Book of the Week : February 6, 2011

If I Stay by Gayle Forman

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


Really 3 1/2 stars.



Another book from the book club. Another book I wouldn't necessarily pick. If I Stay, is about a 17 year old girl Mia, She was in a horrible car accident with her family, she has an out of body experience, and has to make a choice on more than one level, if she should stay or go.

This book was a fast read, two and a half hours. It read like a friend telling you a long story. the story goes off on small flash backs, but comes back to the main story. The author is able to pull it off without losing her readers.

This Book is mainly about Mia and Mia's relationship with her boyfriend. There is little focus or concern on the other characters. Most of the flashbacks are about her boyfriend or music. I felt like the author may have been trying to say that teenagers are somewhat self absorbed; only concerned with their boyfriends, school, and friends, and little concern on family. I think the author was mistaken a bit; she needed to show a little more that Mia had more feelings about what had happened to her family. I think any teenager would have been a bit more upset by what happen.

There are 2 parts that got me to tears in this story, Grandpa's permission, and Teddy. Teddy got me, because of my own personal experience with my little sister.

I really liked the ending. I could see how some people would be unhappy about it, but this story was about a choice and the choice was made.
There is a sequel coming out called Where She Went. It's told from the boyfriends point of view and moves the story into the future.
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