Author: Gayle Forman
Series: If I Stay, Book 1
Release Date: April 2, 2009
Published: Dutton/Penguin
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Mia's life is just about perfect with her boyfriend who's on his way to rockstar status, a fantastic family, and maybe even Julliard! Except on a day just like any other, life changes forever for Mia...
My thoughts: This was a good one and I'm glad I finally read it from on my bookshelves. Not amazing or epic as others sold it to me, but good. Interesting even. There has been SO much hype about this one that I am wondering if I was putting this one up on a pedestal of "too much hope" and it didn't quite meet up. Darn. It's frustrating when that happens.
****WARNING****SPOILERS AHEAD!!!!!!!!
Mia does seem to be headed for a rather charmed life...until the day there's a snow day for a small bit of fluff. The family decides to pile into the car and head out anyway, just as we do here at our house sometimes. Except, this is not a book where everything turns out rainbows. This is a story where everything is sad, sad, sad. There's a horrific accident and not everyone in the family makes it. Mia is instantly pushed outside her body when the traumatic event occurs and spends time following herself/her body watching the events around "her" while she decides whether she will wake or not. I mean WHOA right!? For all those who think, this is no big deal and just a bit rough...I have to tell you that the accident scene was described in fine detail and because of this feel this is for older teens and adults only in case you are wondering. Just my opinion.
My favorite things about the book were the characters of the memories of the parents and their two best friends. They seemed like really cool folks. Maybe I also have just gotten to the point where in this book anyway I identified with them for some reason. (Ugh! I'm OLD!!! Oh well.) I especially liked the woman (who's name I now cannot remember and it's really bothering me now!! :( ) in the couple of parent's bffs.
The person I had a hard time connecting with was Mia, which also seemed to hold me back a bit while reading. I think it was because of all the "Why me?" bits with her relationship...which btw is the ONLY reason I can possibly come up with that could be for the UTTERLY BIZARRE quote on the front of my paperback, "It will appeal to fans of Twilight" WHAT!? WHY???
Finally thoughts: I'm certainly going to read Where She When, and I ADORE Gayle Forman as a person but was a bit underwhelmed after so much praise for this one.
View all my reviews
Comments
Post a Comment