<P> Immediately, Miranda's life is shattered, as is the whole of society on Earth . Tsunamis and earthquakes ravage the coasts of many countries, causing millions of people to die instantly . Chaos erupts, and not long afterward, Miranda and her family are forced to go on a shopping spree before all the food runs out . Miranda's older brother Matt comes home from college to be with his family . As they are inland, they are safe from tsunamis, but as the summer goes on, another threat looms; the moon shift causes magma to be forced up to the surface, resulting in many dormant volcanoes erupting, which cover the sky in ash, causing the temperature to drop dramatically (enough for frost to appear by mid-August and for 20 - degree weather by October), making it impossible for food to be grown . As things become harsher for the family, they start eating less and less to conserve food . It also becomes apparent that Laura is going without food and making other sacrifices to give Jon, who Miranda is convinced Laura considers to be the strongest of her children, a bigger chance of survival . This is often a source of resentment that causes conflict between Miranda and her mother . </P> <P> Winter is an especially hard time for the family . As well as a lack of food, they must deal with a multitude of snow, a lack of running water and electricity, and a terrible illness that nearly kills all of them . However, even as they become more and more isolated as nearly everyone else is either leaving town or dying, they continue to fight for survival . At the very end, there is almost no food left . Miranda ventures into town on a last breath of hope, though in her heart she believes she will find nothing, succumb to the cold, and die . However, just as she is about to lie down and give up, she sees a yellow piece of paper which attracts her gaze . The paper leads her to town hall, where, to her shock, she discovers the mayor is giving out bags of food for every family--but there are few takers, as many people are dead and even more have no way of knowing about the program . The family is given four bags of food and promised more to come in the following weeks . With a new reason to hope that she might live on, Miranda muses on her seventeenth birthday about why she is still keeping a diary: for the people who might read it in the future, or for herself . </P> <P> Miranda Evans - The protagonist of the novel, a 16 - year - old girl who is attempting to survive in the new, harsh world . The novel is presented as her diary entries . She has two brothers, one of whom she is jealous of, and the other she idolises, but, most of all, she cares greatly for both of them . Her favorite hobby used to be ice skating, but prior to the book's events, she suffered an ankle injury, forcing her to stop and take up swimming . She still has a passion of ice skating, idolising Brandon, a world - famous skater from her town . Later on in the novel, she is the only one of her family to not contract a life threatening strain of flu and takes care of them throughout it . </P> <P> Matt Evans - Miranda's older brother who provides and cares for the family, such as collecting firewood to keep them warm in the harsh winter . He is looked up to by his mother and siblings (Miranda "cares desperately what he thinks of her", despite denying it). Matt was studying at college before returning to his family after the event . </P>

Who is the main character in life as we knew it