When a meteor hits the moon and knocks in closer in orbit to the earth, nothing will ever be the same. World wide tidal waves. Earthquakes. Volcanic eruptions. And that's just the beginning.I think maybe part of the reason I was taking so long to finish the latest Stephanie Laurens was because I knew I had this book waiting for me. I picked it up kind of randomly in a Borders and started reading it just to waste some time - I got through about one chapter and realized that I was going to have to buy it. The writing was that compelling. The problem I had with this book is due to the fact that I've read post-apocalyptic accounts before and they're always depressing (ask me about Octavia Butler sometime). I guess that's unsurprising since most of them depict whole societal collapse, but still - very depressing, very hard on my soul to read.
This books stars Miranda, a 16yr placed in the most extraordinary of circumstances, in which her and her family have to somehow survive the moon's move closer to earth. Pfeffer creates an incredibly believable and sympathetic characters; as I was reading this I really felt like I knew Miranda and hurt when she hurt. There will definitely be tears if you decide to pick this up, but at least I can say that it ends on a somewhat hopeful note.
I can tell you right now I'm going to be a total character and not read the second novel, though I might pick up the 3rd to see how things are going with Miranda. The second novel, The Dead and the Gone focuses on a boy named Alex who lived in NY when the meteor hit and since this first book talks about huge tsunamis hitting every continent's coast and how the Statue of Liberty got washed out to sea, I just can't do it right now - or probably ever. I'm sure it's still written very well though, so if you could get up the courage I'd say go for it.
Overall Feeling - Thumbs up. The book is heartbreaking to read and often had me in tears, but no one can deny Miranda's powerful voice and Pfeffer's ability to create an unforgettable novel.
Series - 1) Life As We Knew It 2) The Dead and the Gone 3) This World We Live In (April 1, 2010)
