How I Live Now by Meg Rosoff

Posted by : Deborah Takahashi Wednesday, May 4, 2011

Plot Summary:
After being shipped off from her home, in New York, Daisy has found herself in the country side of England among a strange, but refreshing, group of people. Since her "wicked stepmother" is expecting a child with her father, Daisy felt forgotten and alone. However, all of this changes when she meets her aunt's family who not only welcome her, but love her as if she were one of them. Just when things couldn't be any better, she finds herself in love with her cousin, Edmond, but all of that love is tested when the war breaks out and she is ripped away from everything she knows, including Edmond.

Critical Evaluation:
Since this story is an alternative to the "traditional" novel, Rosoff's lack of punctuation, and grammar, is very telling because readers are inside Daisy's thoughts (unconventional and without guidance). Daisy has lived her life knowing that her mother died giving birth to her, which not only makes her feel guilty, but she believes that people see her as as murderer. Moreover, her eating disorder is reflective of this guilt, which has not been resolved since she and her stepmother constantly fight and her father is indifferent. When she is sent to live with her aunt, Daisy feels like she is being replaced by the new baby, which many readers will be able to relate to. However, with meeting her aunt, and cousins, she believes she can start over again and find what she is looking for. Unfortunately, when the war breaks out she finally learns how families can fall apart when reality sets in. As much as she wanted to return to the first few months on the farm, the war has changed Edmond, and her, forever.

Information about the Author:
According to her CV, Meg Rosoff was born in Boston, Massachusetts in 1956. While growing up, she read a variety of books by Dr. Seuss and Maurice Sendak. When she was three years old, she was "censured" for using black crayon on the preschool walls; thus, peaking her creativity. During her tween and teen years, she continued to read and eventually fell in love with classics written by authors such as Ernest Hemmingway. In 1974, she went on to get her degree at Harvard University and, three years later, moved to London, England. After spending six years in London, she moved back to New York where she got her first publishing job and, in 1986, she got her first advertising job that eventually landed her the position as Deputy Press Secretary NY State democrats. In 1989, Rosoff returned to London where she spent eight years working various advertising jobs, which she was fired from all, and, in 2003, she quit her job at the advertising firm and wrote How I Live Now and Meet Wild Boars. She has since then written Just In Case, Wild Boars Cook, Jumpy Jack and Googily, What I Was, Pegasus,The Bride’s Farewell, and Vamoose!

Genre:
Teen Chick Lit

Reading Level/Interest:
Grades 9 & up

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