Life As We Knew It was my weird quarantine read, where something just a little too close to reality happens. While the disaster in this book is brought on by a celestial rather than a viral event, there were definitely some strong parallels between this 2006 book and today. I don’t think I would as greatly appreciate Miranda’s complicated feelings as much if I had read it before now. At one point I even wrote, “The mourning of what could have been is something I understand better now.” It also made me feel better that at least the moon hasn’t moved and we still have things like sunlight and electricity.

To tell this story in a journal style really allowed the emotions to shine. Miranda’s introspection and relationship with her mom was so central that without the reflective nature of journaling, I don’t think you could accurately capture the highs and lows of their relationship. There were also hints of romance in this book, but it had a natural flow and served a purpose to Miranda’s adjustment to the post-meteor world. It didn’t play a major role, which would have cheapened the story. The one question that didn't get answered for me was why Miranda started journaling to start. It didn't ruin the book, but it would have been nice to know Miranda’s motivations in the beginning vs the end.

Man, was this book stressful. You realize how screwed you would be without modern technology, but also without your neighbors. A lot of the book is spent dealing with the present, but worrying about the future. By contrast, the end is simple and maybe anticlimactic to some, but it comes like a sigh of relief. This book had been on my shelf for a time and it seems I was saving it for just the right moment.