How I Live Now

By: Meg Rosoff

Narrated by: Kim Mai Guest

“Every war has turning points and every person too.”

Fifteen-year-old Daisy is sent from Manhattan to England to visit her aunt and cousins she’s never met: three boys near her age, and their little sister. Her aunt goes away on business soon after Daisy arrives. The next day bombs go off as London is attacked and occupied by an unnamed enemy.

As power fails, and systems fail, the farm becomes more isolated. Despite the war, it’s a kind of Eden, with no adults in charge and no rules, a place where Daisy’s uncanny bond with her cousins grows into something rare and extraordinary. But the war is everywhere, and Daisy and her cousins must lead each other into a world that is unknown in the scariest, most elemental way.

A riveting and astonishing story.©2005 Meg Rosoff; (P)2005 Random House, Inc. Listening Library, an imprint of the Random House Audio Publishing Group

Critic reviews

"A daring, wise, and sensitive look at the complexities of being young in a world teetering on chaos, Rosoff's poignant exploration of perseverance in the face of the unknown is a timely lesson for us all." - People Magazine

"This riveting first novel paints a frighteningly realistic picture of a world war breaking out in the 21st century . . . Readers will emerge from the rubble much shaken, a little wiser, and with perhaps a greater sense of humanity." - Publishers Weekly, Starred

“That rare, rare thing, a first novel with a sustained, magical and utterly faultless voice. After five pages, I knew she could persuade me to believe anything.” —Mark Haddon, author of The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time

“Readers will remain absorbed to the very end by this unforgettable and original story.”—The Bulletin, Starred

“A winning combination of acerbic commentary, innocence, and sober vision. . . . Hilarious, lyrical, and compassionate.”—The Horn Book, Starred

“A fantastic treat . . . Daisy is an unforgettable heroine.”—Kliatt, Starred

“Powerful and engaging . . . a likely future classic.”—The Observer (U.K.)

“A crunchily perfect knock-out of a debut novel.”—The Guardian (U.K.)

Beautiful

I love this book to pieces. My goodness I got lost in the story of daisy and piper. I love love love it. I wish there was a different pov or something to get more from this book.

So heartbreaking

A very easy book to read when it comes to length and language used but hard to read when it comes to details of war.

breathtaking... well worth it

I absolutely loved this movie. I don't care what anyone says about the love interest! this book was so beautiful. what a heart-wrenching thing to be a child and go through a war. to be a child and be in love and for terrible things to happen. I feel like the author really has such a beautiful way with words and took such a great concept and idea, and molded it into such a wonderful story.

Movie was actually better

I read this when I was in 5th grade, I think. I saw the movie this year and decided to "reread" the book. Overall great, but I for whatever reason think the movie's arch and ending were much better with Isaac's death leading to Edmond's insanity. Daisy being taken away for a year seems so out of place for what was going on in the story, and the movie created better tension with the sad death of Isaac.

Narration sells it.

i enjoyed this, better than the PC movie, uneducated guess better than most YA fiction