Book Review - Life As We Knew It by Susan Beth Pfeffer

Title: Life As We Knew It
Author: Susan Beth Pfefferx
Year: 2006
Page: 337
Genre: Fiction - Young Adult, Dystopian

New to me author? Yes
Read this author again? Maybe
Tearjerker? No
Where did it take place? US
FTC Disclosure: Borrowed from the library

Summary (from goodreads.com):
It's almost the end of Miranda's sophomore year in high school, and her journal reflects the busy life of a typical teenager: conversations with friends, fights with mom, and fervent hopes for a driver's license. When Miranda first begins hearing the reports of a meteor on a collision course with the moon, it hardly seems worth a mention in her diary. But after the meteor hits, pushing the moon off its axis and causing worldwide earthquakes, tsunamis, and volcanoes, all the things Miranda used to take for granted begin to disappear. Food and gas shortages, along with extreme weather changes, come to her small Pennsylvania town; and Miranda's voice is by turns petulant, angry, and finally resigned, as her family is forced to make tough choices while they consider their increasingly limited options. Yet even as suspicious neighbors stockpile food in anticipation of a looming winter without heat or electricity, Miranda knows that that her future is still hers to decide even if life as she knew it is over. 

First Sentence:
Lisa is pregnant.

 
Why did I pick this book?
Read about this book from Brenda Loves Books' review. For some reasons I am just really liking this dystopian genre this year! So added that to be ever growing TBR list.

My thoughts:

• This was written in a diary format, from Miranda's perspective. I have always liked books written in this format, because you get to know the inner feelings of the protangonist. I guess there is a bit of voyeurism too lol. I mean, while we respect other's privacy, don't we all get a little nosy sometimes if given the permission? (No, I won't read another person's diary, but it makes you wonder what they write! :)

• I like the characters fine, but don't really love them. My favorite character probably was the old neighbor, Mrs Nesbitt. She was so thoughtful and selfless. Miranda annoyed me sometime, but I guess she was a typical teenager. I did like her relationship with her older brother. I always wished I had an older brother.

• The plot is quite realistic - though I think this book is more character driven than plot driven, unlike most other dystopian books. You see Miranda's growth throughout the book, but I don't think a lot happened... But it definitely made me think how I'd survive or deal with the situation if it really happened...

• There are 2 other books in the series. I didn't love this enough to keep on reading, but I did google to find out what happened. Sounded like Book 2, The Dead and The Gone, is more of a companion book, whereas Book 3, The World We Live in, is about Miranda again.

Quote:

"Countries?" I said. Somehow I'd forgotten there were other countries, that we shared the moon with other countries.

 
Rating: 3.5 Stars

 

Have you read this book? 
If you have, I would love to hear what you think! I'll link your review here if you wish!

Challenges:
100+ Reading
Young Adult