How I Live Now

How I Live Now by Meg Rosoff

Bibliographic Information:

Rosoff, M. (2004). How i live now. New York, NY: Wendy Lamb Books. ISBN 9780449819609

Summary:

Elizabeth, also known as Daisy, lives alone with her father in a personal world already full of turmoil and hurt. Things cannot seem to get worse… That is until Daisy finds out that her father’s girlfriend is pregnant and has no intention of keeping Daisy around. During her ninth summer, Daisy is sent to England to live with her unfamiliar Aunt Penn and cousins. Times that seem to be somewhat comforting, peaceful, and intimate quickly turn her world once again upside-down as The Occupation take control. Will Daisy and her cousins make it through alive? Will Daisy find the peace she longs for again? Will she make it home?

Critical Analysis:

Meg Rosoff’s style and language immediately pull the reader in as Daisy introduces her story and sets the stage. Rosoff’s writing is straight forward and to the point, yet still containing the necessary details to create a realistic setting and events. She frequently utilizes capital letters to draw the reader’s attention to particularly important pieces and even CAPITALIZES all of the letters to stress importance and emotion. Interestingly enough in the first section of her novel, quotation marks are completely omitted from the writing, while in the second half after the end of the war, people besides Daisy begin to speak in quotations. This is an interesting technique that highlights Rosoff’s unique writing style.

While Rosoff’s chapters are typically short and to the point, the reader will find him or herself wanting to read just one more. This is critical to keep this fast paced novel moving forward and to keeping the reader engaged. Even though these chapters seem short, there is certainly no lack of detail as Rosoff describes the travels of the cousins, the events of the war, the horrific aftermath, and the final reunion of the family in this fantastic fiction work. The Occupation is never truly revealed to the reader, as one is left to imagine the enemy that is attacking their world. This omission of specifics leaves the possibilities of The Occupation completely open to the reader’s interpretation, which adds credit to it being a fantastic fictional work.

It is no wonder that Meg Rosoff earned the Printz Award for this first work. Her writing is compelling, embracing, and thrilling. How I Live Now is a beautiful piece that any young teen reader can connect with and enjoy.

Creative Activity:

War Effects

Research other real World Wars. Learn about the effects on the children. How did these children survive? Daisy contended that it was important to keep moving in order to stay safe. In Leon Leyson’s novel The Boy in the Wooden Box, Leon tried to remain invisible. What can we learn from the resilience of these children?

What’s in a Name?

Similar to John Green’s Looking for Alaska, Daisy does not like the name her father gives her at birth – Elizabeth. She feels that it is fit for a queen. So, instead she requests that others call her Daisy. Why is this significant? Flowers seem to show some symbolism through out the novel. What other names that could be considered symbols would be fitting for the characters in Meg Rosoff’s novel? Why?

If you could change your name to represent a symbol of you, what would you name yourself? Why?

Related Resources:

The Fifth Wave by Rick Yancey

Yancey, R. (2015). The fifth wave. New York, NY: Penguin Young Readers. ISBN 9780142425831

-       Another beautiful novel of a war torn society over taken by the unknown. Readers who enjoyed How I Live Now, will certainly enjoy Yancey’s The Fifth Wave.  

The Boy on the Wooden Box by Leon Leyson

Leyson, L. (2013). The boy on the wooden box: How the impossible became possible … on

schindler’s list. New York, NY: Atheneum Books for Young Readers. ISBN

9781442497825

-       There are many parallels between Daisy’s story and Leon’s story in The Boy on the Wooden Box. Both stories are of survival in the most desperate times. Readers who enjoyed either will certainly love the other story of kid survival.

Published Reviews:

The Guardian remarks that How I Live Now is “an impressive novel about war, survival, and teenage love.”

The Guardian. (2013). How i live now by meg rosoff – review. https://www.theguardian.com/books/2013/nov/01/review-how-i-live-now-meg-rosoff

Kirkus Review states that How I Live Now “offers a keen perspective on human courage and resilience.”

Kirkus Review. (2004). How i live now. Retrieved from https://www.kirkusreviews.com/book-reviews/meg-rosoff/how-i-live-now/

Be sure to check out How I Live Now! 

~ Mandy 

*book cover image borrowed from www.barnesandnoble.com*