The World We Live In - Susan Beth Pfeffer

[goodreads]

Title: The World We Live In
Author: Susan Beth Pfeffer
Genre: Dystopian
Rating: 3.5/5
# pages: 256
Date read: August, 2011

It's been a year since a meteor collided with the moon, catastrophically altering the earth's climate. Miranda and her two brothers spend their days scavenging for food and household items, while their mother stays at home and desperately tries to hold on to the ordinary activities of their previous life. But they all know that nothing is truly normal in this surreal new world they live in.

The struggle to survive intensifies when Miranda's father and stepmother arrive with a baby and three strangers in tow. One of the newcomers is Alex Morales, and as Miranda's complicated feelings for him turn to love, his plans for his future thwart their relationship. Then a devastating tornado hits the town of Howell, and Miranda makes a decision that will change their lives forever.

After the way The Dead and the Gone ended, it made sense to move straight on to This World We Live In. We're now back with Miranda and back with the epistolary novel, as I prefer. But honestly, I'm not too sure what I thought of this one. On one hand I couldn't put it down - on the other, it seemed like nothing happened, and I got so annoyed with Matt, Miranda's mother and Alex. Sheesh, guys!

I don't really like open endings, but I can understand the need for one here - something had to happen for the series to move on, without being stuck in the same place all the time. It does seem to be getting a bit "Gone"'ish though (series by Michael Grant) in that the ultimate resolution is still denied us. I wonder how many books Susan Pfeffer has planned - I know there's at least one more, coming out in 2012.