"Life as We Knew It," the first of a trilogy of post-apocalyptic books by Susan Beth Pfeffer, introduces Miranda, a 16 year-old-girl who keeps a journal. Toward the end of her sophomore year, there are reports of a meteor in a direct collision course with the moon. When the meteor hits, the moon is pushed off its axis and worldwide earthquakes, tsunamis, and volcanoes rack the Earth. Things that seemed as if they would always be around suddenly no longer are. Miranda and her family are forced to make tough decisions. Every decision, no matter how large or small, becomes a question of life or death. This event, while tearing the world apart, brings Miranda and her family closer.
The novel is constructed as a journal; every day is a new entry. Some days are more descriptive than others, and some days are missing entirely. It was extremely easy to connect with Miranda’s thoughts and feelings toward the catastrophe. The vivid descriptions and the actual documentation of conversations allow the reader to feel as if they too are taking place in this event.
However, this “global disaster” that occurred to the earth is completely illogical; scientists would never “underestimate” the impact of the moon being knocked out of orbit. This story is well drawn and terrifying, and it truly shows how well of a fiction writer Pfeffer really is. I found myself actually believing this was happening and, for a few days, I was a skeptic of the moon.
Unfortunately, the novel starts off slow. It’s a bit hard to grasp due to it seeming as if all you’re learning about is a teenage girl and her problems. When the event occurs, the book is seemingly impossible to put down.
Another uncomforting thing is how the novel barely talks about how the rest of the world is doing. Everything is strictly about Miranda's family, as if they were the last ones on Earth. Pfeffer keeps the details of Miranda’s family so intricate that the reader almost forgets there’s other people all over the globe dealing with this tragedy. Fortunately enough, the lack of other people in the story besides Miranda's family adds to the suspense of the book, as the reader will want to find out how many people are still alive, and if there even is the rest of the world.
I don't think that a book has ever made me re-evaluate myself as much as "Life As We Knew It." It truly made me realize how much I take for granted.
I applaud Pfeffer for this novel. I would definitely read it again, and I cannot wait to read the rest of the series.
