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Summary: BREATHTAKING STORY... WITH AN ODD ENDING
Review: .
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I absolutely loved this book-- despite it's odd ending. Geraldine Brooks' description made me smell the rotting apples, feel the cold English wind and fear the "seeds of Plague."My heart hurt as I read about Anna's trials and tribulations. And I don't think enough pieces of literature really reach into your heart and make you feel what the characters feel. With all of that said... my few criticisms. First of all, as a Christian, I'm always annoyed with secularist thinking-- that which attempts to make everything as simple as "it's just nature." This book is written by a self-proclaimed secularist, and it is evident-- so if that sort of thing is too much for you to handle, you should probably just stay away from this book-- as enjoyable as it is. My next complaint is that I don't buy the ending. It seems that towards the end of the book, Brooks just got tired of writing so she decided to just wrap things up all of a sudden-- and she tries to pull in some sort of influence from her journalism work (you'll see what I mean when you read the book) and it really is just inconsistent with the feel of the novel. It sort of jolts you and makes you feel a little disoriented. I'm have a B.A. in English, so of course the author could say, "Well... I meant for you to feel disoriented." I don't think this was preconceived, though. I think it was just she was tired of writing and wanted the book to hurry up and be done. The ending is just too unrealistic. Other than that, I'm still recommending this book to all of my friends who enjoy reading, especially historical fiction. I think I'll forever treasure this item on my bookshelf.
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Summary: Year of Wonders
Review: I started reading this book not sure that would enjoy reading about the plague, but 25 pages into it, I was entirely entranced. The story was so captivating that it was hard to put down.
Told from a first person perspective of a servant woman from l666 with detailed descriptions of the mechanics of life made the story much more real to me.
If you like historical novels, this book is sure to captivate you.
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Summary: Brilliantly crafted
Review: Journalists have a knack for writing wonderful fiction--especially historical fiction. The gift of words comes easily, the research is adequately completed, and the details are written in a way to transport the reader. This novel took me immedately to 17th century England. Anna Frith, at the ripe old age of eighteen, finds herself a widow with two very young sons. When an affable man knocks on her door one day offering money in exchange for room and board, she thinks God has sent her an end to her destitution. She couldn't have been more wrong, for that man, a traveling tailor, brings Plauge to Anna's tiny Derbyshire village. He is the first to die, followed quickly by Anna's children. The rest of the novel is a haunting description of the tumult that Anna and her neighbors endured during that terrible year, 1665-1666. Anna herself, under the guidance of her boss and confidant Elinor Mompellion, helps ease the suffering as best she can with herbs and ointments. She emerges as something of a heroine, though her sacrifices are largely unrecognized by her peers. Because Anna's life becomes so entwined with the lives of her neighbors, the reader is able to get an all-encompassing look at the horrors of an entire village, not just one person. Anna's neighbors become almost as real and cherished as she herself does as this novel progresses. My favorite aspect of this book is Anna's religious perception of the events of the Plague year. Though a devout Christian (her Master Michael Mompellion is the town rector), Anna slowly accepts the Plague as something of nature, not of God, and places more emphasis on the healing powers of herbals and other concoctions deemed devilish by her more devout acquaintances. At the novels end, Anna finds her niche in the world of medicine, healing, and midwifery. Brooks' attention to detail in this book is astounding. As only a journalist could, she reports everything from the style of dress to the color of the landscape to the varying religious oddities of her neighbors. This book is a rare treasure in the world of historical fiction, and I can't recommend it any more enthusiastically.
Rating: 
Summary: Interesting reading
Review: I enjoyed this book for it's eloquent writing more than anything. I was a bit put-off that it was mostly narrative with very little dialog but the story became much more interesting after I came to know the characters. (About 1/3 the way through). I have read non-fiction about the Black Death and have always wanted to read what it could have been like to live at that time and be in the midst of such a tragedy. This story offers good insight as to what situations may have occurred. I gave it 4 stars because the writing was just plain excellent. It's rare to find a book that flows with such imaginative description that doesn't seem like description. Images came to mind without my realization. Take your time with this one and enjoy the story, characters, and events as they unfold.
