If I Stay by Gayle Forman || Book Review

When I first saw the book at the library, I had already max my card and just figured, I’ll check it out with my next visit.

Fast forward time from June to December 2022, and I was finally able to get my hands on the book. I didn’t think it would be that popular considering it’s not a new book that everyone wants to read.

I haven’t watched the movie yet, refraining from doing so until I read the book. I’m glad I waited it out so there weren’t any spoilers to the storyline.

Yet another Young Adult book that’s a little different from the standard selection.

This is the first book in the If I Stay series.

DISCLAIMER: This review could contain possible spoilers based on my opinions. All opinions and views are my own.

Book review: If I Stay by Gayle Forman #bookreview #gayleforman #romancebooks #realisticfiction #youngadultbooks #booktwt #bookaddict #booktwitter
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Originally published: 2009

Format: Paperback
Pages: 259

Plot from GoodReads:

In the blink of an eye everything changes. Seventeen-year-old Mia has no memory of the accident; she can only recall what happened afterwards, watching her own damaged body being taken from the wreck. Little by little she struggles to put together the pieces- to figure out what she has lost, what she has left, and the very difficult choice she must make. Heartwrenchingly beautiful, this will change the way you look at life, love, and family. ‘

Thoughts:

This is a moving story about making tough choices. Even though we’re all faced with tough choices over time, it can’t be easy to make one about staying alive or letting go.

This book focuses a little on plot development, even though it feels slow at times with the flashbacks that Mia keeps having to tell her story, and a lot on character development.

While the writing in itself wasn’t perfect and some parts deserved a second glance from the editorial team, the story was moving and difficult. It’s hard to be judgemental towards books about death and dying because everyone grieves and deals with those types of situations in their ways but I feel the author used a good perspective angle to show what kind of struggles a person faces in the position of choosing to keep fighting death or just letting go. Weighing up the pros and cons of what you’re staying for or what you’re leaving behind.

The bedroom scene with the make belief music instruments was quite an interesting one, and probably one that musicians will understand more without explanation than the rest of us, but hey, everyone has their own kinks, right?