Helpful Score: 8
This is, hands-down, the best book I have read so far this year.
When things aren't coming up roses in my own life, sometimes it helps to read something to put things in perspective and remind me that, no matter how bad things seem, they could be worse. Much, much worse.
Life As We Knew it follows the story of a 16-year-old girl, her two brothers and her mother as they deal with the aftermath of a global environmental disaster. An asteroid has hit the moon, and thrown off the gravitational pull. The main characters in the book go quickly from enjoying meteor-watching block parties to trying to learn how to live in the new world that results from the impact.
I most enjoy young adult books with a strong central adult figure, and Pfeffer didn't disappoint. Reading this book through the filter of a parent was nothing short of terrifying. As tidal waves, earthquakes, volcanoes and a sunlight-choking global dust cloud threaten society on every continent, it was gripping to follow the mother along her journey to keep her kids safe -- and fed. Hunger becomes the real threat all too quickly. And I'll fess up -- I found myself neurotically checking my pantry stock at odd times as I made my way through this book. Books like these force you to think about what you'd do if faced with the same situation, and I only hope I would deal with the crisis with the level-head that the mother in Pfeffer's story did.
The book showed the crisis through the eyes of the 16-year-old narrator, meaning that readers are deprived all the details of the crisis, both because of the worldwide information blackout that occurs and because of the narrator's typical teenage "I'm-the-center-of-the-universe" attitude. I would have liked to know more about exactly what was happening in other parts of the world as a result of the asteroid, but we're treated to the same information vacuum as the characters as communications, media transmissions and even the mail eventually cease.
Overall, a fantastic read that I'd recommend to almost anyone. But I have to admit, after reading Life As We Knew It, I'll never gaze romantically up at the moon in quite the same way again....
When things aren't coming up roses in my own life, sometimes it helps to read something to put things in perspective and remind me that, no matter how bad things seem, they could be worse. Much, much worse.
Life As We Knew it follows the story of a 16-year-old girl, her two brothers and her mother as they deal with the aftermath of a global environmental disaster. An asteroid has hit the moon, and thrown off the gravitational pull. The main characters in the book go quickly from enjoying meteor-watching block parties to trying to learn how to live in the new world that results from the impact.
I most enjoy young adult books with a strong central adult figure, and Pfeffer didn't disappoint. Reading this book through the filter of a parent was nothing short of terrifying. As tidal waves, earthquakes, volcanoes and a sunlight-choking global dust cloud threaten society on every continent, it was gripping to follow the mother along her journey to keep her kids safe -- and fed. Hunger becomes the real threat all too quickly. And I'll fess up -- I found myself neurotically checking my pantry stock at odd times as I made my way through this book. Books like these force you to think about what you'd do if faced with the same situation, and I only hope I would deal with the crisis with the level-head that the mother in Pfeffer's story did.
The book showed the crisis through the eyes of the 16-year-old narrator, meaning that readers are deprived all the details of the crisis, both because of the worldwide information blackout that occurs and because of the narrator's typical teenage "I'm-the-center-of-the-universe" attitude. I would have liked to know more about exactly what was happening in other parts of the world as a result of the asteroid, but we're treated to the same information vacuum as the characters as communications, media transmissions and even the mail eventually cease.
Overall, a fantastic read that I'd recommend to almost anyone. But I have to admit, after reading Life As We Knew It, I'll never gaze romantically up at the moon in quite the same way again....
Stephanie S. (skywriter319) -
Helpful Score: 3
LIFE AS WE KNEW IT hooks you and doesn't let you go. Every time I had to take a break from reading, I stumbled out into the real world, where I was amazed to find that there was still plenty of food, water, electricity, and heat. Miranda's simple, diary-like language thus makes her story all that more believable. This novel is an incredible achievement.
Helpful Score: 1
This was a very sad thought provoking series. This series should be mandatory reading in middle & high schools, if only to give today's kids some idea of how good they really have it. Don't miss this series, it will really make you count your blessings! :)
As science fiction, this isn't very good; the details of the Earth/Moon disaster don't make sense and wouldn't work in reality. That said, everything else in this book and its sequels is spot on - the way people behave, how they try to cope, the things that go on are absolutely truthfully told. The first book (this one) is the best but the are all worth reading.
I first read this book maybe ten years ago and I still can't see a package of chocolate chips without thinking of it. Highly recommended.
I first read this book maybe ten years ago and I still can't see a package of chocolate chips without thinking of it. Highly recommended.
great read for middle school reader!
Bridget O. (sixteendays) -
I basically just read this whole book in one sitting. The most honest, scary, and realistic portrayal of the "end of the world" that I've read, to date. Every scenario is vivid and truthful. It was beautiful to watch Miranda grow up in a mere 10 months - even under such dire circumstances.
Kimberly N. (kimberlyrav) -
This is a 5 star read.
Its told from the perspective and in diary form from a teenage girl. Its about her own personal struggles, her town and the worlds in dealing with an asteroid that hits the moon and knocks it closer to the earth.
In doing so, the earth changes are great and catastrophic. The tides are higher taking out many coastal cities, volcanoes erupt that never have before causing the skies to block out the sun, thus temperatures fall below 0.
Food is hard to come by, water becomes dirty with ash, well's run dry. The world falls apart and people are dying.
This is one of the best "end of the world"" books Ive read.
Loved it.
Its told from the perspective and in diary form from a teenage girl. Its about her own personal struggles, her town and the worlds in dealing with an asteroid that hits the moon and knocks it closer to the earth.
In doing so, the earth changes are great and catastrophic. The tides are higher taking out many coastal cities, volcanoes erupt that never have before causing the skies to block out the sun, thus temperatures fall below 0.
Food is hard to come by, water becomes dirty with ash, well's run dry. The world falls apart and people are dying.
This is one of the best "end of the world"" books Ive read.
Loved it.
