If I Stay Family

In lots of young adult novels, the protagonist either doesn't associate much with his or her family or outright despises them. But in If I Stay, Mia's family is practically perfect. Their biggest disagreement is over what to listen to first in the car—NPR or classical music. A lot about Mia's life has a fairy-tale quality to it—she's got a perfect music career; she's got a perfect boyfriend who also has a perfect music career; she's basically Sleeping Beauty. And her perfect family enhances the ethereal quality even more.

Let's hope Mia doesn't have to live with wicked godparents in the sequel.

Questions About Family

1. What makes Mia's family such a tightly knit unit?
2. When thinking of her family, does Mia include her grandparents?
3. What does Kim mean when she tells Mia, "You still have a family"?(16.17)
4. How does Mia's family compare to Kim's family?

Chew on This

Mia likes her family so much because her mom and dad are more like friends than parents.

If Mia had a damaged family, she wouldn't be glad they were dead, but it would make the choice of living or dying much easier. She would choose to live immediately, because she would be okay living on her own without them.