“And it’s while I’m contemplating this that I think about what the nurse said. She’s running the show. And suddenly I understand what Gramps was really asking Gran. He had listened to that nurse, too. He got it before I did. If I stay. If I live. It’s up to me.” (p. 73)
Foreman, Gayle. If I stay. New York: Dutton. 2009.
Genre: Realistic Fiction
Review:
Mia has a great life. She has parents that are both cool and supportive. She has a little brother that looks up to her and adores her almost as much as she adores him. She has a boyfriend that she loves and who fits in with her family even better than she does. In fact, her biggest concern is whether or not she should enroll at Julliard as she would have to move away from her family and her boyfriend. Then, suddenly everything changes. Her family’s car crashes leaving her family dead and Mia in a kind of limbo. A decision about where to go to school is meaningless compared to the decision that now lies before her. Should she stay? Should she go?
Told in first person, If I Stay instantly draws readers into Mia’s plight. With style and grace the author creates a character that is likeable and one that readers can easily sympathize with. Readers will devour this powerful novel as they anxiously read to find out what Mia’s ultimate decision will be. This thought provoking book will hold your interest till the very last page.