Amy Lipton

I wanted to echo Rachel's thoughts on how honestly this novel displays the experience of young children and teenagers living in war-stricken times. Perhaps the most powerful line in this novel was when Daisy commented, "No matter how much you put on a sad expression and talked about how awful it was that all those people were killed...the fact that none of us kids said out loud was that WE DIDN’T REALLY CARE." I was taken aback when I first read that sentence. Moments later, I realized (with a little bit of horror) that the reason I was so impacted by this sentence was because of the ease with which I related to the sentiment that Daisy was expressing. On another note, something that stuck with me for the duration of the book was that "the enemy" was never identified. At first, the absence of this detail simply bothered me. However as the story progressed, I realized that by not naming the enemy, Rosoff effectively emphasized how pervasive war and terrorism are in today's world.

Posted : Oct 20, 2014 02:34

Travis

Daisy's perceptions of certain things close to her character change in various ways based on the stimulus that affects them. For example, before coming to England her use of under eating, while it may have started as a concept that her father's girlfriend would poison her, probably continued as a way to exercise some control over a situation where she lacked it. She could make her father worry about her and therefore pay her some attention that she felt was missing due to his new relationship. In beginning to love Edmond, she feels the hunger of being in love, which is taking the hunger that she was in control of and changing it to something out of her control, despite the fact that in its new form it was a more positive force than by using it to be underweight. Then, when Daisy and Piper are traveling from the McEvoy house, Daisy notices that Piper has gotten thin. While at one time she would've seen this as something good, now she can see the reality of the situation, which is simply that it's not beneficial for children to lack food, especially ones still developing in childhood. As they eat mushrooms she realizes that she was starving herself foolishly, and hopes that Piper never need undergo something where some form of self-harm is your only feeling of control in a situation.

Posted : Oct 19, 2014 09:19

Sophie Barnes

The war is abstract throughout the entire novel and while it is crucial to the plot, it feels almost tangential. No matter what happens to the children and how much the war influences their life directly and indirectly, they still do not feel like it touches them. Interestingly, no matter what happens, we are still in one world, the world inside Daisy’s head and as it exists through her eyes. I liked that the reader saw the world solely from Daisy’s point of view, this unique perspective protected the reader from the harsher realities of the outside world. I felt buffered from the effects of the war, almost as if I were drifting beside Daisy in an Alice in Wonderland dreamlike state. I wonder if her own thoughts, thought processes, and “fantasy world,” such as Isaac's and Edmond’s telepathic gifts, protected her from her own struggles and the outside world. The only divergence from this separate world occurs when Piper talks about missing her mother. At these times, I was reminded of the realities of the war and its direct effects on individuals. Lastly, I was intrigued by Elizabeth’s nickname of “Daisy.” Daisies are beautiful flowers, but they are also durable, which perhaps foreshadows Daisy’s ability to survive dire circumstances. Growth was also a key part of the novel for sustenance, such as when they are living with the general or back on the farm in England, and as a proxy for many of the emotions of individuals in the novel. Growth did not necessarily mean moving forward. While in the beginning of the novel the garden was filled with 100,000 white roses, by the end it was frightening and full of rage. The concept of growth, in every sense of the word, played an interesting role in the novel.

Posted : Oct 19, 2014 08:28

Rachel Lacks

I thought How I Live Now was a refreshingly realistic portrayal of young children living through a period of war. As much as everyone tries to directly feel everything going on in the war, when it does not pertain to oneself, it is often hard to generate such strong feelings of empathy and connection to the lives being lost, even though others may look down upon this selfish perception. As Meg Rosoff mentioned in her interview, the way that Daisy mentioned that "seven or 70,000 people died" so far in the war may seem controversial and ignorant of the lives being lost. I found this to be quite accurate, however, in terms of how young children feel about a war that they themselves are not experiencing directly yet. I agreed with and wanted to touch upon Warren's point about Edmund and Daisy being cousins. I did not quite understand the relevance of this point in the plot either, just because the incestuous aspect was not really touched upon. I was not sure what it added to the relationship, because I did not feel that Daisy and Edmund formed a bond because of the fact that they felt close as cousins; it was more the idea of feeling a connection to someone new in a time of distress. I was wondering why this point was not more thoroughly addressed, or what the thought behind it was.

