How I live now is the impressive debut novel of Meg Rosoff that perfectly captures the power of love. The list of awards that follows this written masterpiece speaks for itself: winner of the Guardian Children’s Fiction Prize (2004) and the Michael L. Printz Award (2005), and shortlisted for the Whitbread Children’s Book of the Year, among others. Published in 2004, How I Live Now shows how family ties, love, and above all, a will to survive, can change you and give you strength.

When the protagonist of the story – Daisy, an observant fifteen year old from Manhattan – is sent to Scotland by her father and stepmother, Davina the Diabolical, to live with the cousins she has never met, she isn’t expecting much. But she finds a real family and a real love at the isolated fairy tale house, where the problems of the world seem far away. Even if the members of that family occasionally seem to possess subtle psychic abilities. But when war breaks out and the country is invaded by an unknown Enemy, the dream is over. Daisy finds herself and youngest cousin Piper separated from Edmond, Isaac and Osbert. They face a harsh, challenging and sometimes heart breaking journey if they want to find each other again.

Daisy is one of the most relatable and interesting characters I’ve ever read about. Some sentences are the size of paragraphs, and while some people might find this annoying or confusing, it really helped me understand her because I felt like I had been dropped I the middle of her method of thought procession. After reading the first page I knew she could persuade me to believe almost anything.

Rosoff’s captivating and entertaining style of writing, combined with the details only Daisy would notice, paints a beautiful picture. It feels like there’s a movie playing in my head. And if this isn’t enough, there is an actual movie, too. Although, in my opinion, the movie isn’t as good in the book (is the movie ever better than the book?), it is worth watching.

How I Live Now is easily one of my favourite books. It felt like my hands were glued to the cover and my eyes to the page until I had digested the very last word, and even then I was disappointed to put it down. The story showed me just how much strength love and a will to survive can give you. In some ways, it made me look at the world and the people around me through different eyes.

This completely unique book is worth reading no matter who you are or what you are going through. I would recommend it to anyone. Five Stars!


Because love will lead you home.