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The Ellie Chronicles #1
While I Live
For Ellie Linton, being back on the farm with her parents is what makes the terrible things that happened during the war - the things she, Homer, Lee, Fi, and the others had to do - all worthwhile. It's where she belongs. But the war won't let her go. A devastating tragedy has shattered any hope she ever had to reclaim her life, or herself. It's a new kind of fight. And the enemy isn't always from the other side of the border. Another spectacular novel of war and its consequences by bestselling author John Marsden.
237 pages, Kindle Edition
First published November 1, 2003
96 people are currently reading
2812 people want to read
About the author
John Marsden
88 books1,947 followersThere is more than one author with this name in the database, see f.e. John Marsden.
John Marsden was an Australian writer and school principal. He wrote more than 40 books in his career and his books have been translated into many languages. He was especially known for his young adult novel Tomorrow, When the War Began, which began a series of seven books.
Marsden began writing for children while working as a teacher, and had his first book, So Much to Tell You, published in 1987. In 2006, he started an alternative school, Candlebark School, and reduced his writing to focus on teaching and running the school. In 2016, he opened the arts-focused secondary school, Alice Miller School. Both schools are in the Macedon Ranges.
John Marsden was an Australian writer and school principal. He wrote more than 40 books in his career and his books have been translated into many languages. He was especially known for his young adult novel Tomorrow, When the War Began, which began a series of seven books.
Marsden began writing for children while working as a teacher, and had his first book, So Much to Tell You, published in 1987. In 2006, he started an alternative school, Candlebark School, and reduced his writing to focus on teaching and running the school. In 2016, he opened the arts-focused secondary school, Alice Miller School. Both schools are in the Macedon Ranges.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 250 reviews
October 9, 2011
I really don't know how to review this. I liked it but I only read it because my Dad bought me the entire series. I read the whole series, but I really don't think that The Ellie Chronicles needed to be there. I recommend reading it if you enjoyed the Tomorrow series, because it was nice to see how everyone reacted and how people were fairing. But it wasn't necessary.
January 12, 2010
When I read the Tomorrow series by John Marsden I really loved them. Then when I found out there was a series set after the Tomorrow series I was very excited because I did like this series. So when I finally read the first one I thought it was alright.
One thing I didn't think was so great was that none of my favourite characters except for Ellie were in it but there's a good reason for that.
While I did find it really interesting and I thought it was great how the book got straight into the action I did find it a bit dry in places and there was one part of the story where Ellie was thinking about her parents that I found a bit odd.
However, I loved how it talked about the aftereffects of the war.
This is a trilogy so I'll definitely be picking up the next two books in the series because I'm curious as to what can happen in those two.
One thing I didn't think was so great was that none of my favourite characters except for Ellie were in it but there's a good reason for that.
While I did find it really interesting and I thought it was great how the book got straight into the action I did find it a bit dry in places and there was one part of the story where Ellie was thinking about her parents that I found a bit odd.
However, I loved how it talked about the aftereffects of the war.
This is a trilogy so I'll definitely be picking up the next two books in the series because I'm curious as to what can happen in those two.
June 6, 2025
First Read: January 1st 2015
Re-read: June 22nd 2022
i have had this book since i finished the tomorrow series and just havent picked it up after it sitting on my shelf for a couple of years, but i decided to finally read this series and finally tie up the loose ends on this series.
this book was a brilliant, spirited, wonderfully written book that continues ellies journey post the tomorrow series and it goes through how she adjust to normal life again. *i will not spoil anything for you*
I'm glad i decided to pick this book up and read it because i really enjoyed it
Re-read: June 22nd 2022
i have had this book since i finished the tomorrow series and just havent picked it up after it sitting on my shelf for a couple of years, but i decided to finally read this series and finally tie up the loose ends on this series.
this book was a brilliant, spirited, wonderfully written book that continues ellies journey post the tomorrow series and it goes through how she adjust to normal life again. *i will not spoil anything for you*
I'm glad i decided to pick this book up and read it because i really enjoyed it
January 4, 2012
As a high maintained teenager, at least on the literature side of things, I can say that without no doubt John Marsden is one of the authors I remember the best and that is because of the already mention series Tomorrow The War Begun. Now I don't remember how old I was but somewhere between fourteen and sixteen, Tomorrow the War Begun left a lasting impression, the kind that settles over your chest and makes you breath heavier for a second, making you wonder if you're going to cry or if you contain it. After all, it was just a book?
I was hoping that the first book in the Ellie Chronicles was going to leave me with the same impression. For the most part it did, but say 50% of that was nostalgia from the time when I read the series that the Ellie Chronicles are tandem to. I wasn't swept away like I was last time and perhaps that has something to do with my age and increased perspective. However, Marsden's gut-wrenching story making is still there, the way he compose his words, it's all still there. I feel it's worth mentioning what someone else said among the reviews--it wasn't necessary but if anyone is like me, we definitely won't mind at this point. Ellie Linton is one of the most memorable characters in the whole YA genre and even if most of us can't relate to her as far as the war can, we can relate in so many other ways. Things being taken away from us that are rightfully ours, fighting with your bare hands even if it is a fight doomed by some already from the start.
While I Live is a book that actually made me cry and I'm not ashamed to admit it. Ellie's grief went straight through me and I probably got more angry than her about the unfair things that are attempted to be done to her in this book.
The only thing that actually left me somewhat disappointed are the lose hanging threads with Lee, such as they were in the earlier series too. Although with everything going on for her the prospect is perhaps realistic but still, it's just one of those things I would like to see have some closure. In that sense I'm not sure Marsden nurtures his fiction romances as he should but that is left to see considering I'm ordering the second book as I type.
