That rare, rare thing, a first novel with a sustained, magical and utterly faultless voice. After five pages, I knew she could persuade me to believe anything.”
— Mark Haddon
Daring, wise, and sensitive.”
— People magazine
Powerful and engaging …a likely future classic.”
— The Observer (UK)
A crunchily perfect knock-out of a debut novel.”
— The Guardian (UK)
Awards
- Guardian Children’s Fiction Prize 2004
- Branford Boase Award 2005
- Michael L. Printz Award 2005
- Der Luchs des Jahres Book Prize 2005
- Julia Ward Howe Prize (Boston Authors Club) 2005
Meg, This is by far the best book I have ever read, from the start I couldn’t put it down, and when I finished it I put it down with tears on my face. I even decided to read it again a few months later! It is brilliant! I love Daisy’s unique way of teling her story, and the whole aspect of Daisy and Edmonds love for eachother, im only 14 ,but I have read a lot of books and this is my absoulute favourite! Thank You so much for writing such a brilliant book! xx Meg.
I’m always happy to meet another Meg….thanks for writing, and for the lovely comments. xxxmeg
Meg, just curious, is How I Live Now going to be made into a movie? xx Megan
Yes — the movie’s in pre-pre-production now, should be shot early next year. Exciting, eh?
That is so cool can’t wait to see it when it comes out
Gonna have to get all of my friends to read the book!
hey , i read this book when i was in france and i couldnt manage to put it down ! I love your writing and im making all my friends read it !! Daisys tale was so sweet . Ive already asked my dad to bring the next one out for me to read THANK YOU SO MUCH MEG !! XX
did edmond and daisy kiss or did they have sex? i need to know this for my summer reading project.
What have you gone through in your life that led you to the inspiration of making this book?
I’m 53, Catherine, I’ve experienced a lot. And the rest I made up.
Meg you are the most inspiring author that has ever lived thnk you soo much for putting these books in my life. I shall await for the movie to come out and the way you describe love is soo pure and beautiful.
Thank You xxxxx
Read How I Live Now again today, first read in on holiday when I was 15; I read it twice in a matter of days. I remember desperately wishing for How WE Live Now
I love this book, thank you for writing it!
Hello Meg,
I am 12 years old and live in Australia.
I read this book, because one of my friends recommended it. It was absolutely amazing, and I couldn’t put it down. Parts of the book made me cry. It is a truly beautiful book. Thank you so much for writing it. I would love to see the movie, that would be really awesome. Are you writing any books at the moment? x
Hi Kristen
So glad you liked How I Live Now. I’ve written a few books in between, but have just finished a new one called There Is No Dog, which won’t be out till next year, sorry! The film of How I Live Now should also be out sometime late next year, so we both have to wait! Try The Bride’s Farewell in the meantime. It’s set in the 19th century but it’s all about identity and love. xMeg
Hi,
I know you must have had a million and one messages like this about How I Live Now, but I had to tell you anyway. I have never read a book like it. The first time I picked it off the shelves I was about 14/15? It completely changed my perspective even then on YA fiction and pretty much fiction as a whole. It proved to me that a story does not have to be written to fit a particular genre (despite what I’d been told). I can’t even express how much of an impression this book made on me. I suppose all I can say is thanks for writing it!
Thanks so much, Alex! xxxx
Dear Meg,
I’m a Dutch English teacher, and I teach my students in bilingual education. They have to read 9 books per year, and your book: How I live now is the first one in the third year. My students think that your book is, by far, the best book they have ever read. They regularly get stuck with one question though: they can’t figure out how Edmond and Daisy are going to live on after the ending of the book. Having thought about it, I don’t think I do either. Could you please write me a response which I would be able to use as lesson material, I’d be very grateful. Oh yes, by the way, I do think this book was truly amazing to read my self too! Good luck with the production process of the film!
Hello Toon
Thank you for your lovely message…and I’m really thrilled that your students (and you) like the book.
It’s a very difficult question you ask, but I’ll try to answer it — philosophically at least.
When I wrote the first draft of the screenplay for How I Live Now, the producers all wanted a much clearer scene about what happens when Daisy leaves England and who the enemy was.
They kept saying, “just tell us what you were thinking.”
Now, I know there are authors who write volumes about the sort of lives their characters have outside of the book, but I think most authors don’t. The book is the only part of the story you really know, even if you’re the writer, so I don’t really know much more about those situations than the reader does. Therefore, the short answer is that I don’t know what happens to Daisy and Edmond after the book ends. I’d like to think that Edmond slowly heals from his trauma and that Daisy continues to love him, and their relationship continues to help them both. But I suppose it could go lots of other ways too.
When you write a book, you create a small world, and if it’s convincing, you hope the reader completes the “circuit” (like an electrical circuit) and imagines the world in his or her own way.
