Year of Wonders

by Geraldine Brooks | Literature & Fiction |
ISBN: 184115458x Global Overview for this book
Registered by russp of Tiverton, Devon United Kingdom on 9/23/2005
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6 journalers for this copy...
Journal Entry 1 by russp from Tiverton, Devon United Kingdom on Friday, September 23, 2005
probably the best book ive read this year , its a belter.
once you pick it up and start to meet all the people in it you just have to see what happens to them . i loved it.


Journal Entry 2 by tutleymutley from Newton Abbot, Devon United Kingdom on Saturday, September 24, 2005
Picked up from RussP, fellow Bookcrosser at the Second Devon Bookcrossers' Meetup in Dartington - Hail fellow, well met!
Thanks and I look forward to reading it after such a hearty recommendation. OOPs - it's going into the International Bookbox? I'd better read it quick and pass it back to anglersrest - we didn't discuss the box, did we?
cheers.


Journal Entry 3 by tutleymutley from Newton Abbot, Devon United Kingdom on Friday, October 21, 2005
Finished it!
Like RussP, I really enjoyed this book - and its main character, Ann Frith (though she seemed very modern and educated in her thinking for 17th century Eyam!). I found it an easy and unputdownable read and would recommend it.
I knew the story of the 'plague village' in Derbyshire from a play put on by the drama society in my village. The village of Eyam (pronounced 'eem') performed the amazing act of cutting themselves off from the rest of the county and saved likely hundreds of lives: this book truly brought that time to life.
I'm glad the author explains the title in her afterword - I would never have 'got it' otherwise.
As a midwife, I found the midwifery sections frankly unbelievable - but I can forgive the author for this! I also don't believe that Ann would be able to 'escape' so easily as she did at the end - another example of modern thinking and actions that does not compute in my head.
I'll be lazy here, and will add on this amazon.co.uk review with which I basically agree:
Reviewer: markku65 from Los Angeles

"I have been aware of the village of Eyam for many years, living at the coccyx of the pennines in Staffordshire, but have never discovered the true story. Ms Brooks has produced a novel that is so close to the history as to be a real education, but at the same time is also a beautifully written story. The language is tender and evocative - I was particularly moved by the scene where Anna's son showers her with rose petals. The love of a mother for her children is a theme which appears throughout the novel and is written with a great empathy and lovely, light touch.

However, love in its other forms seems to be short-lived, unfulfilling, misguided or simply unpleasant. The single chance for finding love amidst all the hardship is quickly dismissed; shortly after that the novel concludes with a sudden departure, in both location and story.

The ending is a complete jump and not particularly convincing. The epilogue alludes to so many events to be worthy of their own novel, but I doubt whether it would stand scrutiny."



Journal Entry 4 by AnglersRest from Teignmouth, Devon United Kingdom on Saturday, October 22, 2005
Received from russp via tutley mutley for the international meetup book box swap. Our Book box swap partner is in Picton NSW Australia

Journal Entry 5 by AnglersRest from Teignmouth, Devon United Kingdom on Saturday, October 22, 2005
Starting its journey to Australia. Hope the Picton meetup group enjoy the books!

Journal Entry 6 by woosang from Campbelltown, New South Wales Australia on Monday, January 2, 2006
I received this HUGE pile of books today. A gift from the lovely BC meetup members of Devon in the UK..

There are so Many wonderful books in the pile, don't be upset if I try to read them all first before sharing them...

Journal Entry 7 by servalan from Sydney CBD, New South Wales Australia on Tuesday, March 14, 2006
Looking forward to reading this one - thanks Woosang!

Journal Entry 8 by servalan from Sydney CBD, New South Wales Australia on Tuesday, March 28, 2006
I read this book in two sittings, it is engrossing, though more than a bit urky in places. It could have done without the Epilogue as I would have have been happy with the ending prior to that and I also found the Epilogue a bit of a stretch. The Epilogue did make me hanker to know what happened to Anteros - having figured so much in the book he just seems to have disappeared.

Book trivia... the book (excellent!) I read before this one was written by Geraldine Brooks' SO, Tony Horwitz:
http://www.bookcrossing.com/journal/2489921

I will take this book along to the next Sydney meetup & will be "pushing it" as a great read! Thank you to all you lovely BCers for sending this book on its way until it found me.

Released 17 yrs ago (4/11/2006 UTC) at Edinburgh Castle Hotel, Cnr Pitt & Bathurst in Sydney CBD, New South Wales Australia

WILD RELEASE NOTES:

RELEASE NOTES:


Journal Entry 10 by kirst040 from Sydney CBD, New South Wales Australia on Tuesday, April 11, 2006
I've heard a lot about this and with servalan's recommendation I couldn't resist picking it up at meetup. Thanks.

Journal Entry 11 by kirst040 from Sydney CBD, New South Wales Australia on Monday, May 22, 2006
What a wonderful book, I was absolutely fascinated. I like how Brooks didn’t shirk away from the more unpleasant aspects of the time and that Anna was an inspiring and strong yet somewhat flawed heroine. This was very well written and researched, I felt like I was transported to 17th century England and at times the suffering and loss bought tears to my eyes.

I agree that the epilogue was perhaps unnecessary, I would have been happy with the way it ended.

I’ve been undecided about reading the same author’s Pulitzer Prize winning March but now that I’ve read this I’m certainly going to put it on the list. Thanks to all the Bookcrossers that have passed this book around the globe and to servalan for her recommendation. I’m either going to pass this to a workmate or release at the next meetup.


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