I was hoping that the first book in the Ellie Chronicles was going to leave me with the same impression. For the most part it did, but say 50% of that was nostalgia from the time when I read the series that the Ellie Chronicles are tandem to. I wasn't swept away like I was last time and perhaps that has something to do with my age and increased perspective. However, Marsden's gut-wrenching story making is still there, the way he compose his words, it's all still there. I feel it's worth mentioning what someone else said among the reviews--it wasn't necessary but if anyone is like me, we definitely won't mind at this point. Ellie Linton is one of the most memorable characters in the whole YA genre and even if most of us can't relate to her as far as the war can, we can relate in so many other ways. Things being taken away from us that are rightfully ours, fighting with your bare hands even if it is a fight doomed by some already from the start.
While I Live is a book that actually made me cry and I'm not ashamed to admit it. Ellie's grief went straight through me and I probably got more angry than her about the unfair things that are attempted to be done to her in this book.
The only thing that actually left me somewhat disappointed are the lose hanging threads with Lee, such as they were in the earlier series too. Although with everything going on for her the prospect is perhaps realistic but still, it's just one of those things I would like to see have some closure. In that sense I'm not sure Marsden nurtures his fiction romances as he should but that is left to see considering I'm ordering the second book as I type.
November 24, 2018
I guess because this is a companion series I went in with pretty low expectations. It seemed like that because this is set AFTER the war it wouldn’t be very action packed or exciting. Well, I stand corrected. This was just as enjoyable as the original series, full of action and more. Hell, even the running of the farm stuff was incredibly interesting. It leaves you wanting more as well.
January 30, 2024
Ellie continues to defeat her enemies... but this time, they're mostly bureaucrats.
Still a great book in a great series by a great author about a great character, but it's a bit of stretch, some of this. A daytime raid on an enemy camp goes off about as well as anything can in a series where everyone has to stay alive because the author has already killed too many characters and any more deaths will throw off the group dynamic. The whole Scarlet Pimple thing remains and will become slightly implausible and very lucky for Ellie that she still has opportunities to fight the undisclosed foreign enemy. It seems like Ellie and Homer are the only ones who are actually fighting in the organization too. Homer says something like, "Do you want to join? You've participated in half our actions already." Our original gang are the only high school students comfortable with going out and killing bad guys in this secret organization.
Meanwhile, Ellie is trying to run the farm on her own while staying in school, a Herculean task. One wonders why she doesn't drop out and get her GED later, but then she has the conversation with the teacher who doesn't want her to pass the year based on special circumstances because she might miss out on key concepts that she might need in university. Is the Australian high school system so dynamic that everything you learn builds on everything else you learn until, in the end, everyone has a comprehensive and identical educational background? In Minnesota, on the good end, you can spend your last two years of high school in university for free and a lot of kids do. How badly does it reflect on our system that the last two years of high school are optional?
In the end, Ellie defeats Mr. Robb, who was mentioned in the first book because Marsden is great at continuity. And this is a great book even if it's maybe a little unnecessary.
Still a great book in a great series by a great author about a great character, but it's a bit of stretch, some of this. A daytime raid on an enemy camp goes off about as well as anything can in a series where everyone has to stay alive because the author has already killed too many characters and any more deaths will throw off the group dynamic. The whole Scarlet Pimple thing remains and will become slightly implausible and very lucky for Ellie that she still has opportunities to fight the undisclosed foreign enemy. It seems like Ellie and Homer are the only ones who are actually fighting in the organization too. Homer says something like, "Do you want to join? You've participated in half our actions already." Our original gang are the only high school students comfortable with going out and killing bad guys in this secret organization.
Meanwhile, Ellie is trying to run the farm on her own while staying in school, a Herculean task. One wonders why she doesn't drop out and get her GED later, but then she has the conversation with the teacher who doesn't want her to pass the year based on special circumstances because she might miss out on key concepts that she might need in university. Is the Australian high school system so dynamic that everything you learn builds on everything else you learn until, in the end, everyone has a comprehensive and identical educational background? In Minnesota, on the good end, you can spend your last two years of high school in university for free and a lot of kids do. How badly does it reflect on our system that the last two years of high school are optional?
In the end, Ellie defeats Mr. Robb, who was mentioned in the first book because Marsden is great at continuity. And this is a great book even if it's maybe a little unnecessary.
September 22, 2015
While I'm giving this books 4 stars as my personal rating, I have to admit that this book will not be suitable for everyone. There's a lot of violence, some swearing and blasphemy and although there's no sex scenes, the topic is mentioned a lot. Some readers might find this gratuitous and some parents might want to wait a few years before giving it to their young teens. Personally, except for a bizarre reference to Ellie's parents' private parts, most of this did not seem out of context to me. When the subject of a book is the aftermath of war, the story is not going to be pretty and flowery.
I don't normally read books about heavy topics. While I Live is a rare exception to my usual fare. It was the title (Tomorrow When the War Began) of the first book that hooked me into this world. But it's been the characters that have kept me reading. There's something about Ellie that is so likeable, so strong and yet so vulnerable, that I can't not stay engaged with her story.
I listened to the Bolinda audio edition of While I Live. While the narration was very easy to listen to, some of the voicing choices were a little odd, and at times inconsistent.
I don't normally read books about heavy topics. While I Live is a rare exception to my usual fare. It was the title (Tomorrow When the War Began) of the first book that hooked me into this world. But it's been the characters that have kept me reading. There's something about Ellie that is so likeable, so strong and yet so vulnerable, that I can't not stay engaged with her story.
I listened to the Bolinda audio edition of While I Live. While the narration was very easy to listen to, some of the voicing choices were a little odd, and at times inconsistent.
