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A review by labunnywtf
Life As We Knew It by Susan Beth Pfeffer
5.0
I agree with Felicia Day, this is Anne Frank for the modern age. Or, as I put it, Anne Frank for the technology age. Definitely not near as extreme, though. No nazis.
I really, really enjoyed this story. I read the (non-spoilery) negative reviews before I started it, and while I can understand the complaints, I didn't have the same problems. Yes, she was petulant and childish at times, but she's also 16 years old. I think she handled things extremely well for a 16-year old. I don't think my mother and I would've made it through this same situation without murdering each other, and my sister.
A very strange thing happens when you listen to this audiobook in your car. You start feeling like this is ACTUALLY HAPPENING. It didn't help that a) the moon was extremely bright and full for most of it, and b) the weather was horrendous. Torrential rain and winds, and freezing cold. Seriously, I went grocery shopping and felt like I needed to buy as much as I could because it could run out. It was extremely disconcerting.
I have already put book 2 on hold. I really, really enjoyed the storyline, and rooted for all of the characters. Even Megan. I got nervous with the Megan part, because I was worried this was going to go the religious route, but I think that part was handled well. It showed how everyone reacted to this major disaster.
Falon (10-year old niece) was in the car with me, and we were going on a drive that would take an hour each way. I've never listened to an audiobook with her in the car before, so I told her to bring her Nintendo DS and I would listen to my book. She ended up paying attention, and really got into the story. She would not, however, agree to read the hard book if I got it for her to continue the story. Brat.
She couldn't understand my HORROR at what happened to Sammy. I had to explain that she was SIXTEEN. That was...oh, god.
And while I knew not everyone could survive, my jaw dropped when they told us Peter died. The poor mom.
The ending was a little too convenient. I was hoping for a "So if you find this diary, know that we survived, and we blah blah blah" ending, that the diary was found posthumously. But I can live with it. I'm glad they made it.
I really, really enjoyed this story. I read the (non-spoilery) negative reviews before I started it, and while I can understand the complaints, I didn't have the same problems. Yes, she was petulant and childish at times, but she's also 16 years old. I think she handled things extremely well for a 16-year old. I don't think my mother and I would've made it through this same situation without murdering each other, and my sister.
A very strange thing happens when you listen to this audiobook in your car. You start feeling like this is ACTUALLY HAPPENING. It didn't help that a) the moon was extremely bright and full for most of it, and b) the weather was horrendous. Torrential rain and winds, and freezing cold. Seriously, I went grocery shopping and felt like I needed to buy as much as I could because it could run out. It was extremely disconcerting.
I have already put book 2 on hold. I really, really enjoyed the storyline, and rooted for all of the characters. Even Megan. I got nervous with the Megan part, because I was worried this was going to go the religious route, but I think that part was handled well. It showed how everyone reacted to this major disaster.
Falon (10-year old niece) was in the car with me, and we were going on a drive that would take an hour each way. I've never listened to an audiobook with her in the car before, so I told her to bring her Nintendo DS and I would listen to my book. She ended up paying attention, and really got into the story. She would not, however, agree to read the hard book if I got it for her to continue the story. Brat.
She couldn't understand my HORROR at what happened to Sammy. I had to explain that she was SIXTEEN. That was...oh, god.
And while I knew not everyone could survive, my jaw dropped when they told us Peter died. The poor mom.
The ending was a little too convenient. I was hoping for a "So if you find this diary, know that we survived, and we blah blah blah" ending, that the diary was found posthumously. But I can live with it. I'm glad they made it.