How I Live Now by Meg Rosoff

I really liked this novel. I really enjoyed the style that it was written it, the prose was fluid and the language was very appropriate to the character. There were a few times where I was unsure who was talking because the dialogue isn't in quotation marks, but it didn't take away from the novel at all.

I felt like most of the story was very natural and plausible, even if it was a utopia(in the beginning). Being the type of children they were, the fact that they lived almost parent-less didn't seen harsh or unreasonable. It fit their style, and the style of the novel. For most of it, excluding some of the occupation, the book was very young and fresh and green. There was so much romanticism at every turn, it was very beautiful and rich. Small elements of magic-realism added an even greater romantic depth to the story and to characters like Edmond and Isaac. Isaac kind of reminds me of Dickon Sowerby from The Secret Garden. They really did have their own little world free of societal pressures and biases; their love was pure even if it wasn't acceptable.

I was very sad near the end when Daisy had to shoot Ding in the head but I was very glad that none of the children died. The last few chapters with the description of the garden was beautiful and sad. I was happy though that the children were together again and they could resume their lives and heal together.

There were a few things that didn't seem to add up right, like how Piper started her long term relationship with Jonathan when she was ten or so. Even though Piper is very mature for her age, she's also very childlike and I don't know if this is realistic. I also don't really understand how Daisy's dad could get her so quickly out of England just because she "needed" to be hospitalized. I guess it was just an excuse, but it seemed unlikely that during a time of occupation that a girl like her would be such a priority. Other than that I really enjoyed the novel.