September 1, 2017
I am a massive fan of the Tomorrow When The War Began series. The series will always be held dear to my heart. Originally, I decided not to read the Ellie Chronicles for fear of them not being up to par with series. This all changed however, when I caught sight of the Ellie Chronicles in a second hand bookshop, that were all three hardcovers for just $9! I figured I would give them a shot, plus I might really love them and I haven't found a series I just adored for a great measure of time. I did end up enjoying the series but it wasn't up to par with the originals and that is ok, I expected that. Although, it was still tremendous to dive back into Ellie's world and to go off on another adventure. The book trudge through a great deal of difficult moments for Ellie, one in particular incredibly overwhelming and moving. The authenticity and incredibly raw writing Mardsen brings is always delightful to read and you always really feel like you are in the realm of his imagination. I cherish Mardsen's writing and Ellie's world and therefore shall continue with the chronicles:)
December 3, 2015
This review was originally posted on The Moonlight Library
Life after the war is already tough enough – Ellie’s farm has been split into five and distributed among the new settlers. It’s right on the border of the new country, and when her parents are brutally murdered, Ellie is left to fend for herself and Gavin and is at risk of losing the farm. But that’s not all – when the border tussles spill over into her life, Ellie will need all the skills she’s learned during war time to save people she loves.
The Ellie Chronicles is quite a good companion novel to the Tomorrow series. It’s not even been six months since the war was declared over, but Ellie was happy with her life – going to school, helping her dad on the farm, looking after her mum. But when she becomes an orphan and suddenly has to grow up a whole lot – still as a legal minor – life becomes much tougher. She has to make adult decisions like whether to trust her lawyer, which stock to buy and how much when she’s suddenly in massive financial debt, whether to attend school or race off on a death-defying mission to rescue her friends.
I was a bit concerned at first because it seemed like a lot of the first part of the novel was condensing the story – the entire section about Ellie’s parents funeral is told, not shown, but with good reason: Ellie doesn’t remember lots of it. It was interesting watching her learn to run a farm on her own (because rural life is so different to the city life I know), but I was glad when we got back into the guerrilla let’s-explode-things let’s-shoot-bad-guys familiar rhythm of the original series. The action parts were always what sold the original series and this is no exception. Ellie is one BAMF.
But I was thrown completely out of the loop when afterwards, Ellie is having this existential crisis, and there’s a page of uninterrupted free-flowing stream of consciousness, and for some reason she starts thinking about her mother’s ‘brown nipples’ and her father’s penis ‘with the curious head’ and their pubic hair and I’m just like what
what
what
what
What the fuck did I just read.
In a book where Ellie doesn’t even have sex, although she thinks about it with Lee (of course), this just seemed so out of place. Like Marsden was writing some other story and accidentally opened the wrong file.
Obviously it was really jarring and had no place in this book, even though this book is more grown up than the Tomorrow series. In the Tomorrow series, it was hinted a few times that the enemy soldiers wanted to rape Fi, and I think Ellie was threatened once or twice. Well, in this book, someone actually is raped by the enemy. That’s the difference between this and Tomorrow. This book is more grown up. Ellie is facing adult decisions as well as teen ones.
Apart from that totally weird few sentences on that one page, the book was really enjoyable. Familiar characters from the original series drop by or play a big role, and Gavin really comes into his own as Ellie’s foster brother. If you couldn’t get enough of the original series and were sad when it ended (although, you know, war is bad and stuff so yay it finally ended) then this spin-off will help show you what happened after, and how a country tries to pull itself together after being invaded.
Life after the war is already tough enough – Ellie’s farm has been split into five and distributed among the new settlers. It’s right on the border of the new country, and when her parents are brutally murdered, Ellie is left to fend for herself and Gavin and is at risk of losing the farm. But that’s not all – when the border tussles spill over into her life, Ellie will need all the skills she’s learned during war time to save people she loves.
The Ellie Chronicles is quite a good companion novel to the Tomorrow series. It’s not even been six months since the war was declared over, but Ellie was happy with her life – going to school, helping her dad on the farm, looking after her mum. But when she becomes an orphan and suddenly has to grow up a whole lot – still as a legal minor – life becomes much tougher. She has to make adult decisions like whether to trust her lawyer, which stock to buy and how much when she’s suddenly in massive financial debt, whether to attend school or race off on a death-defying mission to rescue her friends.
I was a bit concerned at first because it seemed like a lot of the first part of the novel was condensing the story – the entire section about Ellie’s parents funeral is told, not shown, but with good reason: Ellie doesn’t remember lots of it. It was interesting watching her learn to run a farm on her own (because rural life is so different to the city life I know), but I was glad when we got back into the guerrilla let’s-explode-things let’s-shoot-bad-guys familiar rhythm of the original series. The action parts were always what sold the original series and this is no exception. Ellie is one BAMF.
But I was thrown completely out of the loop when afterwards, Ellie is having this existential crisis, and there’s a page of uninterrupted free-flowing stream of consciousness, and for some reason she starts thinking about her mother’s ‘brown nipples’ and her father’s penis ‘with the curious head’ and their pubic hair and I’m just like what
what
what
what
What the fuck did I just read.
In a book where Ellie doesn’t even have sex, although she thinks about it with Lee (of course), this just seemed so out of place. Like Marsden was writing some other story and accidentally opened the wrong file.
Obviously it was really jarring and had no place in this book, even though this book is more grown up than the Tomorrow series. In the Tomorrow series, it was hinted a few times that the enemy soldiers wanted to rape Fi, and I think Ellie was threatened once or twice. Well, in this book, someone actually is raped by the enemy. That’s the difference between this and Tomorrow. This book is more grown up. Ellie is facing adult decisions as well as teen ones.
