Year of Wonders: A Novel

by Geraldine Brooks

“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.

• ISBN10: 0142001430
• ISBN13: 9780142001431
• Publish Date: 30 April 2002
• Publish Status: Active
• Publish Country: AU
• Imprint: Penguin Random House Australia
• Format: Paperback (US Trade)
• Pages: 352
• Language: English
• URL: https://penguinrandomhouse.com/books/isbn/9780142001431

Reviews

[Ace]

That sucked me in so much and it was amazing. Of course Geraldine who was reading the talking book - her voice was amazing and just drew me in to it so much that I once forgot to pay attention to where I was driving! (Ended up in a turning lane because it turned from one into two and I went WHERE AM I - I was on the right road but you know...) Absolutely amazing.

[sstaley]

This is a well written book, it is just so depressing. Of course the plague isn't a cheery topic, but it is disgusting as so many details are given about what the plague did to people's bodies. As I said before, well written book, but just brace yourself because it does not have many happy moments in this book. One good point,it is amazing to see how the main character remains fairly strong throughout the story, even though she suffers great loss in her own life.