Posted : Oct 19, 2014 08:09

Nancy Fan

Though based at a time of a future world war, in some ways How I Live Now also feels like it is set in World War II. The mixture of a past and future alternate universe reminded me of Maggot Moon, by Sally Gardner, which also has a mix of survival and tenderness. I agree with Warren on the initial petulance of Daisy's voice; her flat hate for her stepmother and her attitude toward her eating disorder do not make her that readily relatable. However, the contrastive effect as Daisy is thrown into new dangers and grows, redeems her. While I feel the incestuous relationship between Daisy and Edmond was a situation intended to generate controversy, when it is considered alongside the presence of the magic of telepathic powers and madness of wartime brutality, it is not particularly shocking and fits right in.

Posted : Oct 19, 2014 07:42

Kara Brennan

I was never a big fan of reading war stories growing up, but I think that this one would have had a lasting impact if I had read it as a kid. It reminded me of The Diary of Anne Frank, in terms of seeing the day to day life playing out in the midst of chaos, which I really enjoyed. But the lack of specifics were very unsettling to me, because I kept wondering about when it was taking place and who "the enemy" was. I found myself constantly trying to think through what would happen to me if this happened in America today, which, after reading the interview with Meg Rosoff, proves that I am one of those "this would never happen to People Like Us" people that she was writing the story for.

Posted : Oct 19, 2014 07:09

Nicole Shelpman

I didn’t make this connection while reading, but on reflection, this novel reminds me of The Book Thief. Both books follow young protagonists and combine a mystical tone with the realism of war. In situations that could easily force a young woman into despair, Daisy and Liesel each find hope as they build relationships with new-found family members. Experiencing war or extreme conflict through the eyes of a child or adolescent highlights the universal helplessness that accompanies those situations. Though the reader mostly experiences events through Daisy’s eyes, it is clear that the adults in the story are as powerless and frightened as the children are. As an independent adult, I am still terrified by the thought of how I would survive if the structures of society broke down. The setting of How I Live Now particularly brought this thought to mind because I student taught in England a few years ago, and I honestly don’t know how I would have been able to deal with being unable to communicate with my family or travel home. Warren, your comment about “surviving outside of society as opposed to surviving within it” is very interesting to me because it raises the question of what purpose society serves. In Lord of the Flies, the children on the island are certainly living outside of adult society, but they must form their own society, in one form or another. In How I Live Now, Daisy and her cousins would be most content if they could continue to live outside of society in their isolated paradise, but society eventually intrudes. In one case, adult society saves the children, and in another case, adult society puts the children in more danger. In our era of increasing wars and terrorism, we face a question about the extent to which society is helping or hurting us.

Posted : Oct 19, 2014 05:49

Joy

Daisy's tone and voice is memorable. At first, her sarcastic, funny views on love (forbidden love with cousin) and sex (her father/stepmother) are a great contrast against the war; showing a girl's daily obsessions which are very removed from the political problems/impending war around her. Later, we see contrast in her own changing voice (maturity/deeper anger). Also, the theme of a girl's search for love/dependability in a time of war and great uncertainty is powerful. Warren's suggestion of Anne Frank as comparison is great. There's similarity in the descriptions of war/isolation.

Posted : Oct 19, 2014 05:34

Emily

More than any one scene, the thing that lingers most about How I Live Now is the feeling of powerlessness the book evokes. It occurred to me when I was falling asleep after reading til 1am, that one reason to make the details of the war vague is to emphasize the feeling of powerlessness that comes when you don't truly understand what is happening or why. But it also serves to show, I think, how during war (not to mention at lots of other times) adults are powerless, too. I feel the benefit of having the meta-cognitive skills to process the complexities of adult life. But reading the book made me appreciate how it feels to be a powerless teenager. It's important to remember when dealing with teens in the classroom what a limited sense of agency they've been allowed, by virtue of their age, to develop. The other thing that lingers is the contrast between the beauty of the countryside and the ugliness and horror of war. I think that's one of the book's strengths: How Daisy and Piper arrive at Gateshead Farm, and then what they find! Ugh! So scary and well executed! And Ding! Terrible. I will say, though, that the beginning of the book gave me almost a Pippi Longstocking feel; the exuberance and abandon of their adultlessness.

