Title: How I Live Now
Author: Meg Rosoff
First published August 24, 2004
194 pages, Paperback
ISBN: 9780553376050 (ISBN10: 0553376055)
Rating: 3.58
Overview
Amidst the chaos of war, fifteen-year-old Daisy is sent from Manhattan to England to stay with her aunt and cousins she’s never met. But when bombs start to fall and London is occupied by an unknown enemy, Daisy finds herself in a world that is both terrifying and exhilarating.
With no adults to guide them, Daisy and her cousins form an unbreakable bond as they navigate this new reality. As they face the unknown, they discover a strength within themselves that they never knew existed.
Meg Rosoff’s How I Live Now is a gripping tale of survival, love, and the power of family.
About the Author
Meg Rosoff had quite the journey before settling down in London with her family. She was born in Boston and worked in various industries such as publishing and advertising, switching between three or four different careers.
In 1989, she finally found her way to London and has been living there ever since.
As a former Young Adult author, Meg has achieved great success and recognition for her work. She has been awarded some of the highest honors in YA fiction, such as the Michael L.
Printz Award and the Carnegie Medal, both in America and in Britain. Her talent and dedication to the craft have truly paid off.
Editoral Review
How I Live Now by Meg Rosoff is a compelling coming-of-age novel that explores themes of love, loss, and survival in a dystopian world. First published in 2004, the novel has become a modern classic, beloved by readers of all ages.
Meg Rosoff is a British-American author who has written several award-winning young adult novels, including How I Live Now, which won the Michael L. Printz Award and was shortlisted for the Orange Prize for Fiction.
The novel is set in a near-future England that is plunged into chaos when a nuclear bomb explodes in London. The story is told from the perspective of fifteen-year-old Daisy, an American girl who is sent to England to live with her cousins.
Daisy is initially resistant to the idea of living with her relatives, but she soon becomes enamored with her cousin Edmond, and they begin a forbidden love affair. As the war intensifies and food becomes scarce, Daisy and her cousins are forced to fight for survival in a world that is rapidly descending into anarchy.
One of the strengths of How I Live Now is Rosoff’s vivid and evocative prose, which brings the post-apocalyptic world to life. The novel is also notable for its complex and well-drawn characters.
Daisy is a flawed but sympathetic protagonist, and her relationships with her cousins are nuanced and realistic. The novel’s themes of love, family, and sacrifice are universal and resonate with readers.
However, the novel’s pacing is somewhat uneven, and the plot can be confusing at times. Additionally, some readers may find the novel’s depiction of war and violence to be disturbing.
Nevertheless, How I Live Now is a powerful and thought-provoking novel that deserves to be read and discussed.
In terms of its historical and cultural significance, How I Live Now can be seen as a commentary on contemporary issues such as terrorism, war, and climate change. The novel also draws on literary traditions such as dystopian fiction and the bildungsroman, and can be compared to other works in these genres such as George Orwell’s 1984 and Suzanne Collins’ The Hunger Games.
Overall, How I Live Now is a beautifully written and emotionally resonant novel that will appeal to readers of all ages. It is a must-read for fans of young adult fiction, dystopian fiction, and coming-of-age stories.
I give it a rating of four out of five stars, based on its compelling characters, vivid prose, and universal themes.
