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ahayes's review against another edition
2.0
Not the greatest middle grade book I've ever read. A little too depressing for my taste and not the way I wanted my 5th grader to learn about the plague. The characters were annoying and no one seemed to respect of listen to authority.
wordnerd153's review against another edition
4.0
San Francisco in 1900 was a place of secrets. Lizzie, an independent, intelligent girl who dreams of being a doctor, thinks the plague has arrived in the city, but no one in her family believes her. Chinatown gets quarantined and Jing, her servant and friend, goes missing. Billy, Lizzie's older brother, comes home late at night covered in scrapes and bruises. Lizzie finds out someone is hiding on the 3rd floor of the house and mustn't let anyone know. This fast-paced and intriguing story will have readers cheering on Lizzie as she fights against gender norms and stands up for what she knows to be right. Wonderful middle grade historical fiction about a time in American history that is often overlooked.
nilachristine22's review against another edition
4.0
Although the main character of this book was only thirteen, I found myself really liking our protagonist. Lizzie was courageous, loyal, smart, and witty. I really enjoyed following her on this journey. I also found the historical context fascinating as I had no idea this event had transpired in the course of U.S. history.
I would really recommend this book for fans of historical fiction. Don't let the age of the narrator deter you- this is really a good read!
I would really recommend this book for fans of historical fiction. Don't let the age of the narrator deter you- this is really a good read!
raoionna's review against another edition
4.0
This is a wonderful elementary-age mystery about illness and community in the early American West.
arrrgh_schooling's review against another edition
4.0
I really enjoyed this story about a headstrong girl living in turn-of-the-century San Francisco. Lizzie loves to help her father tend to his patients, and she longs to become a doctor as well, something that her Aunt Hortense just cannot abide. Girls are meant to be pretty and well-mannered, which is why she is sent to Miss Barstow's School. But when there is suspicion about a possible plague outbreak in Chinatown, no one believes it, but Lizzie knows something is definitely wrong.
This was a very atmospheric read - I could easily visualize the setting. I really enjoyed Lizzie as a character and seeing her and her Aunt learn to understand each other was really heartwarming.
I also thought the commentary about the plague and why so many chose to believe it wasn't happening was very relevant. People never change I suppose.
This was a very atmospheric read - I could easily visualize the setting. I really enjoyed Lizzie as a character and seeing her and her Aunt learn to understand each other was really heartwarming.
I also thought the commentary about the plague and why so many chose to believe it wasn't happening was very relevant. People never change I suppose.
hezann73's review against another edition
4.0
A bittersweet book - not really what I was expecting, but an interesting look at an event I knew nothing about.
merer's review against another edition
3.0
Pros
*A very entertaining historical fiction novel.
*Unusual subjects-A modern recurrence of Bubonic Plague, San Francisco pre-1906 quake, women's rights, and Chinese-American life in the early 20th century.
*Wide Appeal-The story includes hints of romance, action and derring-do, is based on true historical events, and provides readers with a Downton Abbey-esque window into the daily lives of history's ultra-wealthy.
Cons
*Meandering plot-There was a lot going on here--Lizzie+Gus, Lizzie+Noah, Lizzie+friendships, illegal street fighting, Bubonic Plague, early 20th century newspaper wars, racism and genocide, early 20th century medical technique, proper etiquette for women, women's rights, etc... I didn't feel satisfied with the amount of coverage any of these topics got, and I wish the book had been about 100 pages longer so that we could have delved a little deeper into them.
*Lizzie-Not my favorite character. She was a self-important know-it-all who whined about not having any friends, but then didn't reciprocate much when they invited her out. Sometimes, being a brilliant pest can come off as oddly charming, but there just weren't enough things I liked about Lizzie to balance her out.
*
*A very entertaining historical fiction novel.
*Unusual subjects-A modern recurrence of Bubonic Plague, San Francisco pre-1906 quake, women's rights, and Chinese-American life in the early 20th century.
*Wide Appeal-The story includes hints of romance, action and derring-do, is based on true historical events, and provides readers with a Downton Abbey-esque window into the daily lives of history's ultra-wealthy.
Cons
*Meandering plot-There was a lot going on here--Lizzie+Gus, Lizzie+Noah, Lizzie+friendships, illegal street fighting, Bubonic Plague, early 20th century newspaper wars, racism and genocide, early 20th century medical technique, proper etiquette for women, women's rights, etc... I didn't feel satisfied with the amount of coverage any of these topics got, and I wish the book had been about 100 pages longer so that we could have delved a little deeper into them.
*Lizzie-Not my favorite character. She was a self-important know-it-all who whined about not having any friends, but then didn't reciprocate much when they invited her out. Sometimes, being a brilliant pest can come off as oddly charming, but there just weren't enough things I liked about Lizzie to balance her out.
*