Apart from that totally weird few sentences on that one page, the book was really enjoyable. Familiar characters from the original series drop by or play a big role, and Gavin really comes into his own as Ellie’s foster brother. If you couldn’t get enough of the original series and were sad when it ended (although, you know, war is bad and stuff so yay it finally ended) then this spin-off will help show you what happened after, and how a country tries to pull itself together after being invaded.
November 6, 2012
Ellie and her family are trying to recover from a Marsden-invented war that ravaged Australia and New Zealand, resulting in an uneasy peace and half of Australia in the hands of foreign invaders. Ellie's family lives on a ranch near the recently constructed border. She was an active member of the Australian resistance force during the war and is looking forward to life returning to some semblance of normalcy. That lasts all of maybe 2 pages. The book opens with a renegade band of invaders attacking Ellie's ranch while she and Gavin are out hiking. They return to find her parents and a neighbor friend shot to pieces. The rest of the book finds Ellie fighting to keep the ranch running, evade the attempts of a slick lawyer to take control of the land, provide support for Gavin, try to pass her final year of high school, and decide whether she should be part of the Liberation, a group of Australians who venture across the border to rescue prisoners of war from the enemy.
It took me a really long time to get into this book (like halfway through). I very nearly gave up. It did not help that I have not read the Tomorrow series, and even though this is presented as a separate series, it really isn't. Marsden frequently refers to characters and events from the Tomorrow series. He makes absolutely no attempt to recap anything or introduce you to any characters. (It took me several chapters to figure out how old Ellie & Gavin were, what time period we were in--I at first thought it was post WWII but soon figured out that couldn't be right--and figure out their relationships to the dozen or so minor characters thrown at the reader.)
I have mixed feelings about this book and had trouble deciding how many stars to give it. I think the premise and basic plot line would have gotten a 3 or 4 from me. Girl, recovering from war, fighting for what she believes is right, dealing with emotional scars but also trying to support those around her I can go for. The specifics in the execution of the ideas in While I Live, though, left me feeling like Marsden went places he didn't need to go (in gore, language, and sexual discussions) and therefore lost a whole group of potential readers. While the deaths, language and sexual discussions may be realistic for the setting and characters, I think Marsden took it farther than he needed to. For example, he could have just mentioned that a guy was shot rather than describe intestines and such coming out of the wound. Also, for some reason when Ellie finally breaks down to grieve for her parents, she vividly describes their sexual body parts and kind of implied that she'd seen them naked regularly. That was disturbing. Given that Ellie has been hanging out with soldiers for a couple years, her rough language isn't surprising and would be realistic, but I still don't feel like the amount used or the strength of some words used were necessary. (There was one f bomb, and a couple uses of the equivalent British/Aussie word.)
I think only those who absolutely loved the Tomorrow series would be into this book. Or possibly those who liked the Hunger Games but wished Katniss was a bit more heartless, had more spine, and was grittier (describes Ellie pretty well).
It took me a really long time to get into this book (like halfway through). I very nearly gave up. It did not help that I have not read the Tomorrow series, and even though this is presented as a separate series, it really isn't. Marsden frequently refers to characters and events from the Tomorrow series. He makes absolutely no attempt to recap anything or introduce you to any characters. (It took me several chapters to figure out how old Ellie & Gavin were, what time period we were in--I at first thought it was post WWII but soon figured out that couldn't be right--and figure out their relationships to the dozen or so minor characters thrown at the reader.)
I have mixed feelings about this book and had trouble deciding how many stars to give it. I think the premise and basic plot line would have gotten a 3 or 4 from me. Girl, recovering from war, fighting for what she believes is right, dealing with emotional scars but also trying to support those around her I can go for. The specifics in the execution of the ideas in While I Live, though, left me feeling like Marsden went places he didn't need to go (in gore, language, and sexual discussions) and therefore lost a whole group of potential readers. While the deaths, language and sexual discussions may be realistic for the setting and characters, I think Marsden took it farther than he needed to. For example, he could have just mentioned that a guy was shot rather than describe intestines and such coming out of the wound. Also, for some reason when Ellie finally breaks down to grieve for her parents, she vividly describes their sexual body parts and kind of implied that she'd seen them naked regularly. That was disturbing. Given that Ellie has been hanging out with soldiers for a couple years, her rough language isn't surprising and would be realistic, but I still don't feel like the amount used or the strength of some words used were necessary. (There was one f bomb, and a couple uses of the equivalent British/Aussie word.)
I think only those who absolutely loved the Tomorrow series would be into this book. Or possibly those who liked the Hunger Games but wished Katniss was a bit more heartless, had more spine, and was grittier (describes Ellie pretty well).
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 4, 2010
*gasp*
December 23, 2011
While I Live is probably what many bloggers might call old news, but after only just having read this first book in the Ellie Linton chronicles I thought I’d give a review a go. Interesting and well written, it offers an insight into something most authors don’t bother to explore: after the war. Though I wouldn’t say I was captivated mind and soul, it was definitely a good way to pass a few hours when I was bored.
The basic plot picks up a few months after the war has ended, and Australia has come to an uneasy truce with it’s new neighbours. Now having to fit the entire population to an area that previously housed only six million, Ellie discovers that the chance of a regular life is still far from her reach.
After the horrifying murder of her family, Ellie faces the trouble of keeping her farm going on almost no money – whilst trying to fend off people who would exploit her youth and lack of guardianship for their own gain. With increasing skirmishes on the border Ellie comes into contact with a secret group called the Liberation, and finds herself becoming more and more involved even despite her wishes. As things progress many things come to light, and Ellie begins to realise that though the fight may be over, the battle has only just begun.
I guess I liked the plot, it was a more realistic idea than just going, ‘oh, there’s a truce, everybody’s going to have a HEA’. Because, in the real world, they’re not. There’s going to be fights, and I liked that Marsden chose to portray it this way than in some place where insta-peace actually exists.
