This book was excellent. It was written extremely well. I was captivated from the very beginning. The characters were well developed as well. However, the ending seemed somewhat abrupt compared with the pace of the rest of the story.

As a teacher, I am always looking for books that can be used across curriculums. This is a great literary read, with good plot and character development. Additionally, it provides historical insight of the plague and its effects in England and Europe. And finally there is a modern scientific tie-in through an episode over the Black Plague from the PBS series Secrets of the Dead which examines this town and some of its present day descendents of those who survived the outbreak. It explores the genetic research has been done to find out why a small number of the townspeople did not fall victim to the plague. The speculation is that there is a genetic mutation responsible for their immunity which seems to also be the case in some people seem to not develop aids despite exposure.

Anna Frith is a widow with two very young sons when plague comes to her small English village. Over the course of one year she sees the disease take the lives of two thirds of everyone she knows, including those of her own children, but she is sustained by the support and friendship of the rector's wife Elinor. In many chapters the author introduces another family or individual of Anna's acquaintance, which to the reader feels a bit like getting to know the other townsfolk, both likeable and otherwise, in the village. A book about plague would probably not generally be described as feel-good, but for me this story, especially the satisfying twist at the end, was very enjoyable.

I bought this book after seeing it on a list (Amazon Listmania) recommending great historical fiction novels. I was expecting to learn about what it was like to live in the time of the plague, and how people dealt with contagious diseases while having a limited level of scientific knowledge, etc. But instead it was an unbelievable "bodice ripper" and I was completely, utterly disappointed.

In a Year of Wonders, Geraldine Brooks portrays a small town in England during the year 1666 - The Plague Year. Anna Frith, a local woman in town who works at the rectory takes on a traveling tailor as a border. When her border dies of the plague the town makes the decision to stay isolated as opposed to spreading the seeds of the plague all over England by fleeing. This is the story of Anna and her town as they discover themselves, community, strength, love, courage and friendship in the face of a devastating year.

This book flowed better than Brooks' newest book March and read extremely easily. Character description is a big piece of the success of this book. The characters in this book are portrayed in a manner in which you feel as if you know them. This book will make you wonder what you would have done if put in the position that Anna was. Would you have been able to help plague victims in your town, ease their suffering, look after those they left behind, when you knew that at any moment you too might be infected with the plague?

Great piece of historical fiction - this book is based on a real town in London where this actually happened.