How I Live Now
by Meg Rosoff
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Book Summary Information
Author: Meg RosoffEdition: Paperback
Audio: English (Unknown); English (Original Language); English (Published)
Published: 2006-04-11
ISBN: 0553376055
Number of pages: 194
Publisher: Wendy Lamb Books
Product features:
- ISBN13: 9780553376050
- Condition: New
- Notes: BRAND NEW FROM PUBLISHER! 100% Satisfaction Guarantee. Tracking provided on most orders. Buy with Confidence! Millions of books sold!
Book Reviews of How I Live Now
Book Review: Well-deserving of its awards
Summary: 5 Stars
This Printz Award winning novel from Rosoff is a stunner. It's rare in that I think it would appeal to teens and adults just about equally, and here's why:
The style: Its stream-of-consciousness style, which is going to be challenging for some (though make others, especially perhaps those who don't read as much, feel right at home), is a brilliant choice. Though I like S-O-C, I am always a bit hesitant to read it. It's tricky to pull off, as it can seem confusing or indulgent, and the voice has to be just so, but for this, it works perfectly. Daisy's voice is fantastic, and there are all of these little gems, things that she says that you have to read over again and write down so that you can refer back to them. Her thoughts are funny and unusual and thought-provoking, and I enjoyed being in her head.
The S-O-C style also worked well in another way: Daisy has issues -- big ones -- which are hinted at and slowly revealed through out the book, and she is in a pretty bad place when she arrives in England. Being immersed in her head and just plunged into the swirly craziness is captivating, but what makes it more so is that, as the world falls apart into chaos around her, Daisy's narration becomes more and more simple and sane. There's this great subtle contrast that you don't realize is happening until it hits you; it builds slowly and with a great deal of restraint, and it works.
The relationships: The relationships in this book are very interesting. As we learn of Daisy's issues, we also learn of the abilities of her cousins, each of whom seem a bit something, prescient, telepathic, a little something that is never really named, but treated as a given. Since we are in Daisy's mind, and they are a part of her mind, we get these great interactions between them, especially with Edmond and Piper, both of which are fabulous relationships to read. I may make people angry for that opinion, though...Daisy and Edmond develop a relationship that is a bit more than familial, which is going to be controversial for some people, since they are cousins and underage. But I have to say, don't let it put you off reading this book. It just works for the story, and I don't know how else to convince you than to say, by the end, you won't give a damn that they're related. Really. I was dubious at first, but very quickly on, I was in love with them both. Though Isaac and Osbert are throwaway characters, both Edmond and Piper are great for what they do for Daisy and for their own sakes, and you grow to care about them.
The topics: There's a lot to digest in this slim little powerhouse of a book. The war, which we don't know all that much about, is like a character itself, making brutal appearances in our characters lives. There are a lot of war books that take a lot of time and page-space to make us feel the desolation of war and the horrible dehumanizing effects. In How I Live Now, this is sort of always on the periphery, and you kind of forget about it until suddenly you realize just how quickly things can get really, really bad. Rosoff doesn't need 500 pages of brutality to make you understand just how bad war can be. The dystopic, post-apocalyptic elements and some of the harsh realities are going to make for very thought-provoking and captivating reading for those who are interested, but it's not so overwhelmingly a part of the story that those who avoid serious books for being "downers" will be put off. Also, again the relationship between Daisy and Edmond is another topic that's really going to stick with people and make for great discussion, teen and adult alike.
My 1 drawback? Of course there is one, you should know me well enough by now...I was a little let down by the ending. Not completely, because I did actually like the way the story ended (though I think it will piss some people off); my gripe is more with the way the ending was written. There's so much power packed into the rest of the story that the end seemed a little underdone to me. It lacked that oomph. It wasn't quite a brush-off, but it was enough to keep me from being 100% satisfied with the book as a whole. I almost wish that there was no 3rd part at all, even though it would mean I'd always wonder... But it's such a slim book that it's not like Rosoff needed to limit her word-count; she could have done the characters a little more justice by just oomphing up the end. Just a bit.
Still though. It's more challenging than the general YA, which will appeal to adults, but it's got a great relatable voice for teens; there are things going on that are going to keep people thinking about it, that are going to worm their way into reader's brains in the best way. Pick it up, and when you're done, give it to your mother and/or your daughter, and then discuss it when you're all done. It could be a really rewarding experience.
Summary of How I Live Now
?Every war has turning points and every person too.?Fifteen-year-old Daisy is sent from Manhattan to England to visit her aunt and cousins she?s never met: three boys near her age, and their little sister. Her aunt goes away on business soon after Daisy arrives. The next day bombs go off as London is attacked and occupied by an unnamed enemy.
As power fails, and systems fail, the farm becomes more isolated. Despite the war, it?s a kind of Eden, with no adults in charge and no rules, a place where Daisy?s uncanny bond with her cousins grows into something rare and extraordinary. But the war is everywhere, and Daisy and her cousins must lead each other into a world that is unknown in the scariest, most elemental way.
A riveting and astonishing story.
From the Hardcover edition.
Possibly one of the most talked about books of the year, Meg Rosoff's novel for young adults is the winner of the Guardian Children's Fiction Prize 2004. Heralded by some as the next best adult crossover novel since Mark Haddon's The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time, who himself has given the book a thunderously good quote, this author's debut is undoubtedly stylish, readable and fascinating.
Rosoff's story begins in modern day London, slightly in the future, and as its heroine has a 15-year-old Manhattanite called Daisy. She's picked up at the airport by Edmond, her English cousin, a boy in whose life she is destined to become intricately entwined. Daisy stays at her Aunt Penn's country farmhouse for the summer with Edmond and her other cousins. They spend some idyllic weeks together--often alone with Aunt Penn away travelling in Norway. Daisy's cousins seem to have an almost telepathic bond, and Daisy is mesmerized by Edmond and soon falls in love with him.
But their world changes forever when an unnamed aggressor invades England and begins a years-long occupation. Daisy and Edmond are separated when soldiers take over their home, and Daisy and Piper, her younger cousin, must travel to another place to work. Their experiences of occupation are never kind and Daisy's pain, living without Edmond, is tangible.
Rosoff's writing style is both brilliant and frustrating. Her descriptions are wonderful, as is her ability to portray the emotions of her characters. However, her long sentences and total lack of punctuation for dialogue can be exhausting. Her narrative is deeply engaging and yet a bit unbelievable. The end of the book is dramatic, but too sudden. The book has a raw, unfinished feel about it, yet that somehow adds to the experience of reading it. (Age 14 and over) --John McLay
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