If I Stay (If I Stay #1)

This book really makes you think!

On setting out on my reading journey for If I Stay, I was full of anticipation, because I have heard a lot of good buzz about this title, but also a bit cautious, due to the Twilight comparison on the cover. Let me state for the record that this book is nothing like Twilight. All they really have in common is that both are YA novels aimed primarily at a female audience.

The opening of the novel definitely worried me as to whether I would like the book (which, just so you know, I did). The first page includes a description of the snowfall: "It isn't even an inch, but in this part of Oregon a slight dusting brings everything to a standstill as the one snowplow in the county gets busy clearing the roads" (3). This sounds like a description of the reaction to snow in Atlanta, not Oregon. As a northern state that, to my knowledge, gets a pretty good amount of snowfall, there seems to be no way they could be so unprepared for the inclement weather. Or the kids would just never have school.

That section aside, I really, really likes this book. It deals with a serious topic, but does so without being preachy or heavy-handed. The writing is fairly simple and even distant in places, but this fits perfectly to the tone of the novel. The whole story just came together beautifully.

What really made the book work for me (and made it completely different from a book like Twilight) was that it did not focus only on Mia's romance. She is in love with a fabulous boyfriend, yes, but he is not all she thinks about. She also spends her time, as she makes her decision, contemplating her family, best friend and love for the cello/classical music. The flashback sections of the novel were definitely my favorites. They just burst with life and I could really feel the love Mia had for those people in her life, even in the times where everything was not as happy. Plus, they felt like real relationships, not like melodrama.

My suggestion to you, dear reader, is to put on a CD of gorgeous cello music and enjoy, although perhaps not on a day when you're sad. For a somewhat similar read (in mood more than anything else - I kept thinking of this book as I read) try The Adoration of Jenna Fox, which I read earlier this year.

Reader reviewed by Alyssa

I thought this book was amazing. I recieved it from my school book club and I couldn't put it down. It is one of my favorites. I think it was well written and had a lot of emotion in it. The only thing I would want is to have a bit of a longer ending; to see how she deals with losing her family when she has people now.

Reader reviewed by Jillian R

Being
a huge fan of the Percy Jackson series, I just had to get my hands on
this on the day of its release. I have to say, I'm incredibly happy I
did so. I'm going to go straight to the point: I LOVED THIS BOOK and I
highly recommend it to readers of all ages.

Now that I got that crucial
part out, it's up to you if you would like to continue reading this
review. The truth is, I only have positive things to say about this
addicting novel. The only negative thing I can think of is that this is
just too incomplete -- it is torture that we have to wait for the next
chapter of The Kane Chronicles to come out! Nevertheless, I'm here to
explain exactly why I loved it so.
First off, there's no doubt about
it; Rick Riordan can write. Once again, he does an awesome job
combining mythology with the modern world. His wordplay is still as
effective, most especially
when he gives details, whether they're on the story's settings or on
character descriptions. This allowed me to truly have a clear and vivid
depiction of what's going on. Also, I appreciated the fact that there
was just enough background information on Egyptian mythology, without
it sounding like a boring lecture -- this is important, actually, as I
certainly don't want to feel like I'm reading a textbook!

The
main thing that I loved about this though, are the main characters
themselves; Carter and Sadie. I love them, because they seem so real --
I was able to empathize, root, and feel for them. I also liked that in
the book, they both get to be narrators. I thought at first it wasn't
going to work. Fortunately, it did. Having two completely different
POVs let me get the entire picture, and get both sides instead of just
one. You also really get how distinct the two of them are -- and their
personalities -- through their voices. By the end of the book, I felt
like I truly had a grasp of what this series is ultimately all about,
and who the characters truly are. So overall, I loved this novel
because it is well-written, exciting, believable, and is rich with
complex and multifaceted characters. It is a series I will definitely
be looking forward to.

If you are to read this, try to take it for what it is, without high expectations, and you might enjoy it even more ;)
Please
note also: try not to compare it to the Percy Jackson series, because
this is really different, even though it is still about mythology. The
characters and their voices are absolutely different. But okay, maybe
some of you are still wondering: Was it better than the Percy Jackson
series? Hmmm... the truth is, I think I'm just incredibly biased,
because Percy Jackson and Greek mythology will always have a special
place for me. However, I also can't deny how much I enjoyed and loved
this one as well. You decide. For me, The Red Pyramid gets 5 stars.

