Literature Page

Author: Geraldine Brooks

Age: Upper high school to adult.

Genre: Historical Fiction

Topics for Discussion: Bubonic plague, fear, hysteria

Summary: When the plague hits a small village in seventeenth century England, the town rector convinces everyone to quarantine themselves, effectively cutting themselves off from the rest of the world in order to prevent the spread of the deadly disease. The narrator, Anna Frith, chronicles the spread of the disease and resulting fear, hysteria, and general descent into inhumanity over the course of the following year.

Book Review: While I found the majority of this novel very interesting both as an historical study and a reflection of how people behave when they are fearful. Unfortunately, the end of the novel degenerates into a modern romance between the bereaved rector and Anna.

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Christian Perspectives: The end of the novel completely destroys any value I might have seen in this book. Although it was interesting to see both how some townspeople let fear rule them, while others maintained their respect for life and decency, Anna and Michael's relationship breaks the bounds of both their faith and their historical context.