Author:  Gayle Forman
Genre:  Young Adult
ISBN:  978-0-525-42103-0
Hardcover
196 pages

Visit the book's website!

Book Description:

"Choices. Seventeen-year-old Mia is faced with some tough ones: Stay true to her first love— music—even if it means losing her boyfriend and leaving her family and friends behind? Then one February morning Mia goes for a drive with her family, and in an instant, everything changes. Suddenly, all the choices are gone, except one. And it’s the only one that matters."

My Thoughts:

Seventeen year old Mia is a bright and gifted cellist, with a supportive, loving family, an amazing, devoted boyfriend, an awesome best friend, and a bright future ahead of her.  She is grappling with the decision to stay in Oregon to be near her family and friends or to move to New York City to attend Juilliard.

In an instant, everything changes.

The choice Mia now faces is whether to live or to die.  As she is suspended in a state of limbo, Mia can see her entire network of family and friends as they surround her body in the hospital.  She can hear them, but no one can see or hear her.  As the story unfolds, the narrative switches from past to present and we learn of Mia's life before the accident.  She is an amazing character, with likes, dislikes, faults, and insecurities.  There is a depth to Mia that is astounding.  That the author was able to elicit so much emotion and character development in under 200 pages is a testament to her gift of storytelling.

I thought the ending of the book was perfect.  I was disappointed that there wasn't more, but it was perfect for this story.

This is a book I will be recommending to everyone I know.  It was phenomenal.  I cannot say enough good things about it.  Just read it and you will understand.  Words cannot do it justice.  You need to experience for yourself.

Here are two videos about the book.  One is a book trailer and the other is a brief interview with the author, Gayle Forman.  Enjoy!