Author: Gayle Forman
Narrator: Kirsten Potter
Published: April 23, 2009
Publisher: Penguin Audio
Length: 5 hrs 2 mins
Source: Purchased
Purchase: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Audible
In a single moment, everything changes. Seventeen-year-old Mia has no memory of the accident; she can only recall riding along the snow-wet Oregon road with her family. Then, in a blink, she finds herself watching as her own damaged body is taken from the wreck...
A sophisticated, layered, and heart-achingly beautiful story about the power of family and friends, the choices we all make, and the ultimate choice Mia commands.
I'm not a big fan of sad stories. They keep eating at me long after I'm done reading them. Like I can't let the story go, and I just continue to feel the sadness and pain over and over again. Because of this, I was quite skeptical of reading If I Stay. I felt that maybe it wasn't a book for me. But after I had it recommended to me so many times, and it ended up popping up on my screen on Audible on sale, I figured I would give in to the masses and give it an honest try.
If I Stay really made me think throughout. It's about love and loss, but it's also about difficult choices and real-life issues. I didn't understand what the story really was until I started listening and realized that it's actually a story of Mia, looking down at her own body in ICU, deciding her own fate. She's the only living survivor in a family car accident. She must decide whether she lives or dies.
To readers that enjoy a sadder story, you will like this book. It's heartfelt and sincere. Sometimes you just need a good cry, right? I definitely think the audio deserves a chance. The narrator did a wonderful job expressing the appropriate emotions. And the cello music that plays here and there definitely added a nice touch. This was a good read that carried with it a lot of emotion. It leaves the story open for book two, Where She Went, which I will most definitely be reading asap.
I agree with you on how sad stories make you feel long after you turn the last page. I read, not listened, to this one but it was definitely one of those books. However, I am a masochist because I love sad books. I enjoy the emotion they are able to stir up inside of me. I also read Where She Went and that one is also a bit painful at times, but with a bit more closure than If I Stay. I highly recommend it...
ReplyDelete~StacyHgg
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I think I'm going to try Just One Day before I pick this one up...just to see if I like the author's style first. Because I'm not the biggest fan of sad stories, and I'd hate to write the author off just because I read one of her sad stories first.
ReplyDeleteSeems like a lot of people are reviewing this one today. Good one and happy you liked it.
ReplyDeleteGreat review. I am not a big fan of sad stories. I don't mind if they end up happy. This sounds like a tearjerker, but good.
ReplyDeleteI heard good things about this book, and I'm glad the book didn't disappoint me. It was really good! My favourite scene was when Grandpa and Kim said something to Mia, it made me cry!
ReplyDeleteThank you for the review. I started this book a while ago but I couldn't seem to get into it but I'm going to try again when I finish my current read.
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