Helpful Score: 6
This is good historical fiction about the yellow fever plague that hit Philadelphia in 1793. It tells the story of Mattie and how the plague affected her, and what lessons she learned while getting through it.
I'd bought the book to give to my 11 year-old niece for Christmas, but then started reading it to see if it was appropriate for her, and I couldn't put it down.
I think it's good for the 10-14 year-old age range, although by 14, this may be a bit young. But sheesh, I'm well past 14 and found it intersting, so what does that say about me? :-)
I'd bought the book to give to my 11 year-old niece for Christmas, but then started reading it to see if it was appropriate for her, and I couldn't put it down.
I think it's good for the 10-14 year-old age range, although by 14, this may be a bit young. But sheesh, I'm well past 14 and found it intersting, so what does that say about me? :-)
Helpful Score: 4
Very well-written historical fiction. Poor Mattie had to grow up so fast, but I think her life is going to be better in the long run for it. I learned quite a bit about some American history that I didn't know much about (there's also a nice section in the end that discusses some of the historical aspects of the story).
Helpful Score: 4
I read this book after my daughter read it and told me how good it was. I enjoyed it very much; it was the first time I really grasped the history of the era and how many people suffered. I read a lot of young adult books to understand history better. They are well-written and easier to read than adult novels. This is one of my all time favorite young adult novels; it is great for all ages! I highly recommend it.
Helpful Score: 3
FEVER 1793 satisfies the desire for strong female protagonists in historical fiction, and establishes Laurie Halse Anderson as a supremely multitalented author. Mattie experiences problems that modern girls can relate to: the desire to escape the drudgery of being worked by her mom in the coffeehouse, financial independence. Many people swear by this book, but I think I might have read it a bit too late, for I felt the plot was a little choppyâwhat I believed would've been the climax happened early on in the book, and I spent the last two-thirds floundering and trying to get back on track. Nevertheless, the characters are well-developed, and there is enough excitement that this should appeal to young girls.
Helpful Score: 2
As an entomologist who often lectures on insects and their effect on history, I recommend this book to middle and high school teachers for their students.
This is an excellent historical novel about the year (1793) yellow fever struck Philadelphia, when that city was the capital of the United States.
It has both white and Afro-American characters in positive roles.
This book has received numerous awards, including:
ALA Best Book for Young Adults
A Junior Library Guild Selection
New York Public Library's Best Books for the Teen Age
New York Public Library's 100 Books for Reading and
Sharing
An IRA Teacher's Choice
An ABA Pick of the Lists
This is an excellent historical novel about the year (1793) yellow fever struck Philadelphia, when that city was the capital of the United States.
It has both white and Afro-American characters in positive roles.
This book has received numerous awards, including:
ALA Best Book for Young Adults
A Junior Library Guild Selection
New York Public Library's Best Books for the Teen Age
New York Public Library's 100 Books for Reading and
Sharing
An IRA Teacher's Choice
An ABA Pick of the Lists
Helpful Score: 2
What can I add that hasn't already been said?
I enjoyed this book. The characters were well-drawn, the plot was good, the story was fact paced, the imagery was gook, and it covered an interesting subject: what happens so the hearts and minds of ordinary people when a deadly epidemic strikes home.
The narrative follows Mattie, an intelligent teenager who has problems with her widowed mother and daydreams about ways to transform her mother's coffee shop. Then, the first deaths from yellow fever appear in Philadelphia. Soon, society and morals in the city fall apart in general and Mattie's life is torn apart.
When her mother sends her to the country with her grandfather, they are suspected of being sick, thrown from the farmer's cart from men who set themselves up as protectors of the small farming community, and their possessions stolen. Her mother, who eventually recovered from the disease, follows her to the farn just to find out that her daughter never arrived.
When Mattie returns to the city, she finds fear, hunger, and suspicion everywhere. Eventually, she moves in with her family's freed black maid and her family, ends up rescuing an orphan toddler whose mother has died from the fever, helps struggling families, and learns how to look outside her own problems to love and care for others.
Overall, I found this book to be a good, quick read with a decent message of caring and hope. I would recommend it.
I enjoyed this book. The characters were well-drawn, the plot was good, the story was fact paced, the imagery was gook, and it covered an interesting subject: what happens so the hearts and minds of ordinary people when a deadly epidemic strikes home.
