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Summary and Reviews of If I Stay by Gayle Forman

If I Stay by Gayle Forman

If I Stay

by Gayle Forman
  • BookBrowse Review:
  • Critics' Consensus (6):
  • Readers' Rating (8):
  • First Published:
  • Apr 2, 2009, 208 pages
  • Paperback:
  • Apr 2010, 208 pages
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About This Book

Book Summary

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 heartachingly beautiful story about the power of family and friends, the choices we all make - and the ultimate choice Mia commands.

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Reviews

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I closed this book without a single criticism or negative comment. I think Forman is a skilled and funny writer who captivates her readers from the first page to the last. The book is tightly constructed and thought-provoking, and will leave you wrestling with Mia's dilemma even after the book's resolution...continued

Full Review (649 words)

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(Reviewed by Allison Stadd).

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Beyond the Book



The Cello - The Little, Big Viola

As Mia's source of strength, the cello plays a central role in If I Stay. Playing her instrument is her true passion, her future and the reason for her bond to her first love, Adam.

The first cellos were made in 16th century Italy. Composers sought an instrument with a similar sound to other stringed instruments but a lower tone than the violas and violins that were held under the player's chin. Cello is an abbreviation of the Italian word "violoncello", an oxymoron meaning "little, big viola."

Yo-Yo Ma
As she wrote her novel, Gayle Forman was inspired by the life and work of world-renowned cellist Yo-Yo Ma. In essence, his music sways Mia to make her final choice between life and death. Yo-Yo Ma is Mia's musical idol, and joking with ...

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Read-Alikes

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    They tell me that my memory will never be the same, that I'll start forgetting things. At first just a little, and then a lot. So I'm writing to remember.

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