Intriguing and timely

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A haunting look at the Spanish flu pandemic and its impact on the people of Philadelphia. The characters are interesting and the book leaves you wanting more. Both the main characters of Pia and Bernice are enticing, with their motivations and histories. They accurately reflect people of their time, but also those of a modern era.

With the current global pandemic, the book is timely in its narration of another era very similar to our own. Pia's background as an immigrant in a hostile city is heart wrenching and brings to mind the immigrants we have trying to make better lives for themselves in our country today. Bernice is a generational American, her family having been in the country for almost 100 years, and her motivations are entirely different, and reflect a similar point of view from many in the United States today.

The portrayal of the characters and the fear of the Spanish flu is fascinating from a historical perspective, but also could be written in the present day given everything happening in this world. This is a book I just couldn't stop reading!