Rosoff, Meg. 2004. How I Live Now. New York: Random House. ISBN 0385746776
Plot Summary-
This is the story of Daisy and her long journey to belonging in a family. Along the way, she saves her younger cousin, survives a third world war and redeems another cousin.
Critical Analysis-
Daisy leaves New York, her father, and stepmother for the English countryside to live with her Aunt and cousins whom she has never met. She has an eating disorder, her way of controlling her circumstances. As she gets to know her aunt and cousins, she feels loved and accepted and develops family bonds she has never had. A hint of psychic abilities exists between the cousins and, as Daisy notes, they seem to know what she is thinking without her saying anything. When the young people are left as orphans at the onset of World War III, they learn to rely on and take care of each other, even after they are separated by the foreign occupation of England. Daisy, in particular, transforms from being a self-centered teenager to a young woman who puts others first. This transformation happens as she first saves and sustains her younger cousin during the foreign occupation and then saves Edmond, her first love, from himself and his memories after the war.
Told in the first person voice of Daisy, the story is mostly of a past time in her life. Daisy's telling of her story is part of her journey to who she will become. After a six-year journey from the beginning of the novel to the end, Daisy is finally home.
Mrs. Rosoff's writing style is unique in that she uses no quotation marks to denote dialogue and takes extra liberties with capitalization rules. I found it very distracting. The overall story is definitely for young adults, high school and older.
Reviews-
Michael L. Printz Award 2003
Publishers Weekly- "This riveting first novel paints a frighteningly realistic picture of a world war breaking out in the 21st century."
Kirkus Reviews- “This is a very relatable contemporary story, told in honest, raw first-person and filled with humor, love, pathos, and carnage.”
Connections-
*Read other books by Meg Rosoff.
- Just in Case ISBN 9780385746786
- What I Was ISBN 9780670018444
*Visit the author's website. http://www.megrosoff.co.uk/
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