Review // If I Stay - Gayle Forman

Published -13th May 2010
Publisher - Black Swan
Format - Paperback
Synopsis - Life can change in an instant. A cold February morning . . . a snowy road . . . and suddenly all of Mia's choices are gone. Except one. As alone as she'll ever be, Mia must make the most difficult choice of all. Gripping, heartrending and ultimately life-affirming, If I Stay will make you appreciate all that you have, all that you've lost - and all that might be.

If I Stay was an impulse buy (Brianna's, not mine!) after I told her i'd read good reviews and the plot sounded really original and, well, pretty awesome. I wasn't wrong - so thanks bloggers! ;)

I'd never read anything by Forman before so I had no idea of her writing style etc but it was so easy to just jump in. After a couple of pages it didn't feel so much of a story as an experience.. however cheesy that sounds! Mia's life could easily be the same as any reader. She has a close and friendly relationship with her family but she still feels like a bit of an outsider. She loves music, her best friend and her gorgeous, rockstar boyfriend. Okay some some bits are just an imagined realism ;). It felt like a shock when tragedy struck Mia and yep, I cried. I'm okay with admitting that, mostly. 

If I Stay is so incredibly powerful and emotional and really did make me stop and think about the choices I have made, should make, would make but not in a pushy kind of way. It was honest and real and I felt really connected to the story. The book flitted between past & present scenarios but it wasn't confusing as I thought it might be at the beginning. They worked really well together. A few people have said that they felt there was no real 'plot' but I totally disagree. Sometimes it was a little fragmented and seemed 'off topic' if you will, but I think that only adds to what Forman is really trying to get across. Making decisions, no matter the importance of them is difficult and IS fragmented. I guess I just loved the way she wrote and how it worked itself out as the book progressed. 

This edition of the book also had an interview, backstory, playlist information etc at the back of the book which I did actually read and definitely added to the book as a whole. I'm looking forward to coming across more by Gayle Forman.