Let me begin by saying that this book is not for those who do not consider themselves fans of historical fiction, for it can be considered a bit slow at some points, especially for those who dread vivid descriptions of past events. Brooks' style is very elaborate in a sense and puts you directly in the shoes of main character, Anna Frith, who to put it mildly, has had a bit of a tough life. Living in a small village in england during the time of the plague Anna's husband dies due to a mine collapse, then a man she becomes close to staying in her home comes down with the plague and ends up on deaths door as well, then as if things could get much worse the terrible plague continues to spread around the village, robbing many of their lives, including friends and loved ones, even her two young sons dying in her own arms. You can feel the sadness that comes upon the village but hope is restored through their priest's sermon, summoning them all to stay as this plague is a test of God's. Anna lets her compassionate and hardworking sides shine through with the obstacles she overcomes throughout this treacherous time. This book also evidences the role of faith in the daily life of europeans in the 16th century; their faith was their only source of answers. Make sure if your not a history fan, you think about reading this book, but it's a great source of info about the time period if you need to write a report or anything of the sort. However, if your looking for a quick read this one is a bit tricky to fly through, but worth the wait. Wednesday, January 6, 2010
Year of Wonders by Geraldine Brooks
Let me begin by saying that this book is not for those who do not consider themselves fans of historical fiction, for it can be considered a bit slow at some points, especially for those who dread vivid descriptions of past events. Brooks' style is very elaborate in a sense and puts you directly in the shoes of main character, Anna Frith, who to put it mildly, has had a bit of a tough life. Living in a small village in england during the time of the plague Anna's husband dies due to a mine collapse, then a man she becomes close to staying in her home comes down with the plague and ends up on deaths door as well, then as if things could get much worse the terrible plague continues to spread around the village, robbing many of their lives, including friends and loved ones, even her two young sons dying in her own arms. You can feel the sadness that comes upon the village but hope is restored through their priest's sermon, summoning them all to stay as this plague is a test of God's. Anna lets her compassionate and hardworking sides shine through with the obstacles she overcomes throughout this treacherous time. This book also evidences the role of faith in the daily life of europeans in the 16th century; their faith was their only source of answers. Make sure if your not a history fan, you think about reading this book, but it's a great source of info about the time period if you need to write a report or anything of the sort. However, if your looking for a quick read this one is a bit tricky to fly through, but worth the wait. 
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I read this book too, as you know. I liked it once I got through all the boring parts. I thought it was really interesting how they went through her life and she was pretty infulencial at that time when the woman really didnt have much of a say. But i thought it was pretty decent. I like how in your blogs you make an indepth description of the book. It really gives me a look into the book.
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