Fever 1793
Ratings60
Average rating3.8
15
Ratings60
Average rating3.8
It's late summer 1793, and the streets of Philadelphia are abuzz with mosquitoes and rumors of fever. Down near the docks, many have taken ill, and the fatalities are mounting. Now they include Polly, the serving girl at the Cook Coffeehouse. But fourteen-year-old Mattie Cook doesn't get a moment to mourn the passing of her childhood playmate. New customers have overrun her family's coffee shop, located far from the mosquito-infested river, and Mattie's concerns of fever are all but overshadowed by dreams of growing her family's small business into a thriving enterprise. But when the fever begins to strike closer to home, Mattie's struggle to build a new life must give way to a new fight—the fight to stay alive.
Reviews with the most likes.
This was a great, quick read about the yellow fever epidemic in Philadelphia in 1793. Thr historical aspects are spot-on. The story itself is lukewarm. We know she likes the boy because we are told she does. Everything is told, nothing is demonstrated.
The scene at the tea... BRILLIANT. It's funny, but really not. I'd LOVE to see it acted out. My favorite part of the book hands down.
Ehhhh I read this after I read [b:An American Plague: The True and Terrifying Story of the Yellow Fever Epidemic of 1793 46727 An American Plague The True and Terrifying Story of the Yellow Fever Epidemic of 1793 Jim Murphy http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1170343104s/46727.jpg 45822] (both assigned for class; I'm not suddenly obsessed with yellow fever or anything) and this wasn't as richly detailed or compelling as the nonfiction story. The protagonist also felt fairly anachronistic.
The telling of the fever epidemic is very informative, but by no means dry or technical. The author paints a colorful picture of old Philadelphia and the historical figures included in the storytelling come to life once again. It's great to be reminded of how far we've come in terms of medical advancement. The remedies and medicines considered to be effective in that time are shocking. I love how in the epilogue the author describes some of the tools, medicines, etc. that today's reader may not be familiar with. A little book packed with lots of info and great storytelling.
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