How I Live Now - by Meg Rosoff (Paperback)

About the Book

In a riveting debut, Rosoff pens a novel told from the point of view of 15-year-old Daisy, an American girl who is sent to her aunt's farm in England. When London is attacked and war breaks out, Daisy forges an extraordinary bond with her cousins.

Book Synopsis

"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.

Review Quotes

"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.)

About the Author

This is Meg Rosoff's first novel. The author lives in London.