Sunday 25 July 2010

If I Stay by Gayle Forman

Publisher: Dutton Juvenile
Pub. Date: April 9th 2009
Age Range: 12 and up
Pages: 199
Format: hardcover
Source Of Copy: from author - Gayle Forman

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 beautiful, touching musing of death and life that will leave you wanting for more, from both this story and the next ones by Gayle Forman.

If you turn away from this book because the plot seems so familiar, don't. Because it's written in a brand new way that brings out the best in this situation. Told in a half depressed, half vague voice of a girl who is floating between the ultimate choice of her life, I guarantee that If I Stay will capture your heart and provoke your thoughts in the most gentle way ever.

The book reminds me a bit of The Lovely Bones where the main character is in different world seeing how her love ones deal with the cruel happenings and it's interesting to read. Gayle Forman does a really great job, especially merging the present with random parts from the past. Usually that kind of writing will appear messy or confusing to me, but in this book it just flows naturally. Actually, it does liven up the whole story.

Instead of analyzing the characters, I want to say something about the message delivered in If I Stay. It shows the love for music, both passionate and peaceful kinds; it shows the meaning of family, friendship, love and how little things work in life; yet it doesn't feel preachy or whatnot. It seems real and very convincing. The story is so nice I feel like it can last forever. Unfortunately, it's only 199 page long. Well, at least the ending is touching.

A great read indeed. Suitable for a cold day.

Rating: 4.5/5

3 comments:

La Coccinelle said...

This book reminded me of The Lovely Bones, too... but I thought The Lovely Bones was much, much better.

Anonymous said...

I loved this book so much.

Just Your Typical Book Blog said...

LOVED this book! It made me bawl like a baby through most of it. I actually read The Lovely Bones a year or so after I read this book & it never popped in my head to think about it. Then again, I could barely stand The Lovely Bones, lol