Forman, Gayle. If I Stay. New York: Speak, 2014. Print.
(Originally published in 2009)
Mia, a teenage cellist, is in a deadly car accident with her parents. She ends up in a coma and finds herself outside of her body, watching everything that goes on around her. She learns that it is up to her whether she stays alive or chooses to let go.
I can't say much more than that without giving away some serious spoilers. Gayle Forman does an amazing job with pacing in this novel. The story is told in two timelines. The first timeline is Mia's current experience of being in the coma and existing outside her body watching everything doctor's do to keep her alive, and seeing all the loved ones who visit her. This is interwoven with well-timed flashbacks that allow the reader to learn about Mia's life, family, and dreams for her future. The timing between present reality and the flashbacks is perfect. There is just enough time spent in both to maintain tension but also create character depth and move the story forward. Well done, Gayle!
I do think that this book, especially the first third of the book, will be very triggering for anyone who has been in a severe car accident and/or lost loved ones in a severe car accident. There is a scene where Mia is walking around the crash site and describes some of the gore in such detail it made me queasy. I myself have lost loved ones in vehicle accidents and it was quite triggering and upsetting. I had to put the book down and take a break. Once I got past that first third of the book, I didn't feel triggered.
At the end of the novel, I felt like there was an opportunity missed. Forman had an opportunity to make a profound statement of some kind about life, death, love, or loss and she didn't take the leap. She mentioned embracing possibilities briefly, but it was a let down not to have some kind of final message or "moral of the story" to sit with and chew on.
Would I read it again?
Maybe...probably not. Overall, I enjoyed this book and I will probably try to watch the film. I don't know that I enjoyed it enough to read any of Gayle Forman's other novels, though.
Recommended for: Readers who enjoy an emotional drama that is well-paced with simple language.
Not recommended for: Readers who have been in severe vehicle accidents or who have lost loved ones in vehicle accidents.
Word Bank (New-to-me vocabulary)
Gayle Forman's Website: http://gayleforman.com/
(Originally published in 2009)
Mia, a teenage cellist, is in a deadly car accident with her parents. She ends up in a coma and finds herself outside of her body, watching everything that goes on around her. She learns that it is up to her whether she stays alive or chooses to let go.
I can't say much more than that without giving away some serious spoilers. Gayle Forman does an amazing job with pacing in this novel. The story is told in two timelines. The first timeline is Mia's current experience of being in the coma and existing outside her body watching everything doctor's do to keep her alive, and seeing all the loved ones who visit her. This is interwoven with well-timed flashbacks that allow the reader to learn about Mia's life, family, and dreams for her future. The timing between present reality and the flashbacks is perfect. There is just enough time spent in both to maintain tension but also create character depth and move the story forward. Well done, Gayle!
I do think that this book, especially the first third of the book, will be very triggering for anyone who has been in a severe car accident and/or lost loved ones in a severe car accident. There is a scene where Mia is walking around the crash site and describes some of the gore in such detail it made me queasy. I myself have lost loved ones in vehicle accidents and it was quite triggering and upsetting. I had to put the book down and take a break. Once I got past that first third of the book, I didn't feel triggered.
At the end of the novel, I felt like there was an opportunity missed. Forman had an opportunity to make a profound statement of some kind about life, death, love, or loss and she didn't take the leap. She mentioned embracing possibilities briefly, but it was a let down not to have some kind of final message or "moral of the story" to sit with and chew on.
Would I read it again?
Maybe...probably not. Overall, I enjoyed this book and I will probably try to watch the film. I don't know that I enjoyed it enough to read any of Gayle Forman's other novels, though.
Recommended for: Readers who enjoy an emotional drama that is well-paced with simple language.
Not recommended for: Readers who have been in severe vehicle accidents or who have lost loved ones in vehicle accidents.
Word Bank (New-to-me vocabulary)
Gayle Forman's Website: http://gayleforman.com/
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