Year of Wonders
Penguin (Non-Classics) - Penguin (Non-Classics)
Release date: 2002-04-30
Paperback
Author: Geraldine Brooks
Fiction, Fiction - Historical, Historical - General, Fiction / Historical, 1603-1714, Stuarts, Charles II, 1660-1685, Great Britain, History
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Year of Wonders
Date undefinedThis book was wonderful to read, especially the ending. It tells the story of a woman, Anna Firth, who moves back and forth in society between the villagers and the decision makers during the plague year. Her observations are the heart of the book. The ending is particularly moving because all her prior beliefs about right and wrong are completely turned upside down. She must create a new sense of morality for herself in a new place and with a different religion (or lack of religion). The ending is difficult to accept, we want something else for her, we want her faith restored and in tact. The author was very brave to end the novel the way she did. I highly recommend it.
Year of Wonders
Date undefinedI have visited the town of Eyam several times and well familiar with the "plague village," so I eagerly looked forward to reading this book. The story of the villagers plight is gripping and readable, but overall, the characters are lack depth and became tiresome. They wer either near-perfect, virtuous people, stoics or downright evil, nothing in between. The last 80 or so pages are outright ridiculous, even laughable with gratuitous sex and a rather unbelievable ending. Like another reviewer said, maybe the author grew bored and just wanted to finish the story. In the end, the reader really knows little about how villagers planned to begin anew once the plague had passed. Yes, this is a good story that has "entertainment" value, but don't have high expectations that this is a truly great novel .
Year of Wonders
Date undefinedI loved the book, the story was riveting until the very abrupt ending. What happened? After so much detail in the first 80% of the book, did Geraldine Brooks get bored somehow and just decide she needed to finish the story immediately? If only she had taken a little time to flesh out the details of what happened between the "year" and the aftermath, she would have had a truly epic novel. Phooey!
