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4.09 AVERAGE
4.09 AVERAGE
This was quite macabre and at many points infuriating, but I found myself genuinely anxious along with the characters to get to the conclusion.
challenging
emotional
sad
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
This book has so much more impact now than it would have had 6 months ago. I had heard in passing about the Spanish influenza, but I don't recall any first hand experiences. Reading this story showed me how much less the current coronavirus we are dealing with really is. People with the Spanish influenza would be fine one day, then die within 24 hours. Much more deadly than our current pandemic.
This particular story follows a young girl named Pia who is a German immigrant. The story touches on racism, mistrust of anyone foreign, and a very deadly virus. The story follows her on the journey of trying to survive and be reunited with her twin baby brothers. She has to deal with many people who treat her as beneath them due to her home country and her parents being gone.
There is so much I learned through reading this book that really makes me feel so blessed to live in America now, and not 100 years ago. My ancestry is those German and Irish immigrants that were treated like filth. I'm so happy that our country has evolved past a lot of this mistrust. However, I've also realized that there is definitely still a lot of this behavior in many Americans. Hopefully, one day, we can all get past the barriers and hatred of things we don't understand.
I guess I don't completely know how I feel, but I definitely think there were a lot of very powerful lessons throughout this book. I definitely think it would be a good book for people to read to really get a perspective on how things were then compared to today.
This particular story follows a young girl named Pia who is a German immigrant. The story touches on racism, mistrust of anyone foreign, and a very deadly virus. The story follows her on the journey of trying to survive and be reunited with her twin baby brothers. She has to deal with many people who treat her as beneath them due to her home country and her parents being gone.
There is so much I learned through reading this book that really makes me feel so blessed to live in America now, and not 100 years ago. My ancestry is those German and Irish immigrants that were treated like filth. I'm so happy that our country has evolved past a lot of this mistrust. However, I've also realized that there is definitely still a lot of this behavior in many Americans. Hopefully, one day, we can all get past the barriers and hatred of things we don't understand.
I guess I don't completely know how I feel, but I definitely think there were a lot of very powerful lessons throughout this book. I definitely think it would be a good book for people to read to really get a perspective on how things were then compared to today.
Here's me again reading a book set during a pandemic- the 1918 flu pandemic, as we come out of this Covid-19 pandemic.
I enjoyed the historical details and Pia's story. Bernice/Nurse Wallace, on the other hand, was a hard character to swallow. I loathed her voice and every action she took. Bernice's reasining and xenophobia was hard to digest, thus making her an unlikeable character.
Pia's voice was soothng to the soul, especially at the beginning of the novel. This novel has intrigued me to find out more about the aftermath of the 1918 pandemic and also how rampant child stealing/selling was during the chaos and unsettling times when there was so much tragedy.
I enjoyed the historical details and Pia's story. Bernice/Nurse Wallace, on the other hand, was a hard character to swallow. I loathed her voice and every action she took. Bernice's reasining and xenophobia was hard to digest, thus making her an unlikeable character.
Pia's voice was soothng to the soul, especially at the beginning of the novel. This novel has intrigued me to find out more about the aftermath of the 1918 pandemic and also how rampant child stealing/selling was during the chaos and unsettling times when there was so much tragedy.
The story was a good one. Although the first third or so of the book moved quickly and was filled with historical details that made it interesting and relevant, the rest of the book was ponderous and drawn out. The reading level was geared more for middle schoolers, although I’m sure that’s not how it was marketed.
This book was a fantastic read - a little eerie given the parallels between the 1918 flu pandemic and our current one not to mention the racism and destructive prejudice at the heart of the central conflict. This was a well crafted story with fleshed out characters and themes. Lots to think about and potentially discuss if read in a book club kind of setting! Highly recommend!
2021 Popsugar Reading Challenge prompt: A free book from your TBR list (borrowed)
Virtual Mount TBR 2021: book # 1
This book was amazing! It was historical fiction but, it was a bit more than that. It was a story of determination, hope, and friendship. I have to say, I was peeking at reviews on this book as I was reading it and there were quite a few that gave it just one star, due to the story just "being a bit too much", but I thought it was fantastic. It kept me, as a reader, hanging on and not being able to wait to see how it ended. I freely admit that I teared up/cried at multiple points in the story (FAIR WARNING).
Another highly recommended book for 2021!
Virtual Mount TBR 2021: book # 1
This book was amazing! It was historical fiction but, it was a bit more than that. It was a story of determination, hope, and friendship. I have to say, I was peeking at reviews on this book as I was reading it and there were quite a few that gave it just one star, due to the story just "being a bit too much", but I thought it was fantastic. It kept me, as a reader, hanging on and not being able to wait to see how it ended. I freely admit that I teared up/cried at multiple points in the story (FAIR WARNING).
Another highly recommended book for 2021!
An excellent read. Really adds depth and texture to my understanding of the Spanish Flu pandemic.
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
informative
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Heartbreaking and infuriating, I almost hated reading this book. The story broke me, and then broke me again. I would honestly recommend this book to anyone.