Review:
Apr 23 2007
Life as we knew it by Susan Beth Pfeffer
Harcourt,
2006. hbk
Age 13+ A meteor hits the moon and sets off a world wide catastrophe:
cities flood, electricity disappears, petrol is no longer available and
there is no food left in the shops. This is the enthralling story of
one family and how they cope through the devastation of life as they
knew it.
Pfeffer maintains a high level of suspense throughout the novel. The
reader becomes so involved with Miranda, the 16 year old main
protagonist, and her family members, that the book begs to be read in
one sitting. Their struggle for survival: foraging for food, gathering
wood, learning to live without electricity and combating deadly
influenza while services such as schools, hospitals and police have
broken down, is totally engrossing.
Miranda faithfully records the disintegration of society in her diary.
Her initial entries as a selfish adolescent worrying about friends and
not being asked to the Prom, gradually change as she matures into a
strong, loving young woman who does her best to keep her family alive.
Her mother is single minded about providing for her family alone and
her two brothers, Matt and Jonny are engaging.
The reader is left pondering many questions that stay in the mind for a
long time after finishing the book. Would you chose one person to be
kept alive if there isn't enough food for everyone? Should you share
your meagre resources with your neighbours in a disaster? Would you eat
your family pet to stay alive?
This is an ALA Best Book for Young Adults and is sure to keep readers
totally engrossed.
Pat Pledger
Home
© Pledger
Consulting, 2007