Rating: 
Summary: Year of Wonders: A Soap Opera of the Plague
Review: It is difficult to categorically damn such a well respected book as Geraldine Brooks' Year of Wonders as a completely futile effort in the mealy, airless medium of melodramatic pulp fiction, but that is the image I have in my mind after reading the book, and it is not one of those confused images that will be shaken off by contemplating the work or by a second reading, as there is nothing substantial to think about. It is impossible to think that the author did not have a good deal of knowledge about the Black Death and medieval culture, but it almost appears that her apparent goal to portray the life of a simple peasant during the great plague was a coldly disingenuous ploy to tell a lurid and totally unbelievable tale.
Use of facts about that period of history were heavy-handed and appeared to be stuffed into the narrative until every available character and event had been gorged with contradictory and unexplained caricatures of historical events. In one completely isolated mining village there arise flagellants, witch-drownings, saccharine oaths among the dying to not spread the plague and to remain steadfastly in their village, men and women driven mad and to witchcraft, the arrival of science and medicine, maps drawn by a lightly educated preachers wife showing how the plague spread, a stunning appearance of the belief that God was not the author of the plague and that maybe he did not exist, and so on. This may represent an unmagnified picture of the year 1666 were the stage expanded to include most of Europe, but in the confines of a small village, they are laughable. The heroine begins superstitiously leery of medicine and herbs, but, in the course of the year, becomes a master healer and pharmacist. The preacher has time to reason that the plague is carried by the people's belongings which must be burned or boiled, but he still has time to endlessly tend to his flock, prepare fiery and lucid sermons, regain and lose his faith, lose his wife, administer justice by force and by words throughout the town and fall madly in love with the heroine.
As if to hide her garish literary showmanship, the author narrates as a simple peasant in a small village and does not reveal herself beyond her characters. This decision proves fatal, though, since Brooks has a great deal more to say than a medieval peasant could ever comprehend and with every lofty contemplation or ridiculous action, the character becomes more and more transparent and silly. The real intention of the book becomes clear at every turn of the page. Brooks is looking at history and the ignorance of the people and, with 20-20 hindsight, she commands her literary time machine to take her back to plague-riddled England and runs wild in the ever-popular daydream of how great one would be if one could exercise his too-common 20th century knowledge in ages past before the awed primitives. She, of course, cannot make this journey alone lest the superhuman aspects of her heroine become too clear so she brings along a strong, handsome, equally wise, philosopher-king of a preacher to help her hide among the serfs. The whole narrative smacks of politically correct feminism (Which has an important and vital place, but not in medieval minds) and totally worthless PC theology. The characters, particularly the female characters are obviously 20th century figures hammered into the story like the old square peg in a round hole. In addition, there are a number of "sex scenes" which I have nothing against in principle, but these were torn right from the pages of those books with shiny airbrushed covers depicting muscular long-haired heroes and glamorous heroines on a four-post bed draped with pink satin - true verbal garbage.
Brooke's heroine, a bright but illiterate, superstitious maid, blends beautifully with the narrative in the early chapters while the story talks of apples tumbling into apple bins and the smells of Autumn and the simplicity of medieval life. It seems as though the Author might have started along a safely navigable course or, perhaps, was wise enough to lure readers in with a genuine setting before subjecting them to the most finely written episode of "Days of Our Lives" ever penned. What better setting could she have chosen? The plague swoops in and out of her story killing children so that the mothers can eloquently weep and run about howling fury at God. It takes a potential husband away from the widow that loves him the moment after they first admit their mutual love. It clears away wives and husbands so that the chosen characters may follow their passions. It provides a fittingly terrible, awe-inspiring background to allow these stomach-turning scenes to blend into an emotional and colorful stew rather than standing out as repugnant trash reserved for popular bestsellers, romance novels, and daytime television.
In trying to look at the Black Death from the perspective of one who lived through it, it is possible to imagine a story far darker and far more compelling than this blunt caricature. I am tempted to judge this book as somewhat allegorical, but it lacks the power and ambiguity in language that might have made it rise above a paperback love story.
On the whole, I think this book wildly and inexcusably distorts any view of real life in 'The Plague Years.' A reader who has no knowledge of the historical background of the book will have a tremendously skewed perspective of the condition of the people who lived in those times and a reader with even a modicum of knowledge must either laugh at it or choose to simply note the brief glimpses of reality found in the pages. In my own experience, I found the text to be so shallow that I was able to read it in one sitting without pausing once or re-reading any section and I arose from the experience with no lasting thoughts beyond the idea that maybe I should be a writer if this nonsense gets such a pretty cover and sells so many copies. But, of course, so do Tom Clancy books and romance novels, so I must content myself with warning off any reader with even a stub of intellect from this tepid verbal diarrhea.
Rating: 
Summary: Sucks you in and then spits you out
Review: I got glued to this book. It's a pleasure to read and there isn't a lot of silly, unecessary language. Brooks' style has a great clarity to it. I did like the book, for the most part. But the ending was so strange and didn't follow logically or believably from the rest of the story. Also, it got redundant at times, like ok this person dies and now this one dies and now this one... going to die....Oh, and there are also a lot of typos, which annoys me. Despite all that, though, I recommend it. It is quite captivating.
