Sunday, July 24, 2011

Sci-Fi Books We Love: Gayle Forman If I Stay

So a few years ago I read "The Lovely Bones". It was one of those books that left me feeling "creeped out" and when I saw Gayle Forman's book "If I Stay" (which draws comparisons to The Lovely Bones) I thought, "Eeeeeh I'll stay away". Personally I never consider myself a Sci-Fi book person. However When I look in my room I notice a lot of Sci-Fi/Fantasy books and I guess I'll have to re-evaluate myself.

Therefore if you are someone who doesn't really consider themselves a lover of Science Fiction I'd like to invite you to read some of the books that will be in this series of blogs! They will all be books I couldn't tear my eyes away from.


If I Stay
Follows Mia both before and after her car accident. The book starts and she tells you about her family. Her parents were "rock and roll" musicians and her little brother can't wait to follow in their footsteps. Mia, as much as she loves her family always feels a little out of place because while she is a musician, she plays the cello and has an affinity toward classical music.
Affinity may be the wrong word. Mia loves classical music and is a very gifted musician who at the time of the accident is waiting to hear back from Julliard (after her audition she is very hopeful). While her family is hurting after the accident and Mia watches it all from above (she is in a coma-type state) there is one person she "needs" to see. Her boyfriend of a year and a half Adam Wilde. Adam was about to go on stage with his band "Shooting Star" when Mia's best friend brings him the news and drives him to the hospital. We see a series of memories of Mia and her best friend and Mia and Adam.
The book closes with a heart felt plea by Adam, "Stay" he goes on to say "If you stay, I'll do whatever you want. I'll quit the band, go with you to New York. But if you need me to go away, I'll do that, too. I was talking to Liz and she said maybe coming back to your old life would be just too painful, maybe it'd be easier for you to erase us. And that would suck, but I'd do it. I can lose you like that if I don't lose you today. I'll let you go. If you stay". I loved this book. Its characters were real and believable. You understand the weight of what her decision will be. It made me wonder what I would choose, which would be easier in this case? Life or Death?

Where She Went
Mia's decision has been made. She decided. Now we get to see the result of her decision on the people left. Or I guess more specifically the person left. This book follows Adam Wilde. His band has reached fame on an album written almost in its entirety by him. He has all the fame he has ever wanted and yet he feels hollow. Something is missing and he can't feel closure about his past. The band doesn't know him anymore, or understand him. You get the impression that even he doesn't exactly know what he is looking for. Adam is set up to have an interview with an internet magazine when he hears a name he hasn't heard in hears. A reporter digs up old pictures of them in school "Groovy and Geek", she finds newspaper clippings of the accident, and noticed their sequencing with the "black hole" that Shooting Star went through three years ago. He is forced to put Mia in the forefront of his mind (though she's been in the back of his mind for years) and you'll be surprised by how this story unfolds.
I loved this book and thought that Adam was written IMPECCABLY well. I highly recommend both books!

Thats all for now!

Signing off,

Reader Girl



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