Take a photo of a barcode or cover
3.65 AVERAGE
3.65 AVERAGE
4.5 stars.
Thanks to NetGalley for the Advanced Reader's Copy!
I think this is my favorite book that I've read by Katsu. As she mentions in the afterword, it is very different than her previous two books, but that's because it was written out of political urgency instead of purely to entertain. I love timely books that mirror current society, so it was perfect for me.
I did find the ending a bit rushed, but everything made sense. It just felt like it jumped to the end and the narration explained what happened to get them there, rather than having it play out for the reader. To be fair though, I'm not sure how entertaining reading the FBI stuff would've been, so I understand the decision. It just felt weird while reading it.
Katsu is an author I will definitely continue to read as she releases books. She hasn't QUITE hit that "omg I must read" level yet, as I always find that her books are missing a sort of spark for me. I really do think I would've been able to round this up to 5 stars if the ending hadn't been so abrupt though, so maybe her next one will finally hit 5 stars for me.
Thanks to NetGalley for the Advanced Reader's Copy!
I think this is my favorite book that I've read by Katsu. As she mentions in the afterword, it is very different than her previous two books, but that's because it was written out of political urgency instead of purely to entertain. I love timely books that mirror current society, so it was perfect for me.
I did find the ending a bit rushed, but everything made sense. It just felt like it jumped to the end and the narration explained what happened to get them there, rather than having it play out for the reader. To be fair though, I'm not sure how entertaining reading the FBI stuff would've been, so I understand the decision. It just felt weird while reading it.
Katsu is an author I will definitely continue to read as she releases books. She hasn't QUITE hit that "omg I must read" level yet, as I always find that her books are missing a sort of spark for me. I really do think I would've been able to round this up to 5 stars if the ending hadn't been so abrupt though, so maybe her next one will finally hit 5 stars for me.
A nice mix of the supernatural, the natural, and good ol' regular people combining to make for a horrific situation.
No surprises about the racism and general awfulness surrounding the wrongful imprisonment by the government of thousands of people of Japanese ancestry in internment camps during World War 2. But even knowing that going in doesn't lessen the impact of reading a story set during this terrible time in history.
I've only read one of Katsu's previous books, [b:The Hunger|30285766|The Hunger|Alma Katsu|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1497803277l/30285766._SY75_.jpg|50762090]. As in that book, here Katsu does an excellent job of writing a well paced story populated by believable characters, where the people involved are just as monstrous as anything else.
No surprises about the racism and general awfulness surrounding the wrongful imprisonment by the government of thousands of people of Japanese ancestry in internment camps during World War 2. But even knowing that going in doesn't lessen the impact of reading a story set during this terrible time in history.
I've only read one of Katsu's previous books, [b:The Hunger|30285766|The Hunger|Alma Katsu|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1497803277l/30285766._SY75_.jpg|50762090]. As in that book, here Katsu does an excellent job of writing a well paced story populated by believable characters, where the people involved are just as monstrous as anything else.
The Fervor was written through the lens of someone whose family experienced internment camps firsthand. What's amazing (and/or depressing) is how relevant this story is to our current climate. Swap out some era-specific details with a few modern flourishes and Alma Katsu's novel could take place in modern times. Katsu's strength is placing the reader in the story and skillfully weaving various narratives into a web whose pages we want to flip increasingly faster.
Excellent choice for lovers of historical fiction with an edge.
Excellent choice for lovers of historical fiction with an edge.
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Set during WWII, we follow the intersecting stories of several people who uncover a mysterious threat in the US. This story centers experiences of the internment of Japanese Americans. While set 80 years ago, this story is a reflection of current day America, where hate still flourishes. Katsu wrote this book against the backdrop of increased violence against Asian Americans during the beginning of the COVID pandemic. While the scares are minimal, this was a horrific time of American history that doesn't get discussed enough. Really enjoyed this and can't wait to interview her in a few weeks.
dark
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
dark
mysterious
reflective
sad
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
N/A
Diverse cast of characters:
N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
The Fervor is a historical work of light psychological horror. The setting of WWII America and Japanese internment camps makes for an interesting story. This is an important moment in American history, and works like this help us remain cognizant of the dangers of xenophobia. However, the story didn’t really hook me. I found character development was overly delayed by the use of multiple storylines, and I struggled to really connect with this one.
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
What I enjoy about Alma Katsu's writing is that she takes true events from history and adds a supernatural horror flare. The events she writes about almost seem like horror stories in and of themselves (the Donner party, the sinking of the Titanic, Japanese internment camps during WWII) yet they are based on actual true events. I knew little about the Japanese internment camps during WWII until I read this book and I highly recommend reading the afterword to get a better understanding of the different cultural elements of this book, as well as Katsu's inspiration.
The Fervor is a true depiction of fear mongering and ignorance. The fact internment camps like this even existed is astounding and such a low point in our country's history. It is something that I never remember learning in history class. Katsu takes this concept and turns it on its head with a deadly virus, as well as mysterious military balloons that being popping up around the Pacific Northwest. People who come in contact with these balloons wind up either sick with the virus or dead. Told from the perspectives of Meiko in the internment camps, Fran, a curious news reporter, as well as Archie, a widowed preacher who loses his wife due to an explosion caused by one of these balloons. There are also old journal entries from Meiko's father sprinkled throughout the book that add an interesting context. I was on the edge of my seat as I read and really had no idea what was going on, or how these two storylines would connect. The Fervor is a runaway train of racism, fear, and ignorance that leads to a surprising ending.
https://www.mynightsbooked.com/post/the-fervor
The Fervor is a true depiction of fear mongering and ignorance. The fact internment camps like this even existed is astounding and such a low point in our country's history. It is something that I never remember learning in history class. Katsu takes this concept and turns it on its head with a deadly virus, as well as mysterious military balloons that being popping up around the Pacific Northwest. People who come in contact with these balloons wind up either sick with the virus or dead. Told from the perspectives of Meiko in the internment camps, Fran, a curious news reporter, as well as Archie, a widowed preacher who loses his wife due to an explosion caused by one of these balloons. There are also old journal entries from Meiko's father sprinkled throughout the book that add an interesting context. I was on the edge of my seat as I read and really had no idea what was going on, or how these two storylines would connect. The Fervor is a runaway train of racism, fear, and ignorance that leads to a surprising ending.
https://www.mynightsbooked.com/post/the-fervor