If you loved the movie Just
like Heaven, or you read the story The
Lovely Bones and couldn’t put it down,
then If I Stay, and the sequel Where She Went by Gayle Forman are both definitely worth a read. If, on the other hand, you don’t like to read anything sad, then this book probably isn’t for you.
I first heard about this story first through movie
advertisements. Whenever a movie based on a book comes out, I always make sure I
read the book first. I am yet to find a movie (apart from the Lord of the
Rings) that I have enjoyed more than the book. Most people don’t understand this,
but as an avid reader, I can lose myself in a book in a way I can’t in a movie.
So I knew I had to read If I Stay quickly.
I finished the book in just over a week. Personally, I think
the title of the book instantly gives a lot away – it’s not at all subtle, and there are few other instances in life that it could really
refer to. You really know from the first page what the dilemma in the book will be. The book is written so well though that it doesn't matter that you know what is going to happen.
But to save any confusion, I’ll tell you a little bit about
the story. Beware though - there are spoilers below.
The main character Mia, her brother Teddy and her parents
are involved in a devastating accident on a snowy morning. Mia is left alone, and it is her semi-present self (I'm not sure what else to call someone neither dead nor alive) looks over her lifeless body, trying to decide whether
to stay and live or to let it all go. Throughout the book, various members of her family and friends visit in hospital, and flashbacks to her past help to explain Mia and her family. Mia is a classical musician, while her boyfriend is into rock, and the book explores the relationship between the two, and the turmoil teens go through as they try to find their place in the world. The book ends with Mia's decision on whether to continue living or be with her family.
Despite the predictability, I really liked the book. It is written
well, the emotions are real, and there is a great mix between Mia’s past and
present. Moreso, the story really makes you think about short life is. Especially once you read the authors note at the back of the book, and realise that a tragedy in Gayle's own life spurred her into writing this book.
If I Stay also has
a sequel – Where She Went. I'm not sure the sequel was necessary, and I definitely didn't enjoy it as much as the first. If I Stay
did end on a cliffhanger, but another chapter or two and readers would have had a sense of finality and it could have ended there. However Where
She Went seemed to drag the story out. It did look at an important aspect of tragedy, in that Gayle dealt with how the
people who are left behind deal with the aftermath of death, but I’m not sure I
bought it. The characters no longer felt real to me. Perhaps it was because they were supposed to be in their early twenties, but it felt more like early thirties. Or maybe because it was no longer written
from Mia’s perspective but her boyfriend Adam (or ex-boyfriend, depending on
what part you’re up to).
I won’t go so far as to say I didn’t enjoy the sequel, but I
definitely felt it was lacking the suspense of the first. But hey let's be honest, how many sequels are ever as good as the first?
But I definitely recommend you read the books and make up your own mind. Even if it's not your usual style, they are a stark reminder of the fragility of life, and how we should appreciate what we have while we have it.
You can find more info on both books, and Gayle herself, here.
I’d
love to hear what you thought about both books once you're done. Next for me is to watch the
movie, and see how that compares - I’ll
be sure to let you know.
Love from,
Emma Lou
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