Why Kristen Stewart Sould Star In If I Stay

The Twilight Connection to If I Stay

If I Stay is a teen fiction novel that has been making the rounds amongst young adult readers since its publication in 2009. Word of mouth began to make Gayle Forman‘s novel popular sometime last fall and this interest began to spread throughout the Twilight fandom. So what does the book If I Stay have to do with Twilight or Kristen Stewart? Nothing implicitly, except that the book has been well received by Twilight fans of Stephenie Meyer‘s writing style, as well as fans of the Bella Swan type of character and narrator as executed by Kristen Stewart.

Catherine Hardwicke to Direct If I Stay

Now in 2010 there is a substantial connection being formed between If I Stay and Twilight. Catherine Hardwicke, Director of Twilight, will be piloting If I Stay’s adaptation from book to film as director of the movie. With Hardwicke on board, many fans of both If I Stay and Twilight are wondering if there’s a chance Kristen Stewart may be at all interested in the project. There has been no public mention on Kristen’s part (or her people’s) about this happening but the idea is alive and well within the respective fandoms. Read on to find out a bit more about If I Stay and why Kristen would be amazing in this new film project coming in 2011…

The Story of If I Stay

If I Stay tells the story of 17-year-old Mia who’s life is thrown into disarray when she suddenly loses her family in a tragic car accident. Her life is so beautifully serene and put together that the juxtaposition of this Christmas-time tragedy strikes hard. The story is visceral as Mia watches her own body being taken away from the scene of the wreckage as her presence enters a kind of out-of-body experience. We instantly care about what happens to Mia, and how she will pull through this ordeal. While Mia survives the accident that claims the lives of her loved ones, she is left in a kind of limbo state of consciousness where her body, mind, and soul are ultimately trying to decide where to go. While her body enters a coma, the rest of her struggles to piece together what happened and decide whether to go back to life without her family, or leave the world and join them.

Throughout this story we get to know Mia’s boyfriend Adam, and the close bond they have forged through their shared love for music. It is music that ties them together, and what describes so many of the emotional and dramatic moments in this book when words cannot fully speak for themselves. It is simply put – a beautiful story about the choices we make for ourselves, whether we choose to stay or go, and how those decisions affect the rest of our lives. Forman’s writing flips between past and present so that we get to know Mia before the accident as well as her altered state of being after the crash.

Kristen Stewart as Mia

It is through Twilight fans on Twitter that I came to read If I Stay by recommendation and I instantly fell in love with the story’s simplistic beauty. The story is somewhat ordinary in terms of subject matter, but it is executed in a way that is extraordinary. Mia pulled at my heartstrings with her loving nature, passion for music, and drive to succeed in life. You will probably have to read the story for yourself to understand why Kristen would be a wonderful match for the character of Mia, but here’s some of my insights into why she should play this role:

Mia is described as being musically driven – a cellist – with hopes of attending Julliard. Music is her life and it inhabits everything she does. Her boyfriend, Adam, has his own band which unites them in a similar devotion to all things musical. Mia is presented to the reader as a quiet, strong, loving, and devoted individual. She cares for the people in her lives deeply, and is passionate about her musical aspirations. What stands out the most about her character is her unwavering strength in the face of tragedy.

I think Kristen has the right kind of emotional sensibilities to step into Mia‘s shoes and embody her complicated state of being. Kristen, to me, seems like a complex person who has undoubtedly dealt with pressure and adversity. It is her relentless strength and stability in who she is that would make her the perfect Mia. Kristen handles the difficult aspects of her life with poise and grace, and it is this same kind of approach to life that Mia has in If I Stay. The way Kristen described bringing a bit of herself to the role of Bella in Twilight is the same kind of experience I could imagine taking place with If I Stay. Kristen could become Mia flawlessly and bring that strong sense of self, love for others, and quiet understanding to the role.

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This song by Ivana XL kind of reminds me of If I Stay, check it out below:

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To read more about If I Stay, check out author Gayle Forman‘s website:

• Gayle Forman – Author of If I Stay

Amazon.com also has reader reviews and more info on the book:

• Amazon – If I Stay

IMDB has the film details for If I Stay:

• IMDB – If I Stay (2011)

[Book covers belong to Gayle Forman | 2nd Kristen photo belongs to twilightfan_14]