“Did anyone else not see that ending coming? I found it really bizarre but not bad. What did you think? ”
“A few months ago, I saw a story on PBS about scientists and doctors researching people who seemed to have a natural immunity to certain diseases that kill others. Part of their research was to draw blow for a DNA screen to search for a inherited marker for immunity. I remembered that part of the special featured this very "plague" villiage for the very reason that the population quarentined itself from the rest of the world while the disease did its worst. the scientist tracked down descendants whose ancestors either never got sick or caught the disease and survived. I am certain that this was the villiage because of certain details in the book, mainly that the disease was introduced by flea-invested cloth. Very interesting.”
“A lot of people have been commenting about the surprising ending. Although it is quite sudden and unexpected, I never really minded it, though I sometimes wish it was different. I think the ending is supposed to be a full contrast to her previous life, down to the two daughters as apposed to the two sons and the highly educated and exotic husband and life of relative leisure and pleasure contrasting the mates and lifestyle she experienced throughout the story. ”
“I totally agree with the disconcerted ending. I found that I had to read it twice to even grasp why the author would go that direction, and even then, still don't understand why the ending took that turn. The only thing I could come up with was the obvious light/dark contrast with not only the "blinding light" of the island, the obvious dark skin of the Arab etc... Any more thoughts anyone???”
“Great story, but the end seemed like a different book. What was with the porno sex and marriage to an arab ... What?”
“This reminded me of Thomas Mullen's The Last Town on Earth - much more contemporary history of the 1918 Spanish flu pandemic in a small town in Washington state.”
“Liking the way this book is starting out. Took me a few pages to adjust to the different language/writing style (formal english)...but am intrigued by the story...”
“Don't let the cover fool you, a somtimes brutal account of a time we are lucky enough to not have lived through..Enjoyed it though..need to read a book about kittens being born in a born now...something LIGHT!”
“One of the best books I've ever read!”
“I'm only on about page 40, and I LOVE this book. Brooks is a brilliant writer, and the characters and plot are full of depth and intrigue.”
