O. Wow.

[raefinlay]

I just finished Susan Beth Pfeffer's LIFE AS WE KNEW IT. What a great book. It's the kind of great that's hard to shake, like…omg, we don't have a woodstove and if world-wide disaster strikes we'll all die and just how much canned food do we have in the cupboards? Oh, and candles…

So, yeah, I love me a good apocalypse. But what I found most convincing was the emotional arc of the piece, from flippancy to denial to dread to despair to resignation to triumph.

There are a few times, a blessed few, when the voice is interrupted by a word or phrase that is clearly Ms. Pfeffer's rather than Miranda's. And Miranda's two best buds begin as painful archetypes, (The Born-Again! The Slut!) but their respective character stories end note perfect. < bunny trail > I actually learned something from this. Archetypes can be very useful when one needs to pack a thematic punch as efficiently as possible. </ bunny trail >.

I had trouble buying the ending--which I won't give away here--mostly because of my delicate Libertarian sensibilities, but again, thematically, it was just right.

It's rare for a book to grab me emotionally, and this one did just that. I cared about what happened to these people, and my brain is still spinning with the logistics of their survival.

Anyone else read it? What did you think?

***EDIT: Looks like this book just made the Norton Award Ballot.

Comments

[magicnoire.livejournal.com]

Dude, this is still the best book I've read so far this far. (My thoughts are here. And Hannah read it recently too.)

And I had much the same reaction after finishing it -- I immediately wanted to rush out and buy canned food, water, and blankets and OMG WE DON'T HAVE A WOODSTOVE WE ARE SO GOING TO DIE MAYBE I SHOULD LEARN HOW TO FIGHT SO I CAN FORM A STREET GANG IF THERE'S AN APOCALYPSE. The fact that this was around 2 o'clock in the morning in no way detracts from the manic tone.

I do agree that her friends were such cliched archetypes, but their story arcs were true. Some parts really hurt to read because in a post-tsunami, post-Katrina world, it was all too easy to see these things happening. I mean, all those people in upstate New York with the crazy amounts of snow? Reminded me of this book! When I heard about their blizzards, all I could think is: "Do they have food and water?"

It's been nearly two months since I've read it. It's a rare book that comes back to you like that.

[raecarson.livejournal.com]

Some parts really hurt to read because in a post-tsunami, post-Katrina world, it was all too easy to see these things happening.

That stuff kinda makes it all feel real, doesn't it? I think of all those people stranded by Katrina in New Orleans, baking in the humidity, running out of water and places to go potty... We forget how formidable nature can be.

[buymeaclue.livejournal.com]

I read it recently. See here: http://buymeaclue.livejournal.com/354914.html

[eiriene.livejournal.com]

Oh wow, the Norton Ballot! woo-hoo! I got to read this book as an ARC, last summer, and it was fabulous. I'm so happy that it's getting recognized for how good it is. And Miranda and I have the same birhday, so for that reason, it really hit me... I love this book. =)

[raecarson.livejournal.com]

I loved Miranda, and I loved her coming-of-age character arc.

And yeah, I'm so glad it's getting the recognition it deserves.

[paulmelko.livejournal.com]

I thought it was a very good book. My daughter wouldn't read it, though.

[raecarson.livejournal.com]

Oo, interesting. Did she say why not?

[paulmelko.livejournal.com]

She didn't like the cover. :(

[cathemery.livejournal.com]

My mom loves post-apocalypse stories. I think I'll put this one on the list for her birthday. Months away, but there's nothing like the desperate "what am I going to get Mom?'

. .. .actually, she's easy. It's *Dad* I have trouble with. . . .

[raecarson.livejournal.com]

My mom loves post-apocalypse stories.

Sounds like a kindred spirit. :-)

kswails

[(Anonymous)]

I'll have to put this on my lists of books to read. I just finished "World War Z: An Oral History of the Zombie War" by Max Brooks. It too is a look at an apocalypse. I love these types of books--"The Stand" and "Lucifer's Hammer" come to mind--so I'll definitely check this out.