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Author Love-a-Thon #3
Meg Rosoff
Why I love Meg Rosoff by Red Headed Book Child:
Meg Rosoff is like one of those rare beautiful rocks you find on a turbulent shore. You pick it up and warmth fills you inside, a smile comes across your lips and a calm settles in.
I adore Meg Rosoff's books.
A brief bio: Rosoff worked in publishing and advertising before she wrote her first novel, How I live Now. She was born in Boston and in 1989 moved from New York to London where she currently resides with her husband and daughter.
I discovered Meg's books on a complete whim. Yes, folks, i fell in love with the cover of How I Live Now (winner of the Printz Award for Excellence in Young Adult Literature). I was working at a very urban bookstore where we did not sell a lot of Young Adult books and I was itching to find something new to read and recommend. I stumbled across this one and absolutely fell in love with her writing style. Here is a description of it from its back cover:
15 yr old New Yorker Daisy is sent to live in the English countryside with cousins she's never even met. When England is attacked and occupied by an unnamed enemy, the cousins find themselves on their own. Power fails, systems fail. As they grow more isolated, the farm becomes a kind of Eden, with no rules. Until the war arrives in their midst. Daisy's is a war story, a survival story, a love story-all told in the voice of a subversive and witty teenager. This book crackles with anxiety and with lust. It's a stunning and unforgettable first novel that captures the essence of the age of terrorism: how we live now.
So beautiful and well written. I knew I had found what I was looking for. Though my customer base at the time was not buying it I recommended it to everyone I knew and have sinced carried the recommend with me to my other stores that had a larger YA customer.
Since it was her first novel it was a few years later when I stumbled across her adult novel, What I Was, which surpasses How I live Now in its favorite standing due to the main character having the same name as my son. :) I then realized that she was a really damn good author and put her on my list of authors to watch for. I have since went on to read Just in Case and The Bride's Farewell (I actually emailed the publisher for an ARC of this one which I never do just cold but my enthusiasm was apparently infectious and they responded to my request!) Though The Bride's Farewell was not as strong as her others, I will still watch for her and read anything she writes. She has some children's picture books as well that I have yet to take a peak at.
Why you should love Meg Rosoff:
Her books are so exquisite. They are filled with such emotion, and reality and spirit and sadness and hope and joy...well, i could go on. How I live Now was so exact in how I would imagine youth surviving in a world that was crumbling around them. It was innocent and raw. What I Was bubbled with coming of age and the forming of friendships at a such a fragile age. Her books remind me of the way Catcher in the Rye or Lois Lowry make you feel. They are magical modern classics.
The picture of the four books above are all out in bookstores now.
How I live Now
Just in Case
What I Was
The Bride's Farewell
I hope I brought someone new and wonderful to your attention this month and this New Year. As always, Happy Reading!
red headed book child
11 comments:
I love How I Live Now. I'll have to check out her other books!
Meg Rosoff is awesome! I just read How I Live Now and can't wait to check out some of her other books :-)
I've read two of her books and while I was really impressed by How I Live Now, I have to admit I was quite disappointed by The Bride's Farewell ... I still have Just in Case to read so we'll see how that goes! :)
I love the covers!
Are they all young adult books?
I believe you! I will look for her books THIS WEEK--how exciting. Thank you!
Thanks for the recommendation. I have her on my list and I will definitely be looking out for her books at my next used book sale!
I gotta check out this author.
I have What I Was -- but unread. Thanks for pointing out the other titles as well. enjoy
Now I've created a monster. Connor is following your blog too! Its so funny. He saw what you are reading (The Lightening Thief) and wants to read it too. I think we will have to jump on this bandwagon together too! I'm a rookie, do you have a kids books recommendation spot or is it mixed in with the rest?
Best wishes, my blogging mentor hehe
how have I missed her? you should check out "Into the Woods" by Jean Hegland.
I have to read my copy of HOW I LIVE NOW. It sounds like I'm going to love it. And yes... Meg Rosoff's bookcovers are all so lovely. I'm drawn to them as well.
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