I found the characters very identifiable as well, I loved Gavin’s relentless determination, and the selfless way Ellie did things for others even if she didn’t want to. I also was a total fan of being able to truly hate Mr Sayle, instead of the author suddenly revealing that you should actually feel sorry for him and be on his side. That rarely happens nowadays, and when do you actually get the chance to really, really hate someone without feeling bad?
I will say one thing despite this, though Marsden writes well, with clear imagery and good descriptions, he hasn’t quite mastered the technique of writing as a girl. He writes as if he is interpreting a girl’s thoughts, but not actually being her, if that makes any sense? I didn’t think too much of it, but being of the fairer gender myself I know our thoughts aren’t quite as straightforward and simplified (not in a stupid way). As I said, it wasn’t too much of a problem, but it did constantly remind me that there was someone else behind the words and kind of spoiled the feel for me.
Nevertheless, once again Marsden has provided readers with a first hand look at life in war, coupled with memorable characters and themes some others wouldn’t dare approach. Dark in places, hopeful in others, While I Live is a great start to a new series that us Aussies should be proud of.
The basic plot picks up a few months after the war has ended, and Australia has come to an uneasy truce with it’s new neighbours. Now having to fit the entire population to an area that previously housed only six million, Ellie discovers that the chance of a regular life is still far from her reach.
After the horrifying murder of her family, Ellie faces the trouble of keeping her farm going on almost no money – whilst trying to fend off people who would exploit her youth and lack of guardianship for their own gain. With increasing skirmishes on the border Ellie comes into contact with a secret group called the Liberation, and finds herself becoming more and more involved even despite her wishes. As things progress many things come to light, and Ellie begins to realise that though the fight may be over, the battle has only just begun.
I guess I liked the plot, it was a more realistic idea than just going, ‘oh, there’s a truce, everybody’s going to have a HEA’. Because, in the real world, they’re not. There’s going to be fights, and I liked that Marsden chose to portray it this way than in some place where insta-peace actually exists.
I found the characters very identifiable as well, I loved Gavin’s relentless determination, and the selfless way Ellie did things for others even if she didn’t want to. I also was a total fan of being able to truly hate Mr Sayle, instead of the author suddenly revealing that you should actually feel sorry for him and be on his side. That rarely happens nowadays, and when do you actually get the chance to really, really hate someone without feeling bad?
I will say one thing despite this, though Marsden writes well, with clear imagery and good descriptions, he hasn’t quite mastered the technique of writing as a girl. He writes as if he is interpreting a girl’s thoughts, but not actually being her, if that makes any sense? I didn’t think too much of it, but being of the fairer gender myself I know our thoughts aren’t quite as straightforward and simplified (not in a stupid way). As I said, it wasn’t too much of a problem, but it did constantly remind me that there was someone else behind the words and kind of spoiled the feel for me.
Nevertheless, once again Marsden has provided readers with a first hand look at life in war, coupled with memorable characters and themes some others wouldn’t dare approach. Dark in places, hopeful in others, While I Live is a great start to a new series that us Aussies should be proud of.
August 14, 2012
The Tomorrow, When the War Began series should be read *before* this trilogy.
Just when Ellie thinks her life is back to normal and she can be a regular girl again, tragedy strikes, and she has to make some tough choices. A few of her friends who survived the War don't like how the government resolved things, and they join a top secret group to attack the invaders. Ellie wants no part of it, she has enough on her plate, but she may not have a choice.
Just when Ellie thinks her life is back to normal and she can be a regular girl again, tragedy strikes, and she has to make some tough choices. A few of her friends who survived the War don't like how the government resolved things, and they join a top secret group to attack the invaders. Ellie wants no part of it, she has enough on her plate, but she may not have a choice.
August 11, 2018
I loved (and was terrified by) John Marsden's Tomorrow series as a teenager and I've been meaning to read the Ellie Chronicles for years. Poor Ellie still can't cop a break, even though the war is technically over, but she still kicks just as much ass.
August 21, 2018
I'm giving this 4.5 stars. Not sure what missed the half a star, probably because it wasn't AS good as World Without End by Ken Follett - my latest five star read.
I think I enjoyed this novel more than the original series from the war-time. I found Ellie trying to keep the farm going fascinating. The photocopy scene was AMAZING.
Ellie as always was realistic and warming. She tells things honestly and is a great portrayal of an Australian teen. I don't know what it's like to go through what she has, but I feel like Marsden does it with accuracy.
The novel didn't appear to have a solid plot like other books do, however I was invested enough in Ellie and her friend's lives to enjoy every moment. If I ever thought audiobooks stopped me from enjoying a book, then this book did prove that theory wrong.
I think I enjoyed this novel more than the original series from the war-time. I found Ellie trying to keep the farm going fascinating. The photocopy scene was AMAZING.
Ellie as always was realistic and warming. She tells things honestly and is a great portrayal of an Australian teen. I don't know what it's like to go through what she has, but I feel like Marsden does it with accuracy.
The novel didn't appear to have a solid plot like other books do, however I was invested enough in Ellie and her friend's lives to enjoy every moment. If I ever thought audiobooks stopped me from enjoying a book, then this book did prove that theory wrong.
December 10, 2018
Interesting storyline. Will have to read the next one
March 31, 2020
I really didn’t connect with this book the way I did with the original Tomorrow series. I was also left feeling quite disgusted with the graphic murder of some of the characters in the beginning. Just wasn’t sure why it happened. And all of it was very dull. Nothing like the original series. Just depressing.
December 11, 2021
December 2021
Second Read
The first time I read this book I only saw a very good story, satisfying my need to know what happened next. I was overjoyed to find there was More! More Ellie! More of this amazing world!