Rating: 
Summary: Superb writing & well researched
Review: I as attrected to this book because a friend gave a review at a book group session. The author picked a subject that peaked my cursiosity. Ms Brooks is a correspondent for The Wall Street Journal, so I felt this book would be interesting reading. I was disappointed and sometimes repulsed by the narrative.The ending was weak.However think the author is a good reporter and I intened to read her book "Nine Parts o Desire"
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Summary: Suspend disbelief
Review: This book has it all. Historical accuracy, edge-of-the seat drama, poignancy, personal alacrity, corporate xenophobia ... Set in a village in 1665-1666, this novel is narrated in the first person by Anna Frith, an 18-year old woman with a passion for life and a disdain for prejudice. She tells the story of what happened on the inside after the villagers voluntarily seal themselves off from the rest of the world. We are transported into a world where the nobles are not, the righteous are anything but selfless, and courage comes from the most unexpected places. Seek yourself in this novel. Suspend disbelief, and transport yourself back to a time when things weren't so simple as we are often wont to believe.
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Summary: Superstition vs. knowlege
Review: Brooks, reporter turned novelist, shows we haven't really come that far when it comes to catastrphe and illness. We still need enemies to blame and our main weapon is ignorance. Taking what she learns during her day job, Brooks cleverly slices through the 17th century's problems with plagues and relates it to our problems with September 11 and every other tragedy that befalls us as a society. Knowledge will set us free might be her main theme.
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Summary: A Human and Real Historical Novel
Review: My goodness, this was a marvelous book! As other reviewers have mentioned, I was hesitant at first to tackle a book about the plague. I was so pleasantly surprised upon beginning it, though, that I finished the book in three sittings. Ms. Brooks is a marvelous writer -- her plot and characters are well put together, and the book reads so smoothly it just flies by. I found myself telling others about Year of Wonders, and thinking about it here and there long after I finished. I find that the mark of a good book is how many times it makes me think back and reflect on it, and Year of Wonders is right up there with Corelli's Mandolin in that regard. I won't recount the plot yet again, as amazon and other reviewers have done that admirably, but I will throw a few more compliments Ms. Brooks' way. She does not shy away from the visceral -- the novel feels solid and real, even if sometimes the subect matter turns to somewhat gruesome things. As always with a good historical novel (also see The Dress Lodger by Sheri Holman and The Conspiracy of Papers by David Liss), the read is educational as well as entertaining. I even learned the origin of the phrase "still wet behind the ears," though apparently my coworkers were not as excited as I was about the news when I passed it on. In any case, I recommend Year of Wonders very highly -- it has wonderfully unique characters, an interesting plot, and is a surprisingly easy though dense read.
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Summary: A book of Wonder
Review: This is a work of extraordinary grace and subtlety. The reader is transported effortlessly into a world created by the writer which, for all its humanity and suffering, glides over the page like poetry, like a whisper. You share the unspeakable with her characters and yet you are uplifted by the optimism that survives the trauma.A transcendant work that is to be savored slowly.
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Summary: Couldn't put it down!
Review: And so glad that I didn't have too! The story of Anna Frith, her family and town, her friends and foes, her strengths and weaknesses, faith, sickness, love, etc., kept me reading until the end. I never knew the "real" story of this town in England so if there are historical "inconsistancies", I didn't really mind, the overall story, from Anna's point of view, was enough. There was a continuing theme throughout this book, about having and keeping faith in what you committed to do, about friendship, overcoming some of the greatest odds people have to face, and "going on" to live the best life you can find. I loved the characters, especially Anna and the Reverand's wife, Elinor; and let's not forget the "witches"! All in all this was an extremely enjoyable read, and I highly reccomend it.
Debbi
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