Meg Rosoff has received rave reviews for her first novel. Set in England in the near future, the book is told from the point of view of Daisy, a 15 year old anorexic, who has been sent to stay with her four slightly eccentric cousins (Osbert, Edmond, Isaac and Piper) and their mother in the English countryside. Once the mother goes off to Oslo to work on the Peace Process, there is a short idyllic time where the children are left on their own, with Daisy and her 14 yr old cousin Edmond beginning an intense relationship. As time passes, Daisy, in the convincing and fairly typical voice of an interesting but self centred teenager, relates the encroachment of war as England is attacked and invaded by The Enemy. Initally the hostilities are far away and have little impact but eventually the house that the cousins live in is requisitioned for the army and the boys and girls are split up. Daisy and Piper are sent to live with an army major and his wife but concentrate their energies on getting back to the boys, seeing the full horror and effects of war on the local population along the way.Rosoff's writing style is unusual - lots of long sentences and unexpected capitalisations - and nicely reflects the thoughts of Daisy as she grows to be self reliant and courageous. I sometimes find that books written entirely in the first person can get a bit grating with only one perspective but this one held my attention. Daisy isn't always likeable but she is true and believable.
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