The adventures were exciting and tense and just really, really good!
This time I read a story about moving on. About letting go, and learning to live despite it all. I saw a girl who'd been through hell, thought she'd finally gotten it all back, a girl who'd just started gathering all her broken pieces, finally started putting it all back together, when her universe collapsed again; and once more she wouldn't be able to just lie down and fall apart.
This time she's not so sure What she's fighting for. The war is Over, but it's not really over, more like words on a paper. And her enemy isn't just the substantial They...
She's got the world on her shoulders, a world that's all broken and messed up, and yet she goes on. Building up what she can. Fighting for what she has.
And through it all she's just as confused as any teenager, trying to figure out the world...
Something about this book really put it all in perspective for me this time around.
And wow, I can't believe a man wrote this! 👏👏👏 Hats off for John Marsden everyone!
♡ Quotes ♡
Does anyone ever really appreciate life while they have it?
While I live, John Marsden
It's only humans who believe in mistakes
Nature doesn't have any understanding of mistakes
If a branch falls from a three, it doesn't mean the three's made a mistake. Nature just reorganizes itself around the fallen branch, so now it becomes a home for the insects that live on the ground. Its leaves rot down and make the soil richer.
If the branch falls into a creek, fine, the water now flows in a different way.
So, life goes on.
Things happen.
If you let things happen, they do.
John Marsden, while I Live
I know my life's different to other people's, but everyone's life's different everyone else's. All I can do is keep living it. Keep moving it forward every day I can. Lots of days it's three steps forward four steps back.
If at the end of every month I'm a step or two ahead, well, I'll settle for that.
While I live, John Marsden
__________
June 2020
First Read
Wow! I need a cup of tea to relax my nerves before starting incurable. Marsden's writing is just getting better and better, and I'm so thrilled I got to read it (yay interlibrary loans! It was kind of hard to get a hold of, but worth the struggles!). If you loved/liked the tomorrow series, this is a must read!
Now excuse me while I make some tea and jump into the next book!
Seriously, if you're on the fence, just read it😉
Second Read
The first time I read this book I only saw a very good story, satisfying my need to know what happened next. I was overjoyed to find there was More! More Ellie! More of this amazing world!
The adventures were exciting and tense and just really, really good!
This time I read a story about moving on. About letting go, and learning to live despite it all. I saw a girl who'd been through hell, thought she'd finally gotten it all back, a girl who'd just started gathering all her broken pieces, finally started putting it all back together, when her universe collapsed again; and once more she wouldn't be able to just lie down and fall apart.
This time she's not so sure What she's fighting for. The war is Over, but it's not really over, more like words on a paper. And her enemy isn't just the substantial They...
She's got the world on her shoulders, a world that's all broken and messed up, and yet she goes on. Building up what she can. Fighting for what she has.
And through it all she's just as confused as any teenager, trying to figure out the world...
Something about this book really put it all in perspective for me this time around.
And wow, I can't believe a man wrote this! 👏👏👏 Hats off for John Marsden everyone!
♡ Quotes ♡
Does anyone ever really appreciate life while they have it?
While I live, John Marsden
It's only humans who believe in mistakes
Nature doesn't have any understanding of mistakes
If a branch falls from a three, it doesn't mean the three's made a mistake. Nature just reorganizes itself around the fallen branch, so now it becomes a home for the insects that live on the ground. Its leaves rot down and make the soil richer.
If the branch falls into a creek, fine, the water now flows in a different way.
So, life goes on.
Things happen.
If you let things happen, they do.
John Marsden, while I Live
I know my life's different to other people's, but everyone's life's different everyone else's. All I can do is keep living it. Keep moving it forward every day I can. Lots of days it's three steps forward four steps back.
If at the end of every month I'm a step or two ahead, well, I'll settle for that.
While I live, John Marsden
__________
June 2020
First Read
Wow! I need a cup of tea to relax my nerves before starting incurable. Marsden's writing is just getting better and better, and I'm so thrilled I got to read it (yay interlibrary loans! It was kind of hard to get a hold of, but worth the struggles!). If you loved/liked the tomorrow series, this is a must read!
Now excuse me while I make some tea and jump into the next book!
Seriously, if you're on the fence, just read it😉
August 21, 2007
It is four months since the war ended, and for Ellie Linton, life is slowly returning to some form of normalcy. She is living on her family farm with her parents and helping to pick up the pieces of their life. She is back in school, and is slowly reclaiming who she was before the war. And then, in the blink of an eye, devestating tragedy strikes. Now, Ellie must pick up the pieces all over again and struggle to hold on to everything that she's managed to build. And this time, some of her enemies are closer to home.
If you haven't read Tommorow, When the War Began and its sequals, then go out and read them, and then read this book. They are about a group of teenagers who, upon returning from a camping trip, discover that their country has been invaded, their houses ransacked, and their families taken captive. Those books blew me out of the water. They are so well-written, so intense that I literally could not breathe at times when I was reading them. You know how when something traumatizing happens, something that shocks you, that image is indelibly burnt on your brain - a snapshot of the moment? One of the scenes in those books is like that for me. Indelibely burned. I still gasp for breathe when I think about how it felt when I read it - like a punch in the gut. That's how good these books are.
I was a little afraid to start reading While I Live. I knew that Ellie's narrative would grab me, and I knew that if something bad happened to her, it would hurt me. It would hurt me a lot, the way the life of a character you have spent seven books with matters to you. And I was right. Ellie's tragedy made me gasp with pain. And that's when I knew that John Marsden hadn't lost it, that even after a war, even during an uneasy truce, these books were still carried by Ellie's strong voice. These books are good. They are as good as their predecessors, if quieter (at least in part.) I am hungrily looking forward to more books in the Ellie Chronicles.
