'If I Stay' climbs bestseller lists as movie release date approaches
'Stay,' by Gayle Forman, is about a teenager involved in a car crash who must decide whether to live or die.
'Stay,' by Gayle Forman, is about a teenager involved in a car crash who must decide whether to live or die.
The story of teenager Mia Hall, who is in a coma and must decide whether she wants to live or die, is steadily gaining popularity.聽
Gayle Forman published her novel 鈥淚f I Stay鈥� in 2009. In the book, Mia is a skilled cellist struggling to decide whether to attend Juilliard or stay with her boyfriend. However, after she is involved in a car crash that kills the rest of her family and leaves her in a coma, she must decide 鈥� on a more profoudn level 鈥� where her future lies.
The book received positive reviews at the time from publications like Publishers Weekly, which called the book 鈥渋ntensely moving, the novel will force readers to take stock of their lives and the people and things that make them worth living鈥� and praised Forman鈥檚 鈥渆xpert鈥� look at Mia鈥檚 life and the people she loves.
School Library Journal writer Lynn Rashid called the book 鈥渂rutal and beautiful,鈥� writing that 鈥淔orman creates a cast of captivating characters and pulls readers into a compelling story that will cause them to laugh, cry, and question the boundaries of family and love,鈥� while Kirkus Reviews said the book was 鈥渕asterful.鈥�
A sequel to the novel, "Where She Went," was published in 2011.
鈥淪tay鈥� is currently number four on the Amazon bestseller list and also number four on Barnes & Noble鈥檚 ranking of top-selling titles. In addition, a film version of 鈥淪tay,鈥� directed by 鈥淭he September Issue鈥� helmer R.J. Cutler, is set to debut this August. The movie stars Chloe Grace Moretz as Mia as well as actors Mireille Enos, Liana Liberato, and Jamie Blackley.
Moretz recently spoke with Entertainment Weekly about the film.
鈥淲hat鈥檚 interesting about Gayle鈥檚 novel is that it鈥檚 not really that YA,鈥� she said.聽鈥淚t deals with issues that are much bigger鈥�. it鈥檚 much darker than I think most YA is. I want people to walk in and feel like they actually felt something, and learned something, and realized something different about life that鈥檚 more than just, 鈥極h, I saw this love triangle and it鈥檚 super sad because she chose the guy I didn鈥檛 like. And then the movie was over.鈥� And you鈥檙e like, 鈥極kay, that鈥檚聽pathetic.鈥� You want to watch something that actually means something and makes you feel and makes you want to be involved. That鈥檚 what I wanted to make and that鈥檚 what I strive to make.鈥�
The movie version of 鈥淪tay鈥� will be released on Aug. 22.