Series: If I Stay
Author: Gayle Forman
Rating: ★★★★
Genre: contemporary
This was a very sad book. Hopes get crushed and the fleeting nature of life really smacks you in the face. I didn't bawl, but this book really makes you tear up and feel very heavy.
Mia, a regular girl who loves music, has a boyfriend, and has an adorable doting family, finds her life changed in mere seconds. The real struggle arises when she finds herself staring at the aftermath, and is forced to decide whether she wants to stay in this life, or join her family in death.
It's definitely deep stuff and maybe that's why I wanted a little bit more. To me, the book seemed almost short and curt. There were a vast number of things explored, but it felt too short to me. I also felt very distanced from all other characters except Mia. We basically learn about her life as she ruminates back upon it. Flashbacks and memories are most of what we get, not much actual plot in the book.
Also, a major portion of the book is supposed to be her relationship with Adam, but it felt too disconnected - probably because Mia was having an out-of-body experience and was also very isolated. But in general, the flashbacks didn't give me enough to really feel like I knew why Mia would stay. I fell in love with her parents and little brother, but Adam surprisingly enough took me a little while to really get a feel on. The nature of their tentative relationship took me a while to understand.
However, it was an interesting book, and held my full attention. It made me ponder things about my own life, and it makes you feel really thankful for what you've got. (Also, by this point, I have read the sequel and it is actually much better. Far less disconnected and their relationship is really explored.) So if you are in the mood for a sad, heart-wrenching book, I really suggest this one, and then the sequel. It's very pretty and thoughtful, and it doesn't take much time to read.
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