If I Stay

Gayle Forman

If I Stay #1

Summary:

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...

Plot:

This is not a very original story, but the perspective from which it is told makes it extremely interesting. The author gives us a whole life story, told in flashbacks and from the main characters viewpoint as she holds her own life in her hands. This is just a story of a pretty normal girl, her life, hopes and dreams. While there are some aspects of her life that make it unique, it’s stays relatable.

Characters:

You really connect with this main character, you get to see her entire life literally flash before her eyes, and you start to care for her and the people around her. She is very relatable, although her present situation is pretty strange. All the characters are entertaining, and you get to know them pretty well, since the main character is pretty perceptive.

Who should read this:

13+, this is mainly for language, the violence of the car crash and suspense, as well as the issue of death, which, obviously plays a big role in this book. I would recommend this for people who like stories about normal teens, but want something a little different. The front cover says ‘for fans of Stephenie Meyer’s twilight’, but I personally didn’t see the connection. The themes of the two books differ greatly. If you want a light, happy book I wouldn’t recommend this one, as it is pretty sad.

My rating:

I enjoyed this book, it didn’t bore me, I found the perspective refreshing and new and I really liked the characters. I don’t think it’s going to make my favorites, simply because it wasn’t one of those books where I go ‘wow’ when I put it down, but it was definitely worth the time I spent on it...4/5.

Quote:

Sometimes you make choices in life and sometimes choices make you.