The book how i live now, by Meg Rosoff, is of the Realistic Fiction Genre. The book was the 2005 Michael L. Printz Award Winner.
Being fifteen is
hard enough, but when you throw a step-mother, a half-sibling, a new country,
unknown relatives, incest and a war into the mix what you get is the book how i live now. Elizabeth, aka Daisy, has
never fully fit into her father’s new family and with a new sibling on the way
she is even more shunned. To appease the she-devil herself, her
step-mother, her father sends her from New York to England to stay with her
aunt and cousin's at their quaint county farm. Upon her arrival, to a
world unknown to her, a devastating war breaks out. Stuck in the middle
of a war torn society she finds love in the arms of her cousin Edmond.
Although they know their affair should not be taking place they continue living
as though the tragic events around them do not exist. That is until the
day when the war lands upon their door step and turns the utopia they have come
to cherish upside down. Will Daisy and Edmond's love survive? Will
five children left on their own during a time when misery is abundant make it
in the world they now face? Only time
will tell.
This is a great
book, a definite page turner. The way
Meg Rosoff wrote the character of Daisy was wonderful. She really brings life to Daisy through her
descriptive writing style. There are so
many elements that she intertwines such as: eating disorders, incest, war, ESP,
family dysfunction and death. The book
would appeal to both boys and girls of any background. To “hook the students I would read page 19
starting with “It was times like this when… and ending with …wished they were
mine” on page 20.
5 comments:
This is a sophisticated book in its structure and writing. It is interesting that you termed it "realistic fiction". It seems to be taking place in the present time but then there is a war in which England is invaded. By an enemy who is never named. But if I had to classify it in one genre, I would pick realistic fiction also.
I've wanted to read this book since the beginning of the quarter. I thought it was "science fiction" from the reviews, but as you've said, it probably is more realistic.
I read this book when I was in the 8th grade and was kind of confused by what was going on. I think if I read it again I might appreciate it more. I think I was caught up by the war and the relationship with the cousin.
This sounds like a definite page turner especially with all the story lines going on. Sheesh. What age group would you recommend it too? Seems like a mature book.
I would recommend the book to 8th grade and up. According to the publisher and book sites it is geared for ages 12 and up. I think it would depend on the maturity level of the audience. The situations that occur in the book are not as detailed as in Tyrell or Kendra, so I could see way they rated it for age 12.
I had also leaned towards realistic fiction. I did this because it does not make you feel like the events are that science fiction in nature. The only thing that I would have classified this way was the cousins having ESP abilities.
Post a Comment