If I Stay Review

                                                                                                                                               

Synopsis:

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.

 If I Stay by Gayle Forman
 Published: April 9, 2009
 Format: Hardcover
 Pages: 196

                                                                                                                                                     

First Look: 7:09 am Everyone thinks it was because of the snow. And in a way, I suppose that's true. I wake up this morning to a thin blanket of white covering on our front lawn. It isn't even an inch, but in this part of Oregon a slight dusting brings everything to a stand still, as the one snow plow in the county gets busy clearing the roads.

                                                                                                                                                        

Review:

I want to start by saying I wasn't too sure about this book because the subject matter was so heavy. And the initial feedback, many people talked about crying because it was so sad. I didn't cry.
But I was moved by the story and I was  really glad I read it after all. Gayle Forman gave you the most intimate view of what its like to have a near death experience. I felt like I was reading Mia's diary if she hadn't survived. The detail is amazing.

Because it took the voice of one person, Mia and walked us through the worst day of her life and the events that followed every fear, discovery, loss. I found myself asking the question how would I deal with losing my entire family?  And immediately prayed I would never have to find out. There's a saying "living is hard, death is easy" as Mia lays in the hospital bed body broken she's confronted by this very thought.

For all the good points in this book there were some flaws, at least in my opinion. I wish she'd seen her family before she decided, conflict always makes for a better story and would have given her choice more impact. The vague-ness of her state merited more explanation. Even so there was so much substance already there in the book. I had to give If I Stay by Gayle Forman a 4 out of 5.

Rating: 13+, Mild language, No Cursing, No Drugs/or Alcohol.