“On rarely sees a wigg’d gallant of a powdered lady, for wealth and connection are no shield against Plague. ”

The word dropped like an anvil among the tinkling silverware. The bright room dimmed for me as if someone had snuffed every candle all at once. I clutched the platter I carried so that I would not drop it and stood stock-still until I was sure of my balance. I gathered myself and tried to steady my breath. I had seen enough people carried by illness in my life. There are many fevers that can kill a man other than the Plague.

I can’t remember why I chose “Year of Wonders” as the book I wanted to read written by Geraldine Brooks (given that she won the Pulitzer Prize for her novel “March”), nevertheless I do not regret my decision. “Year of Wonders” is an outstanding novel with such vivid descriptions that I could feel the plague invading my body every time it took on a new victim (for example, “then the purple thing burst all of a sudden open, slitting like a pea pod and issuing forth creamy pus all spotted through shreds of dead flesh”). It covers one year, from 1665 to 1666, in the history of a small town north of London where a suitable foreigner first brings the plague in and soon the outbreak begins.

Anna Frith, the main character and narrator, invites us into her life pre-plague and disentangles the relationships that exist in small towns where everyone knows everyone and suddenly the plague invades. She is a young, hardworking widow and housemaid that works for the Rector (also the leader of the town) and his wife. Together the two women work day and night to save the sick and bring some type of hope to the town. Despite taking place during only one year, the plot is thick. There is something happening in every line and I caught myself reading paragraphs more than twice in order not to miss any details. Every character (the town’s crazy woman, the local witches, the rich men and women, the children, even the horse) plays a role and treats the plague in different ways and through Anna everything is connected.

Brooks uses rich phrases and metaphors to describe what Anna is feeling and what the rest of town perceives, a trait difficult to find in any author’s first novels. Although the readers get to know the characters from just one point of view, it is enough to get to know them intimately, especially the most relevant characters like the Rector, his wife, and Anna’s father and stepmother. She also manages to work in the religious aspect of the plague and how each town member treats faith in such terrible times. I also think the title is brilliant, one cannot expect how a year of plague can be a year of wonders and yet it is (you’ll have to read till the end). I could not believe this was her first novel and I cannot wait to read “March.”

About Geraldine Brooks

Geraldine Brooks is a writer and journalist from Sydney. She has a masters in Journalism from Columbia University and work as correspondent for the New York Times. She won the Overseas Press Award along with her husband for their work covering the Gulf Wars. “Year of Wonders” is her first novel, and in 2006 she won the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction for her second novel, “March”.

Other books written by Australian women

We only recommend books we’ve read

The Idea of Perfection – Kate Grenville (read by Ceci)

Which book do you recommend? Please let us know in the comment section!

Australian initiatives and projects that support and empower girls and women

The Global Women’s Project

The Global Women’s Project’s vision is to help women and entrepreneurial women thrive in their contexts. They provided programs that included teaching Computer and English Skills, a business incubator for women, learning how to run a restaurant, small business rehabilitation skills and small business finance. They finance their initiative by having local events organized and run by Australian women, such as the Melbourne Art Battle, where 12 artists compete with one another, an auction is held and all the ticket sales are donated to the project.