Before the accident, Mia had a good life. She has loving parents who support her dream of being a cellist and a young brother she adores. She has a best friend, Kim, who is like a sister. And Mia has a boyfriend, Adam, who is a musician, too (in a rock band).
Since she was a child, the cello has been a part of her; the music an extension of who she is. She sometimes feels out of place among her rock music loving family (her dad gave up being a drummer in a punk band to become a teacher when her brother Teddy was born). Playing the cello is where she is most comfortable.
The family set off on a snow day trip to visit family. Mia never saw the other car coming. She finds herself standing in a ditch looking at what used to be her family's car. She feels fine, except she sees herself laying on the ground surrounded by rescue personnel. Is Mia dead? She doesn't know. She does hop in the ambulance and ride with herself to the hospital.
We, as readers, are with Mia knowing what she knows when she knows it. We are with her in the hospital waiting for Adam and Kim to arrive, watching her grandparents weep and learning the fate of her parents and brother. We also learn about Mia's life through flashbacks: discovering the cello, meeting Adam, hanging out with Kim, laughing at her brother, rolling her eyes at her mom, applying for school, listening to her dad's music. So much promise; so much lost.
What will Mia do? Stay or leave? Interesting questions for a poignant story. The book is relatively short, but packs a lot of emotion. Enjoy Mia's story - it's worth it.
For more info, check out the Indianapolis Public Library catalog and the author's site.
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