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Life As We Knew It



Continuing with the end of the world theme in young adult fiction, I read Life As We Knew It by Susan Pfeffer. It's actually pretty similar to One Second After, a book I read earlier this year, but without the horrific death scenes or the belief that when something bad happens almost everyone is going become little more than savages out to murder everyone else in the most horrific way possible. It's your basic something bad happened and all the eletricity, fuel, food and water sources are limited or gone type of story. The main character is junior in high school when a natural disaster strikes. The book is basically her diary of the events - she goes from being jealous that her best friend has a date for the Prom to wondering if she'll ever see 17. At first people are bit worried, but still believing that things can soon return to normal. Luckily for the main character, her mother sees bad things coming. The description of the scuttle for supplies is almost funny.

Things don't get better as the story progresses. Friends die or head for supposed safer areas, any romance is left in dust as the main character and her family work to survive. Summer turns to winter in the middle of July (volcanic ash blocking out the sun) and the entire family has to decide exactly how many meals they can have a day - there are a lot of entries about food. At one point the main character goes into the pantry and discovers a hidden stash of chocolate chips. Her mother catches her and she is punished by not being allowed to eat for the next two days. Harsh, but given the situation it probably seems reasonable.

I won't say how it ends, but unlike One Second After, it is a happier ending. At least I didn't want to give up on society completely and move to the backwoods. It's definitely one I'll be recommending to students.

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