporary YA so I put it off for awhile.  But then I ran across it sitting on the library shelf and decided to give it a go.  I am so glad I picked it up and finally read it!  This was such a beautiful, heart breaking book.  I'm not even sure I have words to do it justice.  Mia awakes from the accident and realizes she is existing outside her comatose self.  She follows her body back to the hospital and becomes a silent observer to the events unfolding around her.  As she learns about what happened to her family, she relives scenes of her life.  The book is alternates between the present and Mia's memories and we begin to understand her family, her boyfriend Adam, and Mia herself.  It becomes clear that Mia has a choice to make:  stay and live with the pain of losing her family, or to let go.  I think this type of story in the hands of a lesser author could easily become maudlin and sappy.  But Gayle Forman is an amazing writer and never lets her story veer off course.  I highly recommend this book!

Books in the series in the order they should be read:
1. If I Stay
2. Where She Went