Fever
Wow! What a great story about a real, historical person with truly a life based on continuous strife and struggle. Mary Mallon - an Irish immigrant, domestic servant with no family and a violent temper turns out to be identified as the first asymptomatic carrier of Typhoid Fever. Through no fault of her own, she is taken by force, against her will and deprived of her civil liberties. Yet, she emerges as a woman trying to find her way in a new country, without family or friends. Keane, has given the reader a real character we can like or dislike, but cannot ignore. The pros and cons of what Mary experienced is what makes this story so riveting and worthy of discussion. She was such a complex woman that In the end I still couldn't make up my mind whether to give her a loud "Boo" or a rousing cheer. Definitely a good read.
Rated of 5
by Teresa R. (Evansville, IN)
Gripping!
Wow! Loved, loved, loved this book. It usually takes me a good 100 pages to get into a book... and really want to continue reading. Not so with "Fever." After reading the first 5 pages I was hooked. The writing is wonderful... so good in fact that you forget to even notice it. This was another book of historical fiction that makes me realize just what isn't known by many of us... the cardboard characters we read about as children become real people with real emotions and secrets. Read this one... I promise that you will learn something!
Rated of 5
by Annette S. (Duluth, GA)
Fever
An unforgettable story of an Irish immigrant who came to New York at the beginning of the twentieth century. Her dreams included becoming a cook as she worked her way up through the different positions of domestic service until finally becoming a cook for some of the wealthy families of Manhattan. You will learn of how the poor coped with urban life, and how the seriously ill were treated by the Department of Health, while they were trying to protect the health of the public.
As historical fiction, Fever will not disappoint and is one of the best.
Rated of 5
by Becky M. (Crumpler, NC)
Not your average historical fiction
Normally, I do not read historical fiction, because it is, after all, history--which I find difficult to read--and fiction--which sort of negates the history aspect. But I was intrigued by the topic, Typhoid Mary, and the fact that I knew so little about a woman whose name I had heard all my life. Fever captured my interest immediately and held on to it throughout the novel. Mary became more than a well-developed character. She became, instead, a woman of intrigue and conflicting emotions. There were elements of her personality which will resonate with most women--the need for independence, love, and respect. The fact that she lived 100 years ago only added to her appeal. Keane has melded the facts of that frightening time with the humanity of her characters and the quickly changing ethics of the early twentieth century. Still, Keane does not succumb to flippant fictional techniques and instead manages to write history in a serious, direct way while allowing her imagination to create believable scenarios and characters of depth.
Rated of 5
by Mary Ann B. (Louisville, KY)
Fever
Sometimes non-fiction books read like fiction.The book Fever does the opposite. Ms. Keane takes real people,real incidents, and creates a world that readers come to live in. Mary Mallon, given the name Typhoid Mary by the press, is a compelling character whose story you want to know. The book's atmosphere puts you in the early 20th century, and what was known, and still unknown about disease causes and prevention.
Rated of 5
by Mary S. (Pinson, AL)
Fever
Fever is a wonderful story. I finished reading the book a few days ago, and I can't stop thinking about it. I was amazed that the medical and science community could arrest and isolate someone without more proof that she was a carrier. I felt so sorry for Mary Mallon. I realize that these scientists were trying to protect the community from infection, but I put myself in Mary's position. She was healthy young woman; and the media made her out to be nothing more than a disease by labeling her Typhoid Mary. I loved the book, Keane has written a fascinating and also heartbreaking human story.
Rated of 5
by L.S. (Westford, MA)
Compelling
It's the kind of book where you dread the last page because the story ends. The characters stay with you after that last page. Mary Beth Keane brilliantly brings the characters to life and makes you feel like you are right in the midst of their lives with all the frustration, cruelty and helplessness. I found myself cheering Mary on as she fights for her freedom and tries to hold on to some little happiness. I'll never think of Typhoid Mary the same way before I read this book.
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of 5
by Joan C. (Warwick, RI)
