If I Stay

 
Author: Gayle Forman
Recommended Age: 14 and up
Publisher: Penguin Group
ISBN: 978-0-14-241543-6
Year Published: 2010
No. Pages: 259
Genre: Realistic Fiction
Main Character Gender: Female
Read & Reviewed by: Maren

If your mom and dad were dead, and you were clinging to life by a thread, would you choose to live or die?   17 year-old Mia lives in a cozy home in Oregon with a loving family, a devoted boyfriend, and a musical future with friends supporting her every step of the way. Life couldn’t be better, until a tragic car accident kills her family and leaves her the sole survivor, watching her body being removed from the wreck. Mia hovers between life and death. Watching her friends and remaining family members, she must decide if she should stay or go.

The award winning author, Gayle Forman, has weaved together the themes of family, passion, love, loss, and survival into a beautifully written, heart-wrenching novel that I read in one sitting. If I Stay is written in first person, which I think is effective because it allows the main character, Mia to express how she really feels and show her relationship with her family and boyfriend as healthy and positive. The more I read of her thoughts and feelings, the more I was able to grow connected with Mia and have someone to propel me through the story. The chapters fluctuate between the present and Mia’s memories, I liked the use of flashbacks, it let me get to know the other characters other than Mia, giving me a more balanced view of the story.

Mia needs to make a choice –stay or go, live or die. At first, I thought this choice was a no-brainer, but Forman constructs such a complex, emotional story, both dark and hopeful, that I realized that there is no easy decision. Mia can either live, with only her friends to look after her, or die, without having to face the pain of having lost her immediate family. This book made me realize that a single moment can change everything.

This book left me feeling satisfied, but with questions about what will happen in the future. I would rate this book a 9 out of 10. I would recommend If I Stay to mature, young adults of either gender, because it includes sexual content, violence, and strong language.