In the blink of an eye everything changes. Seventeen year-old Mia has no memory of the accident; she can only recall what happened afterwards, watching her own damaged body being taken from the wreck. Little by little she struggles to put together the pieces- to figure out what she has lost, what she has left, and the very difficult choice she must make. Heartwrenchingly beautiful, Mia's story will stay with you for a long, long time.
5 STARS out of 5
TITLE: If I Stay
AUTHOR: Gayle Forman
GENRE: Young Adult
At 15%, I knew that I won't be able to put this book down even if I try.
Instantly, this book captured my heart.
Years ago, my career in real life made me realize how short and precious life really is. I've seen too many people on moderate high back rest, awake one moment, then dead the next.
Even though I'm used to being a part of the medical team, it's kinda refreshing to see the scenes from the point of view of a patient. I mean, Mia's soul; the one which stayed and became a bystander.
“But seriously, how do you get over the jitters?”
Dad was still smiling but I could tell he had turned serious because he slowed down his speech. “You don’t. You just work through it. You just hang in there.”
Loved that advice! Definitely something nice to remember when I'm having a stage fright. Where I'll use it, I'll never know. But who knows?
The social worker looks exhausted, as if she wouldn’t mind crawling into one of the open beds. I am not her only sick person. She has been shuttling back and forth between patients and families all afternoon. She’s the bridge between the doctors and the people, and you can see the strain of balancing between those two worlds.
With that excerpt, I swear she does not only described the social worker but also my job as a nurse. Wow. Honestly, this book felt pretty insightful and real.
I loved the writing. It almost seemed lyrical, and the flashbacks felt natural.
I also loved how the author showed the relationship between Mia and Adam. It was realistic and not without its flaws.
I loved everything about this book. The theme is supposed to be dark, with death and coma being tackled; but somehow, it felt light and really easy to read. Not once did I cry, but it totally grabbed my heart.