sarahlizbooks 's review for:

How I Live Now by Meg Rosoff

3.0

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Taking my cue from Liyrah, I was also disappointed to see so many reviews focused on the "squick" aspect of the cousin relationship, not to mention some even more uptight reviews commenting on "underaged sex" (GASP). Apparently that in itself is shocking, although I don't know where those people went to high school. Not only is this book not about incest, it is actually achieving something very important by including underage sex with a traditionally inappropriate partner. This book does not condescend to young adults, nor does it gloss over issues of sex, institutional ineffectiveness, and violence, issues that are a part of the lives of young adults and yet are shockingly censored in young adult fiction. I applaud any author who tackles social taboos and who writes to the maturity level of many young adults. All I can say is, if unconventional relationships are too much for you, you're going to miss out on SO much good literature, God of Small Things being just one amazing example.