Rating: 
Summary: Wonder-ful Surprise
Review: I wasn't so keen on reading a book about the plague when my book club decided on this book. However, I was pleasantly surprised. The book is more than about the plague itself. The characters are unforgettable and the dilemma that they are plunged into makes this book a real page turner.
Rating:
Summary: Year of Wonders
Review: Year of Wonders is a touching and sad book about a small village in England that becomes infected with the Black Plague. In the course of one year, two-thirds of the village's population was wiped out. The author, Geraldine Brooks, based this book on a true story about a village she had visited called Eyam in Derbyshire, England. Eyam had really undergone this devastation and Brooks portrays the story very well basing the characters on actual people who lived in the town.
In the story, the priest in the village decides it would be best if the village quarantines themselves, not allowing anyone in or anyone out. In the village's attempt to save the outside world from being infected with the plague, they all sacrificed their own lives and few were spared after this scourge ended. Some of the book is very upsetting and down-right gross, but it's all a part of what this book is about. If you think you'll be able to get through the book, you won't regret it. The ending takes a surprising twist, which I'm not sure was the best choice, but it doesn't matter too much to me because I loved everything else. Year of Wonders truly is a wonder in itself and definately worth reading.
Rating:
Summary: Good story with an unbalanced ending
Review: I enjoyed this book -- I am a big fan of historical fiction, and found this story to be carefully researched and historically accurate. However, I was not surprised to read, after I finished the book, that the author Ms. Brooks was a Washington Post correspondent in the Middle East. The ending almost seemed like a way for Brooks to somehow include her knowledge of Islam in a novel about 17th century England -- it was a bit disenchanting, and subtracted from the believability of the novel. However, the rest of the novel was enthralling - I would still highly recommend the book to other readers.
Rating:
Summary: "Year of Wonders" A Historical Fiction novel worth the read
Review: In a time of death, despair and pain amidst the height of the Black Plague, Geraldine Brooks' use of imaginative and descriptive language provides insight into a period of history that is truly fascinating. Year Of Wonders, a novel about a small mountain village north of London which is stricken with the plague due to a bolt of infected cloth, is captivating and poignant. More than merely a story of devastation, Year Of Wonders is a glimpse into 1666, enabling readers to emerse themselves into this intriguing novel. Brooks elicts the emotions of all her readers by using beautiful language and having a great deal of knowledge about the seventeenth century.
As a person who enjoys reading historical fiction, I was impressed by Geraldine Brooks. She truly is a great storyteller. I recommend that any person who is interested in history pick up this book. With impressive period detail, Brooks has created an elegant work of fiction based on a true story about the lives of those in Eyam, Derbyshire. This work of fiction is worth the read.
Rating:
Summary: Tiff's review
Review: Year of Wonders in my view was not all that of a book. It took place in the time of the plague, which was some type of disease that was going around and hurting many people in the town. This book to me was not so interesting. I told myself that I was not going to read it, but did anyway, I think that's why I dislike the book so. I mean don't get me wrong, there were some good parts in it like love, marriage and what not, but there were some bad parts. The deaths of the people were a bit harsh, and that Mr. Mompellion man I tell you, he was something else. He looked down upon women.....very bad. On the flip side, I do not recommend this book to those who don't like to read of course, and don't like long books. If you like to read about issues in the 1860's I guess this will be a good choice, but you will be sorry. That's just me!
Rating: 
Summary: Year of Wonders
Review: The novel, Year of Wonders, takes place in a town in England which is overrun by the Bubonic Plague. The main character Anna loses her husband to a mining accident early in the story, her two children also die early in the story. During this time, Anna devotes herself to helping the villagers overcome their illness. Overall, the mood of the novel is sad and depressing. So many people are lost to the Bubonic Plague, and it is hard to imagine what Anna had to go through. I think that this book was a good read even though it was sad. It was an entertaining story with a good plot and interesting dialogue.
Rating: 
Summary: Year of Wonders Review
Review: The book Year of Wonders did not grab my attention to the story of the Black Plague. The theme was emotional and depressing, which wasn't entertaining for me to read for a free reading book. The book expresses feelings toward death, love and working together through such a difficult time. By reading this book you feel Anna's emotions when those close to her, such as family and loved ones, die because of the Plague. The plot captures a unique and mind-twisting love story that is looked upon as rebellious during that time period, along with a society working together and fighting to stay alive. Families have to decide whether to stay in the town or move out, risking spread of the Plague. Any decisions would hurt those around you, and death was a common outcome. Read Year of Wonders to find out if the society works together to overcome the Plague or are families selfish about surviving this tragedy.
Rating:
Summary: A story on how time heals all wounds!
Review: Year of Wonders was actually a good book. It talks about how people grow closer together and farther apart. It teaches people how hard it is to cope with being alone and scared. It also shows how to deal with these hardships. It tells about how old comforts that one has can easily be turned into something someone dreads. This is a really good book, and has an ending that to most would consider to be predictable but has many different twists that make you question what the ending is really going to be like. It is a book that is spiritually enlightening when you learn of the commitment that some of the characters have to God and their religion. This is the type of book that you would curl up with on the couch in your pajamas on a rainy day, sip on hot chocolate, and manage to not put this book down for hours.
|
