Book description
From the Pulitzer Prize-winning author of 'March' and 'People of the Book'.
A young woman's struggle to save her family and her soul during the
extraordinary year of 1666, when plague suddenly struck a small
Derbyshire village.
In 1666, plague swept through London, driving the King and his court to
Oxford, and Samuel Pepys to Greenwich, in an attempt to escape
contagion. The north of England remained untouched until, in a small
community of leadminers and hill farmers, a bolt of cloth arrived from
the capital. The tailor who cut the cloth had no way of knowing that the
damp fabric carried with it bubonic infection.
So begins the Year of Wonders, in which a Pennine village of 350 souls
confronts a scourge beyond remedy or understanding. Desperate, the
villagers turn to sorcery, herb lore, and murderous witch-hunting. Then,
led by a young and charismatic preacher, they elect to isolate
themselves in a fatal quarantine. The story is told through the eyes of
Anna Frith who, at only 18, must contend with the death of her family,
the disintegration of her society, and the lure of a dangerous and
illicit attraction.
Geraldine Brooks's novel explores love and learning, fear and
fanaticism, and the struggle of 17th century science and religion to
deal with a seemingly diabolical pestilence. 'Year of Wonders' is also
an eloquent memorial to the real-life Derbyshire villagers who chose to
suffer alone during England's last great plague. 'One of the best
novels I've ever clapped eyes on' Jenni Murray, Woman's Hour
'Geraldine Brooks's impressive novel goes well beyond chronicling the
devastation of a plague-ridden village. It leaves us with the memory of
vivid characters struggling in timeless human ways with the hardships
confronting them - and the memory, too, of an elegant and engaging
story.' Arthur Golden, author of 'Memoirs of a Geisha'
'Geraldine Brooks's 'Year of Wonders' is a wonder indeed. The novel
gives the reader a remarkable glimpse into a 17th century horror, but
does so with both compassion and exuberance. Read it for the
inventiveness of the language alone - a genuine treat.' Anita Shreve,
author of 'The Pilot's Wife' and 'The Last TIme They Met'
'More than a mountain of corpses, more than a sensual evocation of the
Sapphic bond between two women, more than a pulse-quickening tale, 'Year
of Wonders' is a staggering fictional debut.' Guardian
''Year of Wonders' carries absolute conviction as an evocation of place
and mood. It has a vivid imaginative truth, and is beautifully written.'
Hilary Mantel Geraldine Brooks was born and raised in Australia. After
moving to the USA she worked for eleven years on the Wall Street
Journal, covering stories from some of the world's most troubled areas,
including Bosnia, Somalia and the Middle East. Her first novel, 'Year of
Wonders' became an international bestseller and her second, 'March' won
the 2006 Pulitzer Prize for Fiction. She lives with her husband and son
in rural Virginia and is currently a fellow at Harvard University.