Therefore, anything that happens outside of the book is up for grabs. After the book ends, the story belongs to the reader.
I hope this helps. I am basically an optimist, and so although I put my characters in difficult situations, I think secretly I imagine they’ll be more or less OK. WHen I think about it. Which isn’t often. For me, the story ends with the edges of the book.
xMeg
Hi Meg
Just thought it was pretty cool that I could say how much I love How I Live Now! I first read it a few years ago, and have now lost count of exactly how many times I have read it, but each time I love it more and more! I’m leaving home to travel for three months soon and as I am just reading it now, I can’t bear the thought of leaving home without it!! It really is brilliant, making such a controversial idea seem so natural. I havn’t read any of your other stuff yet, but have just realised how much I really want to! So thanks for writing something I know I can always return to and love
Bryony
Thank you, Bryony….
This is my favourite book of all time. Daisy’s voice is so powerful and witty – I just can’t wait for the film to come out. What inspired you to right such a masterpiece?
HI Zelda
I think my main inspiration was that I wanted to get out of my job in advertising! The rest was all sorts of life experience…..
xxMeg
Hi Meg,
I just wanted to say that i love daisy’s writingstyle and i like how you put such a great and complicated story together. At the end of the book i kept wandering what really happened with edmond( was he just shocked?) and what your whole thought was behind the dramatic love between edmond and daisy?
Dear Meg,
I am 15 fifteen years old. I live in Russia. “How I Live Now” is the best book I’ve read in English! I couldn’t put it down till the end. The style of writing is awesome. I visited England in August and bought the book in Bath. All my bilingual classmates have already read it. I haven’t read any other stuff of yours yet cause it is not possible to buy it in our country. Moreover I am too young to have my own web money. That’s a pity=)
Dear Leo
Thanks so much for your lovely email! I’m incredibly impressed that you read the book in English, as it’s not a particularly easy book to read (i don’t think it is, anyway). If you send me your address, I’ll send you another book.
xxMeg
Dear Meg,
Thank you.
Thank you very much indeed. My e-mail is mr.slipknot@live.co.uk
I would be very glad to read some other books which are written by you. I love such good fiction books!
Hello, Meg!
I have to say that this is the best book I have read since Harry Potter. Last night I also finished your book The Bride’s Farewell and both of them moved me. I find myself becoming so involved with your characters and their journeys, that I actually cried while reading both! Am I right in saying that these books have an element of a coming of age theme in them?
I can’t wait for the film of How I Live Now! I really hope you’ve had a lot of input in the making of it, so it’ll follow the story-line well.
By the way, do you have any tips for writing a novel for this year’s NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month)?
Hi Emily. Thanks for that….and have a look at this: http://www.megrosoff.co.uk/2010/08/20/what-is-a-voice/
It might help….
xmeg
I have to say I love the book. I’m living in Germany and take part in a seminar about utpoian and distopian novels. A few months ago I choose to write my 10-pages essay about the criticism of society in How I Live Now. First I was skeptical if I could write enough to reach the 10 pages, but now I’m writing on page 15 and have more and more ideas how to write on. It is really exciting and I totally enjoy it!!!
Thank you, Isabell. That’s great to hear. xMeg
First of all I have to say, thankyou for writing this book. My brothers girlfriend gave it to me once saying ‘I haven’t read it but I love the cover’ so I started reading it and I actually fell in love with it. The way you portrayed the characters was amazing and I could really see it, almost as though a movie was playing before my eyes. I loved the way you use language to show what you really want it to mean and at stages I had tears in my eyes, which is a credit to how you write (I don’t often cry at things.) It is this book (amongst a couple of others) that has really inspired me to want to write stories and books as I get older, even just for a pasttime, rather than a career. Thankyou so much for ‘How I live Now’ it was unique and beautiful and I genuinely loved every word of it I read. You truly are and amazing writer.
Eleanor
Thank you for that, Eleanor. So nice to hear from you…. xmeg
Dear Meg,
I just wanted to tell you that I love your books. I started off with ‘How I Live Now’, and Daisy just spoke to me right off the page. And your depiction of the wonder and beauty of the English countryside is so vivid. I moved to England from Dubai when I was 12 and I felt the same kind of enchantment that Daisy feels. In fact, I love the book so much that I even took it with me to University every term just to have it on my bookshelf, although I never had time to read it! It was nice to have it there like a friend. I’m really glad that you wrote the first draft of the screenplay for the movie. I’m really looking forward to seeing it, and also to reading ‘There is no Dog’. You’re a really inspirational writer, thanks so much for sharing all your stories.
