Title: If I StayAuthor: Gayle Forman
Series: If I Stay, book 1
Publisher: Speak
Release Date: 2009
Format: Paperback
Pages: 234
Source: Bought
My Rating: 5 stars
Synopsis
On a day that started like any other...
Mia had everything: a loving family, a gorgeous, adoring boyfriend, and a bright future full of music and full of choices. Then, in an instand all of that is taken from her. Caught between life and death, between a happy past and an unknowable future, Mia spends one critical day contemplating the only decision she has left-the most important decision she'll even make. Simultaneously tragic and hopeful, this is a romantic, riveting, and ultimately uplifting story about memory, music, living, dying, loving.
Review
What can I say about this book. I can't believe I have been putting this book aside for so long. It's one of those books that will stay with you. I don't read contemporary books that much so I was little hesitant at first.
When I first read the synopsis I had no idea what was waiting for me during those first pages. Mia has an out-of-her-body experience and watches herself as doctors try to do everything they can to save her body. She had an accident and now she gets to see everything that happens around her even if her body is in coma. Being in this position is confusing but not as confusing as it is when she faces a choice of whether to live or stay.
Mia has a lovely family and even lovelier boyfriend Adam. Adam plays a huge role in this book. Thinking of the book and wanting to say more about it I realize that I have to be very careful not to spoil anything. It's one of those books that you'll have to read to find out what it means to you. The book deals with loss, grief, loving and letting go. Music plays a central role in this book as Mia and her family and even her boyfriend are musicians or lovers of music.
Gayle Forman captured me with her beautiful writing. As Mia faces the new reality of her life the author gives us a glimpse at her life before the accident. We get to know how she met Adam, know her parents and of course her love for the celo.
This book is very emotional and deals with different kinds of emotions. Did I cry? Yes. Not throughout the entire book but there were certain parts that I just couldn't not to. The whole time reading this book I felt sad about what was happening. Saying that this book is awesome feels wrong somehow due to the dept this book has and what it deals with.
It's one those books that will stay with you for a long time after you're read it. If I Stay was kept in my mind for days after I read it and couldn't read another book because I wasn't ready to let it go.
I would tell anyone who loves books to read this. I even got my mom interested in it, when she learned what was this book about, and she doesn't even read to begin with.
Frosy