The narrative follows Mattie, an intelligent teenager who has problems with her widowed mother and daydreams about ways to transform her mother's coffee shop. Then, the first deaths from yellow fever appear in Philadelphia. Soon, society and morals in the city fall apart in general and Mattie's life is torn apart.
When her mother sends her to the country with her grandfather, they are suspected of being sick, thrown from the farmer's cart from men who set themselves up as protectors of the small farming community, and their possessions stolen. Her mother, who eventually recovered from the disease, follows her to the farn just to find out that her daughter never arrived.
When Mattie returns to the city, she finds fear, hunger, and suspicion everywhere. Eventually, she moves in with her family's freed black maid and her family, ends up rescuing an orphan toddler whose mother has died from the fever, helps struggling families, and learns how to look outside her own problems to love and care for others.
Overall, I found this book to be a good, quick read with a decent message of caring and hope. I would recommend it.
Helpful Score: 1
After meeting the author I had to buy and read this book, it was great.
Helpful Score: 1
I thought this book was very good. I came arcoss this book when I was looking for some to post on here, but I decided to keep it in case I wanted to read it again. For a book set back in the past (which usually I don't really care for), it was very interesting and kept you in suspense.
Helpful Score: 1
This was my 10 year old daughters book, I found it a very good read myself.
Helpful Score: 1
A well written historical fiction novel. I learned a lot about this lives of people in the 1700s while being entertained!
Helpful Score: 1
One of my favorite books as a teacher and an avid-reader. GREAT historical fiction!!
Helpful Score: 1
It was very interesting reading. Would recommend it.
Helpful Score: 1
Fluffy historical fiction, most appropriate for elementary-school readers. Lacked the depth of A Parcel of Patterns, also about an epidemic, also written for a young-adult audience. Of course, I didn't care for Anderson's novel Speak either.
Helpful Score: 1
I really recommend reading this along with the non-fiction newbery-award winning book, "American Plague." Together they give a vivid picture of a time in American history not long after the Revolutionary War, when a severe pestilence paralyzed America's then-capitol city, Philadelphia. Follow this up with a visit to Philadelphia's Mutter Museum.
Helpful Score: 1
An interesting book for young readers about a little-known event in U.S. history.
Helpful Score: 1
Very interesting historical fiction!
Helpful Score: 1
AWESOME, AWESOME, AWESOME reading!!!!
Helpful Score: 1
a nice historical fiction.
Helpful Score: 1
I honestly chose this book solely because I loved the cover! I never thought I would read the entire book in one evening! I have never read a book like this before, as I am not really a big history person, but I felt like I knew every character & felt like I was right there! You should read this one if you get the chance.....I am keeping mine! :)
Helpful Score: 1
Historical novel that puts you squarely in that period. Dramatic and emotional; fascinating.
I read this book with my seven year old son and we both enjoyed it. The characters are very true to the time and the yellow fever epidemic is a historical sore in Philadelphia's history that a lot of people don't know much about. It helped my son realize how far we've come with medical practice and I just enjoyed the author's ability to use language to appeal to all ages. I would highly recommend this book.
Mattie Cook is a 14-year old girl living with her widowed mother and grandfather in their coffeehouse in Philadelphia in 1793. Like most teens in her day, she is kept busy helping run the family business even as she tries to avoid chores and constantly contrives to run into Nathaniel, a young painter whom her mother frowns upon because he has no prospects. Then yellow fever descends upon the city, and her world is turned upside down. The rich flee the city as the dead start to pile up in the streets, and friends turn on each other even as strangers act heroically to help those in need, and Mattie struggles to survive in a world suddenly turned dangerous. It is a chilling but fascinating picture of a dark time in America's history told from a teen's point of view for young adults.
Woderful book. It kept my attention throughout the entire book. I think that it gives you a better idea of what really happened when yellow fever hit Philly.
THIS IS A VERY GOOD BOOK. I LIKE HOW REAL AND HISTORIC THE BOOK IS.
During the summer of 1793, Mattie Cook lives above the family coffee shop with her widowed mother and grandfather. Mattie spends her days avoiding chores and making plans to turn family business into the finest Philadelphia has ever seen. But then the fever breaks out, disease sweep the streets, destroying everything, and her mother is infected. Read as Mattie and her grandfather escape the country.
My 11 year old daughter read this book. She really enjoyed it. She found it fascinating and really enjoyed the characters. It was certainly a thought provoking book for a young mind.
