This World We Live In (review)

Abstract

Reviewed by: This World We Live In April Spisak Pfeffer, Susan Beth. This World We Live In. Harcourt, 2010 [256p]. ISBN 978-0-547-24804-2 $17.00 Reviewed from galleys Ad Gr. 6-9 In this intriguing follow-up to Life As We Knew It (BCCB 12/06) and The Dead & the Gone (BCCB 7/08), the protagonists of those novels (Miranda from the former, Alex from the latter) meet one another and fall into an ill-advised romance. Miranda, narrating through her usual diary entries, describes the year that has passed since the moon was hit by an asteroid and life changed in dramatic and horrible ways on Earth. The arrival of her father, his new wife, and a few additional members of their group brings Alex, the boy from New York on whom the second novel was centered, into her life. The adjustment from four (Miranda, her two brothers, [End Page 350] and mother) to ten is extraordinarily difficult because of the lack of space, heat, or food, but all adapt to the larger community. In spite of Alex's temper, stubborn nature, and determination to depart as soon as possible, Miranda falls for him hard, in no small part because he is literally the only adolescent boy she may see again. What follows is some romance, more tragedy, and the haunting revelation that not much remains in the form of hope for this world. The creepy, poignant descriptions of a world gone gray and dead for who knows how long will certainly give readers chills. Unfortunately, the romance by convenience and the bizarre shock ending that comes out of it are less believable; in addition, neither Miranda nor Alex are particularly sympathetic characters, so readers may find it difficult to connect with them. Nevertheless, fans of the two earlier novels will be unable to resist seeing the worlds collide, and there is enough drama herein to make it worth their time. Copyright © 2010 The Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois