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A review by celia_thebookishhufflepuff
This World We Live In by Susan Beth Pfeffer
4.0
I was surprised at the way this kept me on the edge of my seat just as much as the last two.
At first, it seemed like it would be a dystopian slice of life novel. I've never seen that done before, and I'd wanted to see how it could be done and wondered for a while if that genre actually existed.
In a way, it kind of still is. There's no way that things can get better, or that the world isn't going to end. I've read a lot of books where space is the next option, but that won't be the case here.
I really liked the suddenness of this one along with the matter-of-fact-ness in which [a:Susan Beth Pfeffer|1318|Susan Beth Pfeffer|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1228492581p2/1318.jpg] tells the story from Miranda's point of view. Of course this is the world they live in now, so of course all these things could happen.
I was a little disappointed that this wouldn't be a dual perspective novel between Miranda and Alex, since I enjoyed both of their voices in the first book. However, I think it had to be the way it was. Miranda and Alex had to be circling around their own realities. However, it was interesting that this is set up so the reader (presumably if you've read the series in order) knows everything that Alex is holding back. This style grew on me throughout the book, and now I realize the dual perspective wouldn't have worked.
Now I will say I liked the matter-of-fact-ness but not throughout the whole book. I didn't love the way death was handled, as if it just happens and then you move on. In some ways, I feel like it has to, but at the same time, there could be a little more feeling from the characters; more of an immediate reaction from losing a loved one. I felt so removed from the characters, probably because I'd never see this story if this ever did happen. I would be long gone by then, and the question remains - who are Miranda's diaries actually for?
I'm looking forward to seeing how the last book wraps up the series, because I feel like this was an ending that could have worked. Now, it just seems like stuff keeps happening. It's reminiscent of Hitchhiker's Guide, a little bit.
At first, it seemed like it would be a dystopian slice of life novel. I've never seen that done before, and I'd wanted to see how it could be done and wondered for a while if that genre actually existed.
In a way, it kind of still is. There's no way that things can get better, or that the world isn't going to end. I've read a lot of books where space is the next option, but that won't be the case here.
I really liked the suddenness of this one along with the matter-of-fact-ness in which [a:Susan Beth Pfeffer|1318|Susan Beth Pfeffer|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1228492581p2/1318.jpg] tells the story from Miranda's point of view. Of course this is the world they live in now, so of course all these things could happen.
I was a little disappointed that this wouldn't be a dual perspective novel between Miranda and Alex, since I enjoyed both of their voices in the first book. However, I think it had to be the way it was. Miranda and Alex had to be circling around their own realities. However, it was interesting that this is set up so the reader (presumably if you've read the series in order) knows everything that Alex is holding back. This style grew on me throughout the book, and now I realize the dual perspective wouldn't have worked.
Now I will say I liked the matter-of-fact-ness but not throughout the whole book. I didn't love the way death was handled, as if it just happens and then you move on. In some ways, I feel like it has to, but at the same time, there could be a little more feeling from the characters; more of an immediate reaction from losing a loved one. I felt so removed from the characters, probably because I'd never see this story if this ever did happen. I would be long gone by then, and the question remains - who are Miranda's diaries actually for?
I'm looking forward to seeing how the last book wraps up the series, because I feel like this was an ending that could have worked. Now, it just seems like stuff keeps happening. It's reminiscent of Hitchhiker's Guide, a little bit.