Posted : Oct 19, 2014 11:47

Emma

The relationship between Edmond and Daisy is something I’ve been thinking a lot about since I finished reading How I Live Now. I second Warren’s thoughts about why they had to be first cousins and why there was such little internal conflict (or conflict by anyone for that matter) about how that might have been taboo. It would make more sense to have them be cousins if the relationship between Daisy and Edmond consisted of a playful crush, but to paint such a story of actual deep and longing love between the two AND have them be related seemed like an odd choice by the author. Additionally, I wish there was more time spend on Daisy and Edmond’s pre-war relationship besides from their late-night encounters. I feel like Daisy glossed over a lot of important emotional detail about their relationship, and seeing as though reuniting with Edmond was one of the biggest motivators for survival during the war period, it would have been nice to have a clearer understanding as to WHY. What did they talk about during those late nights together? How did he make her feel? How did she make him feel? What made their relationship different from any others they’d previously had? What did they hope would come from all this? The chapters at the end of the book when they did finally reunite were extremely compelling, and I just wish I had more back-story to keep the “young-love” theme present, even during the dense war and survival descriptions. In this sense I felt like the book had a bit of an identity problem – not exactly knowing how to balance the themes of family, romantic love, and war.

Posted : Oct 19, 2014 04:11

Liz Goodenough

In the beginning of How I Live Now, Daisy and family inhabit a magical world where kids get create their own reality; this initial Shangri La reminded me Swiss Family Robinson, The Boxcar Children, or like Warren mentioned, The Lord of the Flies (before Simon dies). As the world in the story falls apart, the novel became part adventure story, and part wartime saga, and wholly sinister. For me, the latter half of the book invoked Z for Zachariah, Snow Treasure, and The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society – perhaps an odd mix of connections. As a whole, the novel was unlike anything I have read before. Parts of the book though, the characters, the setting, some of the conflicts and plot points, did seem familiar. It was an interesting read. Of all the characters or ideas in the novel, Daisy’s narrative voice made the strongest impression on me. I love a strong, sarcastic narrator who is actually a big softie inside. I didn’t find her quite as petulant as Bella, but, like Warren, I enjoyed her more and more as the book progressed. Given the strong impression she makes, and the detail with which the Rosoff treats Daisy’s life in New York before the move to England, I had a hard time believing the return trip to America. The experience lacked detail and her witty narrative. While the plot holes were closed up, mostly, Daisy’s spicy voice drops out for most of the conclusion. Perhaps it was an intentional choice to make the return to New York, hospital visit, and journey back to England seem dreamlike, but it left me wondering and wanting.

Posted : Oct 19, 2014 01:05

Meredith

Similar to Warren, I, too, was reminded of Lord of the Flies and Hatchet whilst reading How I Live Now. The cousins, albeit momentarily, created their own world free from the commands and demands of adults. Surprisingly, I also found myself seeing a bit of J.D. Salinger's Phoebe and Wilson Rawls' Billy in the character of Piper. The way the soldiers looked and loved Piper felt reminiscent to me of how Holden looked and longed to protect his younger sister from a world of corruption. And her love and ability to communicate with her dogs immediately filled tears in my eyes thinking of Little Ann and Old Dan in Where the Red Fern Grows. In thinking of the controversial romantic love between Daisy and Edmond, I can't help but wonder how their environment shaped, and potentially, allowed for such a relationship to exist. I recall reading the first couple of encounters between the two of them and sensing something beyond familial cousinly love, and then stopping myself because I thought I was creating something that wasn't there. But it was. Like Warren, I wonder why the two of them had to be cousins, or why their bond couldn't have been a strong bond, like that of a brother and a sister. As readers, are we supposed to understand that all truly is fair in love and war; even an underage incestuous relationship? As Daisy states,"There was nowhere to go and nothing to do that would remind us that this sort of thing didn't happen in the Real World. There no longer was any Real World" (46). Another interesting topic for me was Daisy's anorexia. Throughout the book she makes off the cuff comments about her father's wasted money on countless shrinks, and how it all started because she didn't want to eat anything her stepmother cooked for her. We watch as she encounters looks from strangers and pleads from her cousins, even Edmond, to eat something. I even found myself thinking her anorexia (and lack of a menstrual cycle) also allowed for her and Edmond to engage in what I assumed to be unprotected sexual relations. I am wondering if her self-controlled starvation was meant to come head to head with her experience of the uncontrolled starvation of wartime. Food was never her enemy, but merely a projection of the lack of control she felt in her family life back in New York City. And food, during her journey with Piper, became a necessity and a privilege, whereas, perhaps it never had been before.

