Jenna Likes to Read

If I Stay by Gayle Forman

Posted on 22 November 2009

If I Stay by Gayle Forman

In a single moment, everything changes. Seventeenyear- 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 fi nds herself watching as her own damaged body is taken from the wreck…

A sophisticated, layered, and heartachingly beautiful story about the power of family and friends, the choices we all make—and the ultimate choice Mia commands.

I liked this book, but I have reservations about it as well.  I was disturbed by page 14.  I knew what it was about, but I didn’t expect the descriptions at the beginning.

The flashbacks were interesting, but sometimes Mia’s family and friends seemed too perfect to the point of being a little annoying.  Mia also annoyed me sometimes.  I wouldn’t say it is necessarily the character’s fault, but her perspective on music was so different than mine.  I was extremely involved in music growing up.  I did solos and such, but I really enjoyed being part of a group – an ensemble or the band.  To Mia, playing was always a solo experience and that was just hard for me to understand.  I expected to like her musicality, but in the end I couldn’t relate to her.