Short and sweet. These two single words describe the book If I Stay perfectly. If I Stay, by Gayle Forman, is a heart-wrenching, short 200 page novel that caused my mind to be filed with beautiful questions about life after death. Mia, the book's protagonist, is a musical 17-year-old teenager who hopes to go to Julliard with her cello, otherwise known as her best friend. She never knew that in one single car crash, her dreams will be shattered, but brought back alive. Even though this book was not very long, it was filling and heavy, filled with Mia's flashbacks that changed her as a person. However, it was never sad or depressing, as Mia was brought back alive by her loved ones including Adam, Kim, and her grandpa, known as Gramps. Throughout the story, Mia is never helpless or weak; she listens to the sounds around her with her ears, both perplexed and full of wonderment on whether she has the right to live even when her family is crumbled. If I Stay was a such a powerful and thought-provoking book. Trust me, you will be engaged in Mia's story, full of both captivation and emotion.
In one chilly morning day, everything changed. Mia and her family went on a family drive, and then, the world revolved into darkness, or was it meant to be dark? Mia has an amazing life; she is a hardworking cellist, has a caring friend, a supportive family, and a great boyfriend named Adam. However, when her whole family dies in a car crash, she is faced with the toughest decision in life, whether or not to live. Mia's brain is shattered, and numerous amounts of doctors help her piece together both physically and mentally. She is aware of everything that goes around her, and when people talk to her when she is in this state, it's beautiful. Her grandfather talks to her while she is in a coma: “It’s okay, If you want to go. Everyone wants you to stay. I want you to stay more than I've ever wanted anything in my life. But that’s what I want and I could see why it might not be what you want. So I just wanted to tell you that I understand if you go. It’s okay if you have to leave us. It’s okay if you want to stop fighting.” These quotes had so much feeling, and my heart broke into shreds of sorrow and joy. It also broke and warmed up when Adam told Mia to stay: “If you stay, I’ll do whatever you want. I’ll quit the band, go with you to New York. But if you need me to go away, I’ll do that, too…maybe going to your old life will be too painful, that maybe it would be easier for you to erase us. And that would suck, but I would do it. I can lose you like that if I don't lose you today. I'll let you go. If you stay." I loathe sappy love stories, but the attachment in this book was not attachment at all. It was poetry, beautiful poetry with feeling, with thought.
Whenever Mia thought to herself if whether her younger brother and parents are dead or angels, my heart throbs out of sadness. The characters in If I Stay were incredible, and they demonstrated love in its many forms. Her grandfather was only mentioned a couple of times, but I heard the way he talked in my mind, and his words made my heart melt. Moreover, when Mia described her friendly friend Kim, she had a longing in her voice that never transformed into cruel desire. Additionally, when Adam talked to her, I was never uncomfortable, disgusted, or grossed out. He did not have attachment, but genuine faith that Mia will grow up to be a talented, kind, and successful woman. All these characters gave Mia hope that she would live, and they knew that she was smart enough to listen. At that time period, when she was ill, she did not have a healthy body. Instead, Mia had a STRONG soul.
Gayle Forman did an excellent job with If I Stay. The book will reside in your heart forever, and you would never have to worry about being unjust because love in its good amounts will fly like a bird to the best souls. May all the dead live up in heaven, with no one, but only peace with angels.
Citation for Image:
Rev. of If I Stay. Weblog post. Http://2.bp.blogspot.com. N.p., n.d. Web. 22 Sept. 2013. <https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVl5ythyphenhyphenO0gSltrEhOe3ztHZBh9XSA_M70HQeYhnlWP-k4fS3A5tAXFvBOF0jvnPscbAY9KWmGhm8oOr-erUwipQ3YOYVnDm2qGbpH2sSe0Ss9AzfWmyv-WYokBblHADldD9tV_zVLeEk/s200/stay.jpg>.
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