YOUth Review: If I Stay by Gayle Forman

Have you ever thought long and hard about the right decision? Should you, or shouldn’t you, do it? That’s what this 210-page book by Gayle Forman is about. ‘if i stay’ is about the inner battle of a teenage girl when she had just lost everything. Should she stay, or has the afterlife got more to offer? This compelling novel takes you through all Mia’s memories showing the good things that made her life wonderful, and then the harsh reality, all to decide if life is still worth it.   

This novel was very enthralling in my opinion. It wasn’t sad, like you might expect the thoughts to be in this book, but rather joyful, as the good memories from her past lay on the pages. Another thing that drew me to this book was the fact that the emotions seem so real, and you can relate them like you’re talking to a real person. The story also has a good moral, which is that life is still worth living, even if you believe you don’t have much to fight for. This dramatic inner battle demonstrates hope, courage, and perseverance at its greatest. 

I think that everyone should have the chance to read this book. I would recommend it to anyone looking for a heartbreaking but uplifting story, as well as the sequel: Where She Went. This book is an easy reading level, so anyone should be able to understand and enjoy it.

– M.D.

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