how i live now by Meg Rosoff

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BIBLIOGRAPHY

Rosoff, M. (2004). How i live now.  New York: Wendy Lamb Books.  ISBN 0385746776. 194 p.

SUMMARY

Fifteen year old Daisy is sent away to live with her aunt and four cousins whom she has never met before.  Her father, widowered since Daisy’s birth, has remarried, and he and his wife are expecting a baby.  Daisy is conveniently swept away to live in a small rural town in England where life is so different from fast paced New York City that she knows so well.  Surprisingly, Daisy finds contentment in this new world.  She grows increasingly fond of her cousins, the animals, the land, and the calm rural life.  An unexpected love captures her heart, and just when things seemed so very good, rumors of a war prove to be true.  The war invades their lives, scatters their family members, and tests their endurance.  Daisy finds herself responsible for her young cousin Piper’s life and will need to dig deep within herself to face the devastation of war.

CRITICAL ANALYSIS

Meg Rosoff, author of how i live now, writes a believable story about a teenager’s plight as she is uprooted from her city life in America to a rural life in England.  The main character, Daisy, faces many new and troubling situations.  Written as a narrative in the first person, Meg Rosoff writes in a manner that is typical of a teenager.  Her choice of words and modern references sound as though Daisy is talking to the reader right at that moment.  Rosoff uses uppercase letters that clearly demonstrate a need to emphasize certain words or phrases.  Her utilization of very long sentences and her lack of punctuation can be a little confusing at times.  However, the overall result does effectively remind the reader that Daisy is a teenager from New York City.  Meg Rosoff touches on such serious topics that include love, pain, anger, sex, death, and sadness, and her delivery is beautiful.  Worthy of the Printz Award that it received, how i live now is a must read.