From the Bookshelf of 2015 Reading Challenge [Closed]…

If I Stay (If I Stay, #1)

Gayle Forman

Discussion: . Week 3: Book Turned Into Movie

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. Week 3: Book Turned Into Movie

* Week 3: Introduction
By Jessica · 45 posts · 391 views

last updated Feb 27, 2015 05:34AM

* Week 3: Progress Post
By Jessica · 46 posts · 176 views

last updated Nov 06, 2015 06:53AM

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What Members Thought

Feb 12, 2014 Iniya rated it it was ok

RATING: 2.5 STARS

I've had If I Stay for the longest time on my e-reader and I've heard nothing but great things about Gayle Forman's beautiful writing. I tend to shy away from books which involve tragic events in contemporaries. I wasn't sure I was ever going to read If I Stay, but all the rave reviews made me pick up this book just to see what all the hype was about. Multiple times I've come across this situation with hyped books where I turn out to be the black-sheep. It was exactly what happe RATING: 2.5 STARS

I've had If I Stay for the longest time on my e-reader and I've heard nothing but great things about Gayle Forman's beautiful writing. I tend to shy away from books which involve tragic events in contemporaries. I wasn't sure I was ever going to read If I Stay, but all the rave reviews made me pick up this book just to see what all the hype was about. Multiple times I've come across this situation with hyped books where I turn out to be the black-sheep. It was exactly what happened with If I Stay, which proved to be my downfall. To brief it, If I Stay is about a girl in a car accident and the aftermath.

Have you ever tried to avoid a book which hits too close to home for not wanting to go through the all the feelings you previously had or not wanting to think about any tragic events? If I Stay was that kind of book to me. I live in Wisconsin, where the winters are brutally cold with a foot of snow. That being said, our mundane life had to be carried on,which is a bit of concern when it comes to driving. I've had experience of being veered off the road during winter, but luckily nothing bad happened. Maybe this may sound as nothing, but it makes me feel queasy recounting those moments. I went into this book with trepidation, but it was not what I expected. I was utterly surprised that it didn't make me feel so bad, at the same time, it did not resonate with me.

If I Stay opens up with fun, loving and cute family making plans for an unexpected day off due to snowy weather. We, the readers are introduced to Mia's family- Mia, her mom, dad, and her cute little brother Teddy. They take a trip to visit Mia's dad's friend and Mia's grandparents. It is then everything changes within a blink of an eye. Their car veers off the road and collides with a truck, throwing off everyone out of the car. Forman makes Mia to be separated from her body and witness, the course of actions after the accident and also we get to know more of Mia's life before the mishap. Although the out-of-body experience sounds interesting, it didn't completely pull me in to the story. Honestly, it didn't feel real to me.

Mia's parents were proclaimed to be dead the moment they were thrown out. Mia is now in the hospital lying comatose and it is all Mia's decision whether to stay or leave. The out-of-body experience starts before Mia was brought to the hospital. She starts to think about her little brother, and she is quite not sure whether he is alive or dead. Through Mia's narration, we get to know that she has a passion and flair for playing cello and passionate in becoming a cellist. Her grandmother had insisted her to apply to Julliard and it is almost like she is accepted for it. Although Mia wants to attend Julliard, she is contemplating about leaving her boyfriend, Adam back at home mainly because Mia and Adam were having a good relationship. Mia has a tight-knit relation with every character we come across throughout the story and music binds them all. Apart from Mia's flashbacks, nothing much happens. Will Mia stay or choose to leave?

It is highly a character-driven book and Forman focuses on developing realistic characters. In all honesty, I didn't like the way the story was told. I couldn't emotionally connect to anybody, but I admit, the last couple pages did make me tear up. Forman's books are highly regarded, but If I stay was a little disappointment. Although I wasn't impressed by the story, Forman has to be credited for her poetic writing style. I'm little hesitant to pick up the sequel. I feel like I need some break between Mia and Adam's story. I want to give Forman's work another chance. Maybe my next Gayle Forman book would be Just one day. All in all it was a thought-provoking book. ...more

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Sep 16, 2014 ktouton rated it really liked it

Shelves: young-adult, chick-lit, general-fiction

True confession time, I am a middle aged women who loves young adult books. This book is one of the reasons why.

It is a short book, but about a very adult topic, death. The author did a fantastic job of character development. As I reader I actually CARED about the characters and the plot.

I do not think anyone younger than high school age is mature enough to read this book. It may cause some young people to question their religion and thoughts about death.

I would recommend this book, along with ...more

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