Gayle Forman's If I Stay

PERSONAL RESPONSE:

I really enjoyed If I Stay by Gayle Forman, because It’s a story about a girl going through hard times and who just experienced an car crash with her family and is stuck in a out of body experience while in a coma. Each chapter in the book lead me to want to read more and never put it down to figure out whether or not Mia is going to stay or give up.I like how the author made the book in Mias perspective and made it feel like that is how someone would really think if they were able to see everything while in reality at a hospital unable to wake up because she is in a coma. I also like how the author shows how Mia is feeling about her parent’s death from the car crash and how she reacts to seeing her brother barely holding on. I absolutely loved how the book made me think to myself on

how I would feel had I been in Mias situation and the things I would do similar or different.

PLOT:

There are so many main events in this story. But they all revolve around Mia and how she is feeling and how she reacts to everything and if she decides to stay for her grandparents and Adam's sake. Or if she decides to give it all up. The first part of the book started off with it being a snowy day. So Mia and her brother did not have school. Mia and her family decided to go for a morning drive, but on their drive they were hit by a truck. When Mia finally awakes, she, is very distraught and confused so, she looked around trying to get one of the medic’s attention to help but no one can hear her. Mia then sees her mother and father dead from the crash. As Mia looked around more she sees her own body who looks to be on the brink of death. Mia struggles to get someone's attention and tries to talk to someone but no one will listen. After realizing the medics were putting her body in the ambulance she quickly got in. When Mia gets to the hospital she sees her grandmother and grandfather rush to take care of her and plead for her to wake up. The hospital would only let the immediate family in so her best friend Kim and her boyfriend Adam were not allowed to get in but they still did everything they could to try and sneak in. Mia tries running through the hospital to find her brother to make sure he is alright but once she finds him she sees he is hanging on by a thin hair and ready to die. While her grandparents stay by her bedside Mia reflects on her life and her talent with the cello, her relationship with Adam, and her parents dying and how she will go on without them. Mia's decision on whether to leave or stay with her grandparents changes greatly throughout the book but once Teddy dies she has her mind made up to leave and be with her family. But as Mia is ready to leave Adam finally makes it to her room begging her to stay and holds her close. Mia then realizes that she sees how her whole future would play out if she stays and she chooses to stay and returns to her body.

CHARACTERIZATION:

This book is told through the first person view of Mia. Her character experiences many life changing obstacles most teenagers her age would never have to go through such as getting in a car crash, losing her mother and father and brother, having to choose whether to give everything up and leave or stay with the people who still love her and need her there. Mia's character is very strong, because even after everything she experienced she decided to stay and not give up. She finds something in her heart for Adam and stays through it all with the ones that are still alive.

SETTING:

If I Stay has many different settings but the main setting is in the hospital, because this is where Mia is in a coma and has to decide whether or not she will stay.

It is also where Mia realizes just how much Adam loves her and needs her.

THEMATIC CONNECTION:

There are many themes in If I Stay, The main one is the choice of life and death. Mia is faced with the decision on after being in a car crash with her family and everyone dying but her if she wants to end it all and be with them or if she wants to stay with the other part of her family that is still alive and loves her and needs her. This is evident when Teddy dies and all she wants to do is give up. This is also evident when Adam begs her to stay and holds her making Mia realize to stay.

RECOMMENDATION:

I would recommend this book to anyone from a freshman in high school to beyond, because in order to understand fully what Mia is going through there needs to be a more mature reader. Both males and females would enjoy this book, because it is a story about a girl who just lost everything she loved and cared for and has to decide for herself with no help is she wants to stay or

go.