Janet Posted July 10, 2008 Share Posted July 10, 2008 (edited) Year of Wonders by Geraldine Brooks The ‘Blurb’ Spring 1666: when the Great Plague reaches the quiet Derbyshire village of Eyam, the villagers make an extraordinary decision. They elect to isolate themselves in a fateful quarantine. So begins the Year of Wonders, seen through eighteen-year-old Anna Frith’s eyes as she confronts the loss of her family, the disintegration of her community, and the lure of a dangerous and illicit love. Based on a true story, this novel explores love and learning, fear and fanaticism, and the struggles of seventeenth-century science and religion to interpret the world at the cusp of the modern era. I read a review about this a few years ago and loved the sound of it. I’d forgotten all about it though until I found it in a charity shop recently. What a fabulous book! Based on a true story, it tells how the plague is brought to the small village of Eyam in some flea ridden cloth sent from London to a journeyman tailor lodging with Anna. The villagers take the decision to quarantine themselves, leaving money and requests for goods on the village boundary stone and in return people from the next village leave the items for them to collect, ensuring that they are able to survive without contact with the outside world. I say survive, but in reality about 75% of the village inhabitants were victims of this horrific, painful death. The book is so well written that it’s easy to lose yourself in it. I would love to visit Eyam, which I know has a good museum dedicated to this remarkable incident. The paperback is 304 pages long and is published by Fourth Estate. The ISBN number is 978-1841154589. 10/10 (Read July 2008) Edited July 11, 2008 by Janet Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kate Posted July 10, 2008 Share Posted July 10, 2008 I love the sound of this book, and lovely review. I will keep my eyes peeled for it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tbain Posted July 10, 2008 Share Posted July 10, 2008 I have this book in my TBR pile. Looking forward to reading it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JudyB Posted July 10, 2008 Share Posted July 10, 2008 I've read it and totally recommend it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
elizabeth Chadwick Posted July 11, 2008 Share Posted July 11, 2008 I keep hearing about this one on different forums. Some readers are not at all happy with the ending although everyone seems to like the journey towards it. It's on my TBR Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ben Posted July 11, 2008 Share Posted July 11, 2008 Sounds good. Great review. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Janet Posted July 11, 2008 Author Share Posted July 11, 2008 (edited) Thanks guys. I keep hearing about this one on different forums. Some readers are not at all happy with the ending although everyone seems to like the journey towards it. It's on my TBR I read that some people didn't like the ending after I'd finished the book. I'm glad I didn't read that before. Personally I thought it rounded it off quite nicely! Edited July 11, 2008 by Janet Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
~Andrea~ Posted July 11, 2008 Share Posted July 11, 2008 It sounds such an interesting story. I love true stories. Will have to look out for it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Icecream Posted July 11, 2008 Share Posted July 11, 2008 I checked in my library last night. It was due back today. I have rather a lot to read at the moment though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Angel Posted July 11, 2008 Share Posted July 11, 2008 I read this one when it first came out and I enjoyed it. I have been to the Plague village and it's amazing to think that this happened there Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Leyland Posted August 25, 2008 Share Posted August 25, 2008 I'm currently reading AYOW and am on only page 40, but am really enjoying the story so far. The first person POV is particularly interesting as Anna's thoughts provide such a direct and detailed look at her life in the village and its limitations at this point of the story, as well as her view of what other characters can do or possess that she may not fully attain. I'm looking forward to discovering more about Anna and what she'll do as I continue. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Smint Posted August 30, 2008 Share Posted August 30, 2008 (edited) I read it a couple of years ago and enjoyed it (although I have to say I can't now remember the ending and whether I thought it was good or bad) Was very frustrating knowing what we know now about the plague, and how they could have prevented the spread, but I thought it very well written Edited August 30, 2008 by Smint Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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