Susan Beth Pfeffer
Life As We Knew It
Last Survivors, Book #1
Review brought to you by OBS staff member Shae
Synopsis:
Miranda’s disbelief turns to fear in a split second when a meteor knocks the moon closer to the earth. How should her family prepare for the future when worldwide tsunamis wipe out the coasts, earthquakes rock the continents, and volcanic ash blocks out the sun? As summer turns to Arctic winter, Miranda, her two brothers, and their mother retreat to the unexpected safe haven of their sunroom, where they subsist on stockpiled food and limited water in the warmth of a wood-burning stove. Source
Review:
It has been well over a year since I have read Life As We Knew it. I know it seems too much time has passed to write a review, but to me it is as if I am just putting the book down. This story has stuck with me more than almost anything I have ever read.
The meteor hitting the moon, changing life and the world forver, seems like such a possibility in my lifetime. Books about other close to the end of the world disasters, are fun to read about, but have never seemed so real to me as this story. It has literally put terror in me. Just last week I had a nightmare, resulting in me waking up crying and sweating. I was in Miranda’s world, but not even in her story. I feel this is from the amazingly detailed world that the author Susan created.
The story seemed so real and likely to me, that I would find myself putting the book down thinking about what I would have to do in that certain situation. I kept thinking, “Am I really making a plan?”.
When people think a disaster has happened or is about to happen, they panic. In this story, at first everyone is led to believe that everything is going to be just fine. People start to realize it is not going to be okay, things are getting out of control. The moon influences many things for earth. Then the panic starts. Its a little slow at first, people can’t really believe what is going on.
One of the only things that Miranda’s family does that I disagree with is, they continue to go to school, and on with their lives, at first like nothing is going on. I would personally have my kids literally attached to my body. Though, they were influenced by the media that everything was going to be fine.
When their world does start to crumble, as well as Miranda’s family, I was so happy that Miranda stays strong, and mostly rational. She is young though, so her little moments of weakness are so understandable.
I think Miranda’s mother acts exactly how most mothers would act in that situation. Your family comes first. At first the kids don’t realize it but she is giving them her portions of food, and making little sacrifices here and there, to make sure her kids have enough. The whole family starts to put other members of the family first. Miranda’s family is a good family, and I loved the way that they were there for each other. The family dynamic in the book, was so strong and real, it was another reason the book felt so realistic for me.
It is so disturbing how one bad thing after another kept happening. It’s not a fairy tale it’s the reality of Miranda’s world as it falls apart. Almost the whole story takes place inside of Miranda’s house, so much happens to them though, there is never a dull moment.
From the beginning to end I was glued. I finished this book in two days. I lived every moment of this book. It’s very well written, and not one time did I think, “That is not likely to happen”.’
I recommend this book anytime I am asked about a good book to read. It will always remain on my favorite book list. Very good book! This week I will be reading This World We Live In by Susan Beth Pfeffer. It is the third book she has wrote about the world she has created, but its the next one about Miranda. I can not wait.