This is a very well written novel about the yellow fever epidemic of 1793 from a very historical reference. Although this story was written for ages 9 - 12 as an adult I enjoyed it very much, the writer is very descriptive. The story takes place in Philadelphia and is told from the perspective of a 12 year old girl, Mattie.
My preteen daughter loved this book. We were studying this time period and she wanted to know more about the fever then...she found it a nice historical fiction
This is a great historical young adult novel. I never really knew much about the fever of 1793, and this story told of what people may have gone through, with some true facts about the fever at the end of the book. The cover is beautiful and eerie and draws you in right off the bat. Mattie is a courageous main character who goes through great strides to survive the fever and reach out to others who need help. She endures alot of heartache from people close to her dying, but never gives up. Overall, it is a great book that can be enjoyed by both teens and adults.
http://www.hoteatsandcoolreads.com/2012/05/book-review-fever-1793-by-laurie-halse.html
http://www.hoteatsandcoolreads.com/2012/05/book-review-fever-1793-by-laurie-halse.html
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. Its great to be reminded of how far weve 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 todays reader may not be familiar with. A little book packed with lots of info and great storytelling.
On the flu epidemic of 1793. Historical novel.
This was a good page turner that kept me entertained. I thought the story was well done, but it didn't quite touch me emotionally as well as Speak did.
Another one of the best books of all time. Written about a young girl in the late 1700's. A great coming of age story.
This is a great book.
An almost frightening story when you realize how real it was back then, and how real something like that could be again.
Fascinating and moving.
Fascinating and moving.
This is a very readable and fast-paced story of a 14-year-old girl caught up in a yellow fever epidemic in Philadelphia during the time of George Washington. While the story's main character will appeal to teens, there is also enough historical detail and plot to keep adults interested as well. Highly recommended.
I loved this book. It has many twists and turns, and happiness and lots of sadness. The reader really understands just how devastating that flu epidemic was.
Great historical fiction on the yellow fever epidemic of 1793 in Philadelphia.
Historical fiction, moving, touching, saddening, wisening (if that's even a word).
You don't have to be young to enjoy this book. I'm an adult and I found it riveting.
This is a great story about when the "FEVER" strikes the town. Will anyone survive?
This book is for young adults but my sister-in-law read it from her daughter's pile of books and loved it. She bought me a copy and I liked it very much.
I really enjoyed this book. It is a nice, fast read.
Good read, interesting time in history.
I loved this book!
This story provides a great picture into the lifestyle that many went through during Yellow Fever.
It displays the pain and sadness that families went through. I felt like I was there while reading this.
A great read!
This story provides a great picture into the lifestyle that many went through during Yellow Fever.
It displays the pain and sadness that families went through. I felt like I was there while reading this.
A great read!
ACTUAL RATING: 3.75 I had high expectations for Fever 1793, and it most definitely didn't disappoint my expectations (maybe it even exceeded them!) It is a wonderful novel about survival - and the importance of family.
I don't usually read much historical fiction, but whatever books I do read in that genre always tend to be rather good. This being said, my expectations were high for Fever 1793
The characters in this story are well-done. Mattie is a great main character - she's a great role model to young children as well. I loved how Laurie Halse Anderson brought her to life with such realism that it felt like she was an actual person. I truly enjoyed watching her change from being the lazy daughter of a widow to becoming a strong young lady whose survival skills are quite superior.
Laurie Halse Anderson truly develops an excellent setting in this story! Readers will enjoy riding around pre-epedemic Philadelphia with Mattie and her family, and they will weep once they see the damage the epidemic does to such a thriving, and growing, town. Anderson truly makes the setting represent the time period! The dialect and speech are so realistically accurate to that of what was really spoken during this time period. This is amazing and it really helps readers understand Mattie's world! Every detail Anderson puts in...from the "general stores," to the lack of electricity, is so accurate! It truly helps the reader feel like they're following Mattie around her town!
My only minor concern regards the plot. Fever 1793 is most definitely written for pre-teens. And to say it simply, there is not a big enough conflict to keep adult readers as interested as young children. However, the plot and pacing, overall, are well done. The pacing is neither too fast nor too slow, and the plot is original and unique. And the writing is beautiful and emotion-provoking - with occasional humor sprinkled here and there!
All in all, this is a beautiful book. I will definitely be reading more of Anderson's novels. I highly recommend this to anyone who loves YA historical fiction. It's truly a beautiful story and it will stay with you forever.
in the process of reading it
