Daisy, our narrator, is sent from her New York home to England to live with her Aunt and cousins. We are told it is because her stepmother doesn't like her, but by picking up the clues along the way we realize that they just didn't know what else to do with Daisy and her anorexia (which seems to be a mini side plot). We see through Daisy's narrative how the children deal with living in a war torn country with no supervision, as Aunt Penn leaves shortly after Daisy arrives to do anti-war protesting in Oslo. At first you kind of watch as the youngsters just spend lazy days doing anything they want since they are living on a farm in the country, far away from the war itself. As things start to move closer to them, the older ones start taking on the parental type rolls of foraging for food and making sure everyone is safe. Throughout the story I found myself drawn to Daisy's protectiveness of Piper as she takes on the role of big sister and sometimes mother. And Piper is like a shining star trying not to fade away amid all the darkness. It's like watching them age quickly within a matter of months instead of years – and it has quite a few moments that made me upset and angry that the war was taking away their innocence. Without giving away any of the plot, I would have to say that as you read along you see how family is important no matter what you consider “family” to be, you watch the characters mature so quickly and take on tasks that normally would not be required by people their age, and we see how adaptable and resourceful people can become in times such as war. I think the war itself helps Daisy to come to the realization that her life is important and means something and self image is not worth starving yourself or dying for. It's a great story about surviving and having hope when everything you care about is lost. Sidenote: There is a love that develops between Daisy and one of her cousins, Edmund, but it is not really portrayed as an incestual thing as it is more about the love developing between two young people in a time of chaos and the unknown. It may offend some, but it really isn't meant to be more than I've just stated above.

Daisy, 15, is sent from New York City to the English countryside to live with her Aunt Penn and cousins, Osbert, 16, twins Edmond and Isaac, 14 and Piper, 9. She and Edmond feel an immediate attraction to each other that goes beyond familial love, but their relationship is further complicated by a war that starts in London and then spreads out into the countryside, affecting the children in ways that are often horrific. My daughter, 12, and I read this book at the same time and then shared our thoughts about it at my blog (www.theludicreader.wordpress.com). It was fun to read something together and interesting that we had similar feelings about Daisy, the novel's funny, intelligent and damaged heroine. Although there's nothing graphic in the story, it might be too disturbing for some readers (the book is geared for readers 12 and up). The prose is crisp and Daisy is a wonderfully observant narrator. Both my daughter and I really liked it.

Daisy goes to England to live with some relatives. After her arrival, London is attacked with bombs. This is the story of how she coped with the war and her new family.

When I picked up this book, and read the back, I knew it was going to be good. All the way, I could see what happend and why it was happening. You`d think a good book would have an ending. But it wasn`t the best ending imaginable. It was a satisfying ending, but it wasn`t the best. 3/5

This book is a very moving examination of the effects of war on children. Rosoff won an award for this book, and it was well-deserved. Set in the Britain of the very near future, she sets up an idyllic childhood world of gardens, playmates, and first loves... only to dash that world cruelly against the harsh realities of war and the serious games that adults play. In the process, characters you love and yearn for are changed forever as they, too, begin to experience adulthood, and by the time the book was finished, I am not ashamed to say I was crying. I read it in a single evening--though it's touted as a Teen book, I think it would be valuable for anyone.

this book was very good at one point i cried and was ful of joy

So much about this book was confusing, yet absolutely enticing, I couldn't put it down. I found the relationship betwen Daisy and Edmund strange and at points, just plain wrong. Over all though, recommend this, it opens up alot of questions and interesting discussions. An incredible success and astonishingly so for a first book.

This book really shows what you go through in reality. A very unusual but amazing twist. It shows how you sometimes have to start all over from scratch. I strongly recommend this book to mature children.

This book was really good. I didn't want to put it down, but Since I read it for class, I had to, and I'm glad I did. Reading books slowly is something I don't do, but for this book, it was a great idea. There is so much to think about and there is so much going on (but definitely not in a confusing way). This book really makes you think about everything, and about how family is important, and how you can really get to know someone. The book is about an American teenager who is sent to England to live with some relatives. At first she hates it there, but it quickly grows on her, as do the people. Then something happens and their worlds are shook and they learn how to live tohether and to appreciate al the little things! I abslolutley loved this book. It's so good! I recommend it, but some may be offended by the theme of love in this book, though I don't want to spoil why!

Part love story, part story of survival, this is a chilling account of what could quite easily take place in the blink of an eye in our present time. How I Live Now leaves you feeling unsettled and uncomfortable but it is a very compelling read. This is an award-winning book, having won both the Michael L. Printz Award and the Guardian Children's Fiction Prize.