Do you know what this reminds me of? Current times. Except Ebola hasn't hit it at this scale. The Spanish Influenza is definitely much worse. And yes, it hitted the states and other places all over the globe. Including Spain and parts of Europe. But I really like A Death-Struck Year. It had the right balance between romance (with Edmund) and the battle (against the Spanish Influenza). Cleo Berry is looking for a meaning in her life. She is searching for a job. Well, not exactly a job. She is looking for a calling. Remember? A calling? She looks towards the inspiring woman of her times, trying to see if there is anything that clicks. She finds something that draws her attention in a newspaper ad for American Red Cross. She isn't a nurse, yes, but she is someone who is trying to help. But she isn't completely into it. And I really like that. She is more good than bad, but she is torn between two sides.Very good character. And I really like Edmund's little gestures. Some of his quotes were memorable like this one: "Old ladies like me." I have no idea why, but I always crack up when I think about it. It is just hysterical. The historical parts of the book is great. I think it is really interesting. So much information. I think my history book never mentioned the Spanish Influenza, but it is real, yes. Look it up on Wikipedia. The Spanish Influenza is even worse than the Black Death (another attack; smallpox, if I remember correctly). Yet it seems that not a lot of people remember it. Then again, most of the newspapers were biased and they refuse to talk about the real problem with a clear eye. The reporters' glasses are foggy, and I'm sure nations were trying to keep the Spanish Influenza under control. Okay, I'll stop ranting about the historical stuff. It is fascinating, and you can read all about it on Wikipedia. And other books. The ending is a bit shaky. I was totally confused on that part, because it seemed like the author was trying to end the book, but she had some more things to say. It was like... Oh, here. There's the ending... Oh, wait. No. Here is a bit more... It just concludes that endings are impossible.Overall, A Death-Struck Year is very entertaining. However, it falters towards the ending and adds unnecessary details. The light romance between Edmund and Cleo is nicely placed, and it doesn't seem forced at all. I love the drama and all the other things. The historical note is nice, and it gives a chance to educate readers.Rating: Four out of Five-ofpaperandwords.blogspot.com Safe in her home in Portland, Oregon, Cleo Berry can only imagine the terror of the Spanish Influenza that is ravishing the East Coast. When her guardians go away on travel and Cleo is stuck boarding at school, things begin to hit much close to home. The flu that felt so very far away becomes a real threat as cases begin popping up in the Pacific Northwest. Along with churches, theaters, and other public venues, Cleo’s school is shut down. Cleo foolishly decides to ride out the pandemic in the comforts of her own home, but when she sees an ad for Red Cross volunteers, she can’t ignore the call to action. Although at first out of her element, Cleo begins to identify with the patients she is caring for, and she slowly begins to fall for Edmund, a handsome medical student and war vet. Cleo is drawn to helping people, but at what personal risk?Based on the most devastating real-life pandemic ever recorded, A Death-Struck Year is extremely well researched and vividly depicted. I was captivated by Cleo’s story as she dives headfirst into a world she never thought would exist. She’s all at once strong and unwavering in her devotion to the Red Cross, yet still naïve and cautious in her commitment. As a girl who had been spending time questioning her place in the world and what she might do after graduation to make her mark, answering the ad for volunteers led her straight to a path that has her making a world of difference in the lives of those in her community.Amidst the sheer terror and pandemonium that is rife in the novel is a sweet story of friendship. Cleo finds a like-minded and tender soul in Kate, who comes from a long line of nurses. Kate and Cleo hit it off immediately and fall into the comfortable routine of searching neighborhoods for the ill and tending to patients in the sick ward. As the two girls forge a new friendship, Cleo learns that Kate never wanted to follow in her family’s footsteps and become a nurse. She is set to leave on scholarship for a prestigious music school as soon as things settle down in Portland. My heart broke for the things that Kate wanted and might never find in her life, and I was drawn to this friendship forged from tragedy. Another intriguing storyline comes in the form of a budding romance between Cleo and handsome medical student Edmund. Through the chaos and death that surrounds them, Cleo and Edmund forge a tenuous bond, constantly tested by the rigors of caring for the deathly ill. I loved seeing their relationship blossom, confined by both the conventions of the time period as well as their circumstances. It is difficult to even begin to imagine the terror that the people of this time period must have felt in seeing their loved ones and neighbors fall ill to a pandemic never before seen. The Spanish Influenza did not discriminate in choosing its victims, with both the very young and the very old falling prey to the sickness. The novel does an excellent job of capturing the very grim details of caring for the ill, as well as the general panic and dread of the people. The book is riveting and fast-paced, giving the reader an appreciation for the comforts of modern medicine. I highly recommend A Death-Struck Year for anyone looking for a well-paced drama. It is an intriguing story set in a well-researched and vivid historical setting.
What do You think about Das Fieber (2000)?
I read and loved this in manuscript form. Cannot wait to read the final version.
—KGB
What an amazing book about a terrifying time in U.S. history
—Sky
