**“Plague stories remind us that we cannot manage without community . . . Year of Wonders is a testament to that very notion.” – The Washington Post
An unforgettable tale, set in 17th century England, of a village that quarantines itself to arrest the spread of the plague, from the author The Secret Chord and of March, winner of the Pulitzer Prize**
When an infected bolt of cloth carries plague from London to an isolated village, a housemaid named Anna Frith emerges as an unlikely heroine and healer. Through Anna’s eyes we follow the story of the fateful year of 1666, as she and her fellow villagers confront the spread of disease and superstition. As death reaches into every household and villagers turn from prayers to murderous witch-hunting, Anna must find the strength to confront the disintegration of her community and the lure of illicit love. As she struggles to survive and grow, a year of catastrophe becomes instead annus mirabilis, a “year of wonders.”
Inspired by the true story of Eyam, a village in the rugged hill country of England, Year of Wonders is a richly detailed evocation of a singular moment in history. Written with stunning emotional intelligence and introducing “an inspiring heroine” (The Wall Street Journal), Brooks blends love and learning, loss and renewal into a spellbinding and unforgettable read.
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Great story. Well written. Look forward to reading more from this author.
I like all of Geraldine Brooks’ historical fiction. We’ll written and feel immersed in that time or place.
This is a fabulous book. I didn’t want it to end.
Fantastic take on a small village and the courageous choice they made to protect their neighbors during the Black Death.
Not an inspirational book…unhappy and very very sad…
It was a wonderful way to learn about 17th century English country life and the bubonic plague. I think I might even recognize plague if I saw it now.
I have two quibbles: the misuse of the word prone (it means face down!) which always annoys me and annoyed me here as well, and strange punctuation in the middle of sentences where no punctuation was needed at all. I should have been born a century ago when people actually proofread for things like this before they went to press.
I read this book many years ago and enjoyed it immensely. Wonderful characters. Good plot development. A very good read.
Simply outstanding. I literally hung on her every utterance. The voice, the cadence was as real to me as anything I have ever read. Have you ever held your breath while reading, moved your arms as if to embrace what… a wriiten word? Listen to the audio at your peril. You will enter that place, that time, and feel every emotion as if were happening now. It’s my fifth read and I can still say this.
Great plague story……great story. The slow shedding of superstition and puritanical ways. Mysogony rules.
Love it! Tragic times, but really great read.
I found this book very interesting and thought provoking with believable vivid characters.
Excellent book. Excellent author.
Totally surprised me. I wasn’t excited about it being our book club choice but it grabbed me and I loved it.
Fiction based on fact. A little known fact in a small English village during the time of the plague. Also, complex characters who are not all they seem t
o be.
Fascinating. She made you feel the environment and situation completely.
This book follows the story of a small town that quarantines itself in order to stop the spread of the plague. At once heartbreaking and inspirational, the main character, Anna, comes of age and develops a sense of self and confidence in the face of tragedy. The book was beautifully written, although the ending was not nearly as satisfying as the rest of the novel. Good read, especially for history buffs.
One of my all time favorites