Reader reviewed by Yan

When I cracked open the first page of If I Stay I expected to go in crying my eyes out, snot running down my nose, and stacks of used tissues besides me. Well, call me the ice queen because that did not happen. But! I feel that I have to say that I did happen to read this book while in school&during an important test&in a classroom filled with silence and many many classmates. And I am a loud crier. So I held it in. So thus explains the non-waterworks.

Gayle Forman presents the reader an interesting question in her novel. What would indeed happen if I did decide to stay instead of letting go? What will I lose? What will I gain? What is there to live for? There were moments where the intensity, the heartache came full throttle at me that I needed a break. My eyes, teary, were blinking vigorously to stop the sobs from coming. I had to breathe in and out, close my eyes then venture back into Mias tale. I was that much of a sadist to be reading this in school.

The pace was exquisite. The way she switched back and forth from the hospital to the Mias past. She delved into Mias relationship between the family membersmother, father, brother, grandparents, her friendship, her love of the cello. Sometimes happy, others nostalgic, all great. Then it reverts back to the hospitalthe painful experience of watching and waiting, hoping for the best in the end. Up and down, the emotions flew from page to page. What I love most about this method was the fact that I had a breather every few minutes. I could collect my thoughts and also the novelty of it all. If the hospital scenes were stretch out or if there were no happy scenes, I probably, most likely, will end up bored.

The characters were flawedmeaning it was well executed. Scratching your heads at that? Well how would you feel reading about a character who was so perfect? Annoyed? I definitely would be. So it was pleasant to read a book that had problems, people who arent so darn prefect, and ones that seem more human than a false image in your mind.

The writing style reminds me much of the stream of consciousness. I plan to not go into further depth of thatjust pointing about something that I learned in school! Yay!

Overall: An amazing read that leaves me wanting and expecting more from Gayle.

Reader reviewed by Jinxie

This is the tragic and hopeful story of a 17 year old girl, Mia, a talented cello-ist, whose family is killed in a car accident.  She is critically injured in the same accident and in a coma, but is able to leave her body and see what is happening around the hospital.  She sees who comes and sits in the waiting room:   her boyfriend, her best friend, her family...  And the question is, should she stay or should she go?  Find out her decision by reading this book...

Reader reviewed by kathy

"If I Stay" is a book about a teenage girl, named Mia, who gets in a car accident one day while driving with her family. While in a coma, she has some flashbacks that have to do with her family, friends, and her boyfriend.
This was a very emotional book. At some points you could laugh about something and the next you're crying. It was also very interesting and you find it hard to put down. I think that it will grab the attention of readers who give it a try.

The only thing i didn't like about "If I Stay" was the ending. I wished that the author kept going and let us know what happened to Mia. Other than that, it was a brilliant book.

Reader reviewed by Lilibeth

Reader reviewed by Anna

This book was great. i dont even think words can describe it. i loved it. it was cool seeing through the eyes of a ghost, who has to make a very big desision: to stay with her loving, caring, and amazing boyfriend, or to die, and be with her family. GREAT!!!

Reader reviewed by Sara

Plot:
From inside cover: "Just listen," Adam says with a voice that sounds like shrapnel. I open my eyes wide now. I sit up as much as I can. And I listen.
"Stay," he says
CHOICES. Seventeen-year-old Mia is faced with some tough ones. Stay true to her first love - music - even if it means losing her boyfriend and leaving her family and friends behind?

Then, one February morning Mia goes for a drive with her family, and in an instant, everything changes. Suddenly, all the choices are gone, except one. And it's the only one that matters."

I almost made a huge mistake. I almost didn't get this book. Because, it is, quite simply, amazing. Totally and completely. I loved it. LOVED IT!

When I stay follows Mia as she hovers outside her body after a devastating car accident that will leave her life, if she lives, irrovocably changed forever. The book is told from Mia's point of view as she reminices on memories, watches friends and family anxiously await her fate, and decides, ultimately, if she should stay, and live, or join her family lost in the crash.

If I stay was definitely emotional, but it wasn't all sadness. Their was humor, joy, and anger. It was a roller coaster of emotion that only served to bring the reader closer to Mia and her impossible choice.

If I Stay was beautifully written and the characters were perfect. I will most definitely recommend this book to not only teens, but to my mother and other adults.

Ratings (out of 10):
Plot: 10
Characters: 10
Writing style: 10
Romance: 10
Memorable: 10
Total: 50/50 (A)

It isn't often that I recommend buying a book, but this is one that I definitely want on my bookshelf - and you will too!