If you haven't read Tommorow, When the War Began and its sequals, then go out and read them, and then read this book. They are about a group of teenagers who, upon returning from a camping trip, discover that their country has been invaded, their houses ransacked, and their families taken captive. Those books blew me out of the water. They are so well-written, so intense that I literally could not breathe at times when I was reading them. You know how when something traumatizing happens, something that shocks you, that image is indelibly burnt on your brain - a snapshot of the moment? One of the scenes in those books is like that for me. Indelibely burned. I still gasp for breathe when I think about how it felt when I read it - like a punch in the gut. That's how good these books are.
I was a little afraid to start reading While I Live. I knew that Ellie's narrative would grab me, and I knew that if something bad happened to her, it would hurt me. It would hurt me a lot, the way the life of a character you have spent seven books with matters to you. And I was right. Ellie's tragedy made me gasp with pain. And that's when I knew that John Marsden hadn't lost it, that even after a war, even during an uneasy truce, these books were still carried by Ellie's strong voice. These books are good. They are as good as their predecessors, if quieter (at least in part.) I am hungrily looking forward to more books in the Ellie Chronicles.
September 22, 2014
This is SO close to being a five!!!!! 4.99999999999999999
I read all of Marsden's Tomorrow series practically in one gulp. Teenagers in Australia go bush for a weekend and when they come home, their families are gone. In fact, everyone is gone. They discover that another country has invaded, "needing" the space for its overpopulation, and the war begins. Ellie and her friends are outside the grid and no one on the other side knows they're alive. As the book and the series move along, the friends grow stronger as a group and learn survival and war tactics. Even though they are heroes - blowing up bridges, landing docks, etc., it's not all roses. Several of them die. Ellie is faced with her first love and wonders if it IS love or simply that this person is available and others are not. Group dynamics change; loyalties are tried. They are marvelous books. And the war ends like most wars do. (I'm not going to give it away.)
So I felt lost when I didn't have Ellie's adventures to follow anymore. She and one other YA girl heroine series (Bloody Jack, Jackie Faber who turns sailor to get away from filthy 18th century London) are the only ones I've found that I HAVE to follow. I order Bloody Jack's in advance and when I see this series' next volume, you can believe I'll grab it too. So I was in Paradise when, with the help of a friend, I discovered this.
Young adults (male and female) and we elders of both genders, can find ourselves in these characters. Marsden writes real life pretending to be novels and anyone interested in life should read it (and the Tomorrow series).
I read all of Marsden's Tomorrow series practically in one gulp. Teenagers in Australia go bush for a weekend and when they come home, their families are gone. In fact, everyone is gone. They discover that another country has invaded, "needing" the space for its overpopulation, and the war begins. Ellie and her friends are outside the grid and no one on the other side knows they're alive. As the book and the series move along, the friends grow stronger as a group and learn survival and war tactics. Even though they are heroes - blowing up bridges, landing docks, etc., it's not all roses. Several of them die. Ellie is faced with her first love and wonders if it IS love or simply that this person is available and others are not. Group dynamics change; loyalties are tried. They are marvelous books. And the war ends like most wars do. (I'm not going to give it away.)
So I felt lost when I didn't have Ellie's adventures to follow anymore. She and one other YA girl heroine series (Bloody Jack, Jackie Faber who turns sailor to get away from filthy 18th century London) are the only ones I've found that I HAVE to follow. I order Bloody Jack's in advance and when I see this series' next volume, you can believe I'll grab it too. So I was in Paradise when, with the help of a friend, I discovered this.
Young adults (male and female) and we elders of both genders, can find ourselves in these characters. Marsden writes real life pretending to be novels and anyone interested in life should read it (and the Tomorrow series).
September 29, 2010
This is the series that started my reading addiction :) It's a great Australian series. Not only does it portray teenagers effectivley , it also shows how Aussies live. As an Australian teenager when I began this series I found that I could really relate and was enthralled with the series. The series shows how a group of Aussie teenagers get swept up in the next major war after Australia is invaded when they go camping. Their families and friends are help captive along with the majority of the population and it is up to them to fight back and fight for their freedom.
Cannot say how much I love this series. I just saw the film adaptation based on the first book in the series and LOVED IT!!! One of the best Aussie films I have ever seen. While things were changed - they always differ from the book in some way - I felt that the changes they made were necessary for the pacing of the film. Since I had been waiting for the film for almost a decade I was sure I would be disappointed but I loved it so much :)
I hope that they make the next book in the series into a film as well as the series gets better and better as it goes on.
I cannot recommend this book and this series enough - so go out and read it please :)
Cannot say how much I love this series. I just saw the film adaptation based on the first book in the series and LOVED IT!!! One of the best Aussie films I have ever seen. While things were changed - they always differ from the book in some way - I felt that the changes they made were necessary for the pacing of the film. Since I had been waiting for the film for almost a decade I was sure I would be disappointed but I loved it so much :)
I hope that they make the next book in the series into a film as well as the series gets better and better as it goes on.
I cannot recommend this book and this series enough - so go out and read it please :)
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 18, 2012
After having read the 'Tommorow When The War' began series my hopes were high for this book. A sort of follow on series, the book focuses more on the life issues of Ellie Linton and less action with less things blowing up which can be good or bad depending on your point of veiw.
A series a lot of people loved because of its unique plot and storyline, the Tommorow When The War Began series was a hit. This follow on series is surprisingly different than the original series. I had hoped for another action packed, twisting book. Instead I got a book more focused on tying up the ongoing issues in the series and sorting out Ellie's life after the war. It was more about what was really going o in Ellie's head rather than the war, which isn't necaserilly worse, just a bit different. There was some action though and a couple more encounters with the enemy, however it was more of a backdrop the the real issue of the story which I won't give away.
