Author: Susan Beth Pfeffer
Publication Date: April 1, 2010
Publisher: Harcourt Children's Books
Pages: 256
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Reviews for book 1 & book 2
It’s been a year since a meteor collided with the moon, catastrophically altering the earth’s climate. For Miranda Evans, life as she knew it no longer exists. Her friends and neighbors are dead, the landscape is frozen, and food is increasingly scarce.
The struggle to survive intensifies when Miranda’s father and stepmother arrive with a baby and three strangers in tow. One of the newcomers is Alex Morales, and as Miranda’s complicated feelings for him turn to love, his plans for his future thwart their relationship. Then a devastating tornado hits the town of Howell, and Miranda makes a decision that will change their lives forever.
Recently I decided to dive into the Last Survivors series when I was feeling a serious need for a dystopian book to read. (There are so few being published now!) The first two were so good! The first followed Miranda and her life after the world changed, and the second followed Alex and his family as they dealt with the same events in the big city. Book three brings them both together a year after the fact.
Although I'd heard less than stellar things about the third book in this series, I was excited to see how these characters would react to coming together from two different experiences. In an unlikely turn of events, Alex and his siblings are taken to Miranda's home by her father and stepmother, who encountered them in the fray. From the first two books I definitely liked Alex better that Miranda and, although that's still true, his convictions became really irritating and irrational in this book.
There were some questionable elements in this installment, mostly the romances. There is a ridiculous whirlwind romance between Miranda's brother and a girl he doesn't even know that is beyond my ability to believe. I hated both the characters and how they behaved. There was also romance between Alex and Miranda that did seem a bit inevitable, but still not well established. Basically, insta-love all around.
But really, I come to these books for the survival and the descriptions of the post-apocalyptic world. This book definitely delivered on that. I enjoyed reading about the characters attempts to sustain themselves and continue to adapt to their new environment. There were definitely struggles and heartbreak, but the characters came together and worked through them.
Overall, I had some issues with This World We Live In, but it was enjoyable. Not much was added to the story in terms of plot, but the survival elements were what I was looking for. I don't think this is a necessary read after the other two, but if you loved those you'll probably enjoy this too.