Tamzin xo
Thank you for that, Tamzin. So lovely to hear from you. I first came to London when I was 18, so I think the sense of “enchantment” might be something to do with being a foreigner….it’s harder to express that sort of enchantment with your own country, maybe it feels a little bit embarrassing! xxxMeg
i read this book and i love it. but i think about daisy an edmond . how do you picture daisy and edmond six years later ? what makes you think so?
HI Selma — Once I’ve finished a book, it belongs to the reader. So the question is, how do YOU picture Daisy and Edmond six years later…?
xmeg
This book is going to be made into a movie? I’m definately going to go and see it. I absolutely LOVE this book. I finished it in a day with tears in my eyes, that it had finished!
-Nadine. x
Triamphant And genius story. Didn’t want to put it down ! Definitely movie material! Love your books !
- Hollie
Thank you, Hollie. So glad you liked it. Stay tuned for the movie….not till 2012, though. xmeg
Hi Meg, (this is pretty wierd talking to the author of my favourite book so you can expect an essay)
I just want to say thank you for writing How I Live Now
because I don’t know where I’d be without it, everything I do
at school or on my own is conntected to Edmond and Daisy in some way. They’re two beautiful characters that I fell in love with as soon as I opened the book. I’m trying not to ask you any questions because I know if I got started the list would be never ending. I heard about it becoming a movie but I am not sure if it’s just a hearsay…Anyway- if it isn’t then it will be the best day of my life, if it is then my tattered copy of How I Live now will have to do. Yeah, so you’re pretty much amazing for writting such an amazing book as a first novel and I’ll leave my essay at this point so you don’t get bored hearing the same comment over and over again……
Alexia x <3
Hi Alexia
How lovely to hear from you, and I’m so glad you like How I Live Now so much. It is becoming a movie, and will be shooting sometime next year, probably not out until 2012, which seems a very long time to wait — even for me.
Thank you so much for writing, your enthusiasm has made my day!
xMeg
hi meg! i love this book
please keep writing more books like these. when i was reading it, i was so moved with the storyline that it made me cry! it’s my favourite book of the year so far. i can’t wait for the film! 
Thanks, Irish! Really glad you liked it! xxmeg
By the way i am now reading what i was and it is such a brilliant book.
Plus i have read How i live now, Just in Case and when i have finished all of What i was i am going to borrow The Brides farewell from my friend Evelyn. She is also a big fan too. By the way can you recormened any other of your books for me to?
Thanks xxxxx
Oh dear, Chelsie, I think you’ve run out now! Unless you want to read my little short book, which is called Vamoose, you’ll have to wait for There is No Dog to come out next summer. I’m writing as fast as I can, but it’s not quite fast enough at the moment….big hello to you and Evelyn and thanks for being loyal fans! xxxmeg
I sure will read that book and i shall be waiting for the other one to come out just now i saw the How i live now trailer and it looks good i would be the first one there to see it im sure. Plus thank you for saying hi 2 my friend i told her and she is going nuts right now.
Thank you xxx
P.S I hope we can be good freinds.
Hello Meg. I’m just a sixteen year old girl from The United States, and I absolutely love this book! Actually just yesterday I decided to go to my High Schools’ library and I randomly picked this out of the shelf, and I’ve never loved such a creative book in my life. I just finished it about fifteen minutes ago and I just cannot wait to read more of your books. I’ve also heard this is going to be a movie! Would it appear in The United States? I really hope so (: You’re one talented writer, you really caught not only my attention but my heart. I cannot wait to read much more of your books!
- Fran
Hi Fran
So nice to hear from you! I’m really glad you found (and liked) How I Live Now. The movie is currently in early pre-production (not cast yet) and it should appear in the US, though probably not till 2012. I hope you like the other books too…write and let me know what you think!
xxxMeg
Dear Meg
I’ve read your book in Dutch, because I live in Belgium, but one day I’ll try to read it in English.
It would be wrong to say your book is ‘good’, it is just amazing, it’s one of the best books I’ve ever read, and I’m shore I’ll always remember your story.
Like all the others I can’t wait to see the movie.
Your style of writing is fascinating, it’s so different of all other books!
The last pages I couldn’t stop crying, it was soooooooo beautiful…
I hope that some other of your books are in Dutch to, can’t wait to read them.
Thanks a lot xx
ps: I wondered if Edmond loved Daisy again like before at the end of the story ?
Hi Carole
I think all my books are available in Dutch, as I have a wonderful Dutch publisher (Moon). I’m so glad you liked How I Live Now, and even though authors never really want to explain what happens between their characters after the book is finished, I think in my heart that Edmond will love Daisy again as much as before.
But I’m an optimist….!
xMeg
Waw it’s so good to know that about Edmond and Daisy, and I’m sorry for asking .. !
I’ll try to read your books a.s.a.p
You’re amazing the book is really great