An intimate look at a pandemic
In early 1918, with WWI still raging in Europe, Thomas and Pauline Bright move with their 3 daughters from the family tobacco farm in Quakertown, Pennsylvania to Philadelphia. Thomas is to apprentice at his elderly bachelor uncle’s funeral home business. He sees it as an opportunity to give his three girls a better life. But for Pauline, who is emerging from the grief of losing an infant son, she sees being an undertaker’s wife as an opportunity to make peace with death by being closer to it. Little do they realize just how much this decision will impact their lives. Just a few months after moving, the Spanish Flu arrives in Philadelphia, one of the cities in the US most affected, and the Bright family finds that the flu impacts their lives irreversibly.
The novel is narrated by Pauline and her three daughters. Evie the oldest, has a thirst for learning and has her sights set on becoming a doctor. Willa, the youngest, escapes the harsh realities of life by secretly performing in a speakeasy club. And middle child Maggie, impetuously brings home an infant boy orphaned by the flu, thinking that he can fix the grief that lingers for her lost brother. In their words, the author gives us a glimpse of the devastation the family and Philadelphia endures through the pandemic and also how its effects their lives into the 1920’s.
I have long been fascinated by the scope of the Spanish Flu and this novel was so well researched and insightful. The Spanish Flu, which we now know is related to the swine flu, killed an estimated 20-50 million people worldwide and infected about 1/3 of the world’s population at the time. Much like the H1N1 virus, it was particularly devastating to the young and healthy. It was brought to the US by troops returning from the war in Europe. Cities were especially hard hit by the flu when during Armistice day, people removed their masks while gathering in the streets and at parades to celebrate. The flu killed more people than the two world wars combined.
The author wrote the novel in view of the coming centennial of the flu and she painted the scope of its impact with clarity. You feel as though you are part of the Bright family and are dealing with the pandemic right along with them. I was struck by the fact that, 100 years later, man still lives in fear of the next big pandemic. Even as I received this in the mail, the Bubonic plague (black death) has resurfaced in Madagascar. A fascinating look an epic event in world history and a fast page turner. I was drawn in from page one.
The novel is narrated by Pauline and her three daughters. Evie the oldest, has a thirst for learning and has her sights set on becoming a doctor. Willa, the youngest, escapes the harsh realities of life by secretly performing in a speakeasy club. And middle child Maggie, impetuously brings home an infant boy orphaned by the flu, thinking that he can fix the grief that lingers for her lost brother. In their words, the author gives us a glimpse of the devastation the family and Philadelphia endures through the pandemic and also how its effects their lives into the 1920’s.
I have long been fascinated by the scope of the Spanish Flu and this novel was so well researched and insightful. The Spanish Flu, which we now know is related to the swine flu, killed an estimated 20-50 million people worldwide and infected about 1/3 of the world’s population at the time. Much like the H1N1 virus, it was particularly devastating to the young and healthy. It was brought to the US by troops returning from the war in Europe. Cities were especially hard hit by the flu when during Armistice day, people removed their masks while gathering in the streets and at parades to celebrate. The flu killed more people than the two world wars combined.
The author wrote the novel in view of the coming centennial of the flu and she painted the scope of its impact with clarity. You feel as though you are part of the Bright family and are dealing with the pandemic right along with them. I was struck by the fact that, 100 years later, man still lives in fear of the next big pandemic. Even as I received this in the mail, the Bubonic plague (black death) has resurfaced in Madagascar. A fascinating look an epic event in world history and a fast page turner. I was drawn in from page one.