Posted : Oct 18, 2014 09:09

Liz

In the beginning of How I Live Now, Daisy and family inhabit a magical world where kids get create their own reality; this initial Shangri La reminded me Swiss Family Robinson, The Boxcar Children, or like Warren mentioned, The Lord of the Flies (before Simon dies). As the world in the story falls apart, the novel became part adventure story, and part wartime saga, and wholly sinister. For me, the latter half of the book invoked Z for Zachariah, Snow Treasure, and The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society – perhaps an odd mix of connections. As a whole, the novel was unlike anything I have read before. Parts of the book though, the characters, the setting, some of the conflicts and plot points, did seem familiar. It was an interesting read. Of all the characters or ideas in the novel, Daisy’s narrative voice made the strongest impression on me. I love a strong, sarcastic narrator who is actually a big softie inside. I didn’t find her quite as petulant as Bella, but, like Warren, I enjoyed her more and more as the book progressed. Given the strong impression she makes, and the detail with which the Rosoff treats Daisy’s life in New York before the move to England, I had a hard time believing the return trip to America. The experience lacked detail and her witty narrative. While the plot holes were closed up, mostly, Daisy's spicy voice drops out for most of the conclusion. Perhaps it was an intentional choice to make the return to New York, hospital visit, and journey back to England seem dreamlike, but it left me wondering and wanting.

Posted : Oct 18, 2014 08:45

Warren

How I Live Now reminds me of other stories like Hatchet, Island of the Blue Dolphins, and Lord of the Flies, which detail the struggles of adolescents surviving outside of society as opposed to surviving within it. It was also reminiscent of the trials endured by adolescents in wartime, like in The Diary of Anne Frank and Night. As well, prior to the outbreak of war, Daisy’s petulant tone is unbearably similar to Bella’s in Twilight, but thankfully takes on a more sensible quality as her world shatters and her responsibilities mount. Edmond as a character still lingers for me, as do the last scenes in which he reunites with Daisy. Instead of Daisy telling us what happened to him, I would have preferred insight directly from him about what happened. Because of the energy put into developing the relationship between the two of them, the book leads the reader to anticipate a momentous reunion between them when Daisy returns to England or at least to expect a fiery confrontation between the two when we see how changed and uncommunicative Edmond has become. We never get either, however, which is unfortunate. We have to settle for Daisy’s weak entreaties for reconciliation instead. I’m also still wondering about what the point was of making Daisy and Edmond cousins. There at first is this mystery and tension around such an illicit pairing, a topic which Piper breaches when she asks Daisy about her feelings for him, but then the pressure vanishes as Piper confesses her pleasure in the two of them loving Edmond. Again, here is another suspenseful moment that could have lead to something heady, but doesn’t.

Posted : Oct 18, 2014 05:50

Jennifer Stoner

The changes from book to movie are significant, more so towards the end of the book. I think they made some of the changes to keep the sucker-punch pain of the book, since a movie audience doesn't experience the story through Daisy's eyes in the same way. The book's lack of quotation marks is powerful and I just don't know how you could recreate the effect on screen. You do lose Daisy's unique voice, and some of the changes feel like it makes the story more neatly packaged according to an audience's expectations, but it is an interesting exercise to compare how stories necessarily must be told differently in different media.

Posted : Oct 16, 2014 01:36

Lolly Robinson

Sorry if this is off-topic, but does anyone know how different the movie is from the book? I'll be re-reading HILN this weekend and was thinking about getting the DVD out of the library, too.

Posted : Oct 15, 2014 10:09