Customer Reviews

Just in Case

Yes, it's supposedly a teenage book, and at 22 I am not a teenager. After reading 'How I Live Now' as part of a Children's Literature course in my final year of university and enjoying it greatly however I could not resist finding out what the pages of Meg Rosoff's latest book contained.

'Just In Case' is not an easy book to describe - the plot centres on the teenage David Case, who changes his name to Justin Case, attempts to change his image (helped along by a slightly older photographer who he comes to have feelings for) and becomes obsessed by fate and how long he is destined to live - to say anymore would spoil the plot.

The strength of the book lies in its delivery - the narrative occupies a unique, almost dream-like space that is rare in essentially realist fiction - this is believable, readable, surrealism. It isn't the masterpiece that 'How I Live Now' is, but readers of that particular tome will not be disappointed here, providing they can overlook the slightly "emo" teen angst that develops in some parts of the book.

After not overly loving How I Live Now I went into Just in Case with a bit of trepidation but came out the other end absolutely loving it.

OK, so you have to suspend belief for some of the book but the writing is just right, with the precise amount of humour mixed in with all the worries of a teenage boy growing up and finding out about himself and about the real world and his part in it.

David's moment of realisation happens when he saves his brothers life and it suddenly becomes clear to him that he has to escape from fate otherwise he could end up falling victim to its pursuing clutches. In what could be seen as 'shirking' from responsibility, as I'm sure most teenage boys try to do as much as they can (I once was also included, and probably still am in this) David changes his name and tries a number of different ways to hide from fate.

All-in-all a great read that will have you thinking for a long-time afterwards

I bought this for my teenage daughter, as we both loved How I Live Now. We've also both read Just in Case & it doesn't disappoint. Thought-provoking and very funny, it's a joy to read. Justin's grapplings with Fate, first love and just being a teenage boy make this a highly original book. Highly recommended for adults and teens alike.

Meg Rosoff's first book set a high standard in almost day-to-day magic and whimsy, with added extreme emotional trauma. "Just in Case" continues the trend with just as much magic (preternaturally loquacious babies, Fate as one of the characters, and an imaginary dog that other people can see) but dialled-down emotional trauma. "How I live Now" thrust the heroine into World War Three; "Just in Case" deals with the more mundane life of an ordinary teenage boy, with twin obsessions of how to avoid fate when you're sure he's out to get you, and, of course, sex. The sexual content (mild, but definitely present) makes it more suitable for the teen market than younger readers. Recommended.

The pressure that is put on an author to follow up a highly-acclaimed

book--and How I Live Now, despite what some people might say, is that--is

no doubt immense; but somehow, Meg Rossof has managed it.

And she's managed it--whisper it--WELL.

As a teenager, it's refreshing to find a writing voice of this clarity, such

a talented writer of prose instead of predictable plots and endless stale dialogue.

Just In Case makes for an engaging read, a plot full of twists and turns, and a protagonist

whose sanity seems to balance on a knife edge. Despite this, some of the puns can

wear a little thin, and upon the first read very little of the book actually makes sense,

if you can approach it with an open mind, you'll soon be dazzled by its brilliance.

Now that I've finished reading JUST IN CASE and it's time for me to write my review, I'm having a hard time thinking of how to describe it. I've had the pleasure of reading HOW I LIVE NOW, Ms. Rosoff's Michael L. Printz award-winning book, so I began reading JUST IN CASE with high expectations. I wasn't disappointed, not in the least, and have high hopes for the awards this book will garner over the coming year. It's just that, now that I need to put it in words, it's difficult to describe just who, exactly, the main character in this story is--David Case, now known as Justin, or Fate? I guess the book could be summed up, quite easily, by the words (actually, by the alphabet blocks) of eighteen-month-old Charlie Case: "JUST IN CASE WHAT?" Or, possibly, by the photograph of Agnes, the style-maven with the pink hair, entitled "ANTHEM FOR DOOMED YOUTH."

Regardless of how you describe the story, you'll find yourself quickly immersed in the life and times of Justin Case. A teen on the verge of sixteen, David Case is irrevocably changed on the day he saves his baby brother from falling out of an open window. For those of us who are privy to his story, we would see two lucky brothers, one narrowly avoiding a long fall to his death, and one heroic for his quick thinking. For David, though, this break isn't a lucky one. No, this is just one more example of how Fate has it in for him. How can he get away, escape, allude Fate, trick it? He begins by changing his name to Justin, follows it up by becoming even more quiet and withdrawn than he originally was, and finishes it up with a new way of dressing, walking, and talking.

When Justin meets Agnes, she immediately takes him under her wing--and uses him for her own purposes, although Justin doesn't realize it at first. Justin is too busy dodging Fate, avoiding certain death, worrying about the ways that Fate can trick him into an early grave. As Justin survives day to day, with the help of Boy, his imaginary dog, and Peter, his not imaginary friend and fellow runner, Justin is unable to see that Fate is still following him, hot on his heels.

JUST IN CASE is the story of David, who becomes Justin, who melds into a boy that simply wants to make his own choices in life, rather than having it mapped out for him in advance. It's the story of Agnes, who wants to fix Justin, but in the end doesn't even truly understand the ways in which he's broken. It's the story of Charlie, an abnormally bright child who wishes his brother could forgive himself. It is, most of all, the story of Fate, and Fate's wicked sense of humor.

Although it's hard to put JUST IN CASE neatly into a category, I can highly recommend it nevertheless. Once I started this story, I was unable to put it down until the very last word--and even then I was still entranced by Justin Case and his battle with Fate. This book is definitely one worth reading.
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I really enjoyed this book. i bought it after my English teacher recommended Meg Rosoff books to me. I found the content a bit much for an 11 year old because it does contain some sexual content. Other than that, great book and a fabulous narrative!

After reading Meg Rosoff's first book, How I Live Now I was hooked. I though she was amazing, talented, a breath of fresh air, so after reading Just in Case I was slightly dissappointed. The book was extremely good, with another unusual storyline and loveable characters, and if it was anyone else's book, I would be singing its praises. However, I just dont feel that it lived up to How I live now, It was a good book, but not a magical book, I enjoyed it, but I didnt love it, I've read it once, not more times than I can remember.

The strong point of the book, is its narration. The narration swaps between third person, and a creepy sinister first person view point- perhaps fate himself. This narration is what pulls the story forward, enticing the reader into David Case's transformation, avoidence of fate, and eventual finding of himself.

Definately an enjoyable read, a book both adults and children can enjoy. Its funny and dramatic and sad, and you wont regret reading it,

This book is about a boy named Justin Case, and his fight against fate and avoiding risk which leads him to a life of despair on the brink of insanity.
i personally prefered this to How I Live Now and What I Was, as i like the modern day feel to Justin Case.
despite being a girl, and a year younger than Justin, i felt i could relate extremely well to him and also Agnes.
they were such strong characters, whereas i found Daisy in How I Live Now a bit annoying, there's an innocence about Justin which makes you love him from the very first page.

overall, a fantastic book :)

I read Meg Rosoff's 'How I Live Now' and was very impressed with the story and its tone of voice and it's innovative take on the well-worn theme of lost innocence.

After reading 'Justin Case', it makes my own teenage paranoia seem reassuringly mundane. David Case's reaction to a traumatic event might be extreme, but what's a story without drama? Assuming a new identity as Justin allows him to do things which I only dreamed about at his age. It's often insightful and consistently amusing, and for that I give it 5.