The book was definitely an enjoyable read despite not being as gripping as the old books, it definitely still had me going back for more. Maybe more enjoyable for a different type of reader, I still liked it and would recomend it to anyone and everyone.
A series a lot of people loved because of its unique plot and storyline, the Tommorow When The War Began series was a hit. This follow on series is surprisingly different than the original series. I had hoped for another action packed, twisting book. Instead I got a book more focused on tying up the ongoing issues in the series and sorting out Ellie's life after the war. It was more about what was really going o in Ellie's head rather than the war, which isn't necaserilly worse, just a bit different. There was some action though and a couple more encounters with the enemy, however it was more of a backdrop the the real issue of the story which I won't give away.
The book was definitely an enjoyable read despite not being as gripping as the old books, it definitely still had me going back for more. Maybe more enjoyable for a different type of reader, I still liked it and would recomend it to anyone and everyone.
December 14, 2022
De oorlog is over. Ellen, Homer en Gavin zijn op een picknick tocht richting 'The Hell' wanneer ze geweerschoten horen. Ze komen uit de richting van de boerderij van Ellen's ouders. Eenmaal terug ontdekken zij dat haar ouders en mevrouw MacKenzie (een vriend van de familie) zijn vermoord, maar ook een aanvaller is dood. Het lijkt er op dat een groep bandieten van de andere kant van de grens hen heeft vermoord. Maar was het een uit de hand gelopen overval, of ....
Ellen ontdekt dat er een groep bestaat die zich 'Liberators' ('Bevrijders') noemt, die regelmatig acties onderneemt aan de andere kant van de grens om gevangen genomen mensen te bevrijden. Zij vermoedt dat Homer er meer van weet.
Ondertussen gaat het niet goed met de boerderij. De rechter wijst een voogd aan om Ellen te ondersteunen bij de diverse zaken op de boerderij, Maar deze voogd heeft andere ideeën.
Ellen ontdekt dat er een groep bestaat die zich 'Liberators' ('Bevrijders') noemt, die regelmatig acties onderneemt aan de andere kant van de grens om gevangen genomen mensen te bevrijden. Zij vermoedt dat Homer er meer van weet.
Ondertussen gaat het niet goed met de boerderij. De rechter wijst een voogd aan om Ellen te ondersteunen bij de diverse zaken op de boerderij, Maar deze voogd heeft andere ideeën.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 29, 2017
I read the Tomorrow, When the War Began series last year and enjoyed it. I'd been tossing up whether I'd continue with The Ellie Chronicles, as I'd read very mixed reviews. Two months ago, I finally decided I'd give While I Live a go. It's a very different story to the previous series, no longer fighting in the war, their learning to live the new 'normal' that is their life. Farm work, stress of losing the property, more loss and caring for a boy while you're still growing up. Overall, there's not as much action; it's definitely more character driven. Saying that, I liked it, as the main reason to return was for the characters. It took me months to read, but that's due to fatigue and only being able to manage a chapter a day. You'd think I'd start to lose interest, but I didn't. I'm tossing whether I'll continue with this series, but now that I've begun, I do want to see how it ends.
November 17, 2021
The Ellie chronicles (including the tomorrow series) is still the best book series I have read. These are not complicated books and they won't leave you struggling with life's difficult questions. What the series does do is entertain. Filled with action packed scenes, and Marsden's particular talent for suspense, the books will keep you turning page after page and have you reading book back to back.
After having read all 10 books twice, I feel that getting to know Ellie has been one of the great pleasures of my life.
After having read all 10 books twice, I feel that getting to know Ellie has been one of the great pleasures of my life.
September 6, 2009
Poor Ellie. Poor, poor Ellie. I just cannot imagine what else she will be put through. Losing her parents so early in the book, right after the war was over, was heartbreaking. Then the problems with the farm, Liberation, and that sleaze bag lawyer trying to take her land was horrible. Once again though, you see how tough she is, and how she will not give up. Another good book in the series, but sadly, it didn't have the same action as during the war which I guess I miss a little.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 17, 2012
John Marsden does this series so well; I read it when I was a kid, but now I think i enjoy it even more.
I love listening to it on talking book as well, just so easy and fun, bring on the next installment please. :)
I love listening to it on talking book as well, just so easy and fun, bring on the next installment please. :)
March 31, 2023
⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️
(Read via Audible)
This books plot was pretty pointless. Why couldn’t we just have the image of Ellie living happily at home with her parents and Gavin??? So unnecessary.
(Read via Audible)
This books plot was pretty pointless. Why couldn’t we just have the image of Ellie living happily at home with her parents and Gavin??? So unnecessary.
May 9, 2018
You know, I really liked the Tomorrow Series. I enjoyed Ellie and her friends’ journeys throughout the war and the amount of growth and pain the characters endured that ultimately led to them basically becoming Guerrilla warriors. However, after I finished the final book, I felt like more needed to be said- I felt as though I needed to know how Ellie and everyone else was going after the war.
Which brings me to the first installation of the Ellie Chronicles- While I Live!
Overall, we have a somewhat bland sequel that doesn’t capture the magic of the original series. I’ve given it a three because I thought it was ok and bits of it was good- but overall, I probably wouldn’t even recommend this. Just google it- or read the review section if you didn’t press spoilers. Honestly, not worth it.
Which brings me to the first installation of the Ellie Chronicles- While I Live!
Overall, we have a somewhat bland sequel that doesn’t capture the magic of the original series. I’ve given it a three because I thought it was ok and bits of it was good- but overall, I probably wouldn’t even recommend this. Just google it- or read the review section if you didn’t press spoilers. Honestly, not worth it.
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