Year of Wonders

A Novel

By: Geraldine Brooks

Narrated by: Geraldine Brooks

Length: 10 hrs and 6 mins

Publisher's summary

“Plague stories remind us that we cannot manage without community . . . Year of Wonders is a testament to that very notion.”–The Washington Post

An unforgettable tale, set in 17th century England, of a village that quarantines itself to arrest the spread of the plague, from the author The Secret Chord and of March, winner of the Pulitzer Prize

When an infected bolt of cloth carries plague from London to an isolated village, a housemaid named Anna Frith emerges as an unlikely heroine and healer. Through Anna's eyes we follow the story of the fateful year of 1666, as she and her fellow villagers confront the spread of disease and superstition. As death reaches into every household and villagers turn from prayers to murderous witch-hunting, Anna must find the strength to confront the disintegration of her community and the lure of illicit love. As she struggles to survive and grow, a year of catastrophe becomes instead annus mirabilis, a "year of wonders."

Inspired by the true story of Eyam, a village in the rugged hill country of England, Year of Wonders is a richly detailed evocation of a singular moment in history. Written with stunning emotional intelligence and introducing "an inspiring heroine" (The Wall Street Journal), Brooks blends love and learning, loss and renewal into a spellbinding and unforgettable read.

©2010 Penguin Audiobooks (P)2010 Geraldine Brooks

Critic reviews

"The novel glitters . . . A deep imaginative engagement with how people are changed by catastrophe."—The New Yorker

“Plague stories remind us that we cannot manage without community . . . Year of Wonders is a testament to that very notion . . . [The villagers] assume collective responsibility for combating the plague, rather than seeing it as an act of God before which they are powerless.”—The Washington Post

"Year of Wonders is a vividly imagined and strangely consoling tale of hope in a time of despair."—O, The Oprah Magazine

Beautifully written and beautifully narrated!

This was a wonderful listening experience for me. The author's voice, to me, was perfect. Her intonations made the characters come to life, especially the main character. It was a weird experience to read about the horrors of living through a plague, while walking and wearing my own mask due to Covid19. Every character came alive - I cannot relate to those who found author's voice a distraction or hinderance - I LOVE TO LISTEN TO BOOKS THROUGH THE AUTHOR'S OWN VOICE!

Another Journal of the Plague Year

Is there anything you would change about this book?

The epilogue could have been expanded into a sequel.

What was the most interesting aspect of this story? The least interesting?

How a Derbyshire village (based on a real one) chose to quarantine itself in 1665-6. Certainly a fascinating idea, as Geraldine Brooks mentioned in her afterword. Full of dramatic potential. The herbal lore and midwifery showed her research come alive. But the plot failed too often to grip my attention. Characters did undergo change, but the daily elements were somehow less vivid despite the descriptions of the plague and the violence that ensued. It did not immerse me into the experiences as much as a better novelist could have achieved.

How did the narrator detract from the book?

Her soft voice for the protagonist was unable to convey in male characters the range of emotions and timbre necessary. While the tone grew on me for the main character, it could not capture the others in the village sufficiently, in a sing-song muted register throughout.

Could you see Year of Wonders being made into a movie or a TV series? Who should the stars be?

It could be a movie. Perhaps with Benedict Cumberbatch as the reverend, and Emma Stone as Anne Frith.

Any additional comments?

To her credit, Brooks summons the phrasing of mid-17c British diction well. The book does feel genuine in the rhetorical and tonal choices she makes. Maybe it'd work better on paper.

Historical fiction at its best

I read this book years ago for one book club. It stayed with me. Now that I have moved, I suggested it for my new book club. Well worth enjoying it twice (once reading and now listening to it).

I love the story, but not the narration.

I love reading this book, but listening to it for the first time was difficult. The voices made me fast forward at times.

Difficult subject affected my opinion

Would you say that listening to this book was time well-spent? Why or why not?

Yes because I learned about the history of plague, but it was such a difficult subject that I didn't really enjoy it.

What did you like best about this story?

Geraldine Brooks is a wonderful writer so I always enjoy her language. I also liked the ending, once the time of the plague was over. Her stories are always so well crafted that I was really disappointed that I didn't love this one like I have her other books.

What aspect of Geraldine Brooks’s performance would you have changed?

I don't care for the sound of her voice so there is nothing she could have done to improve the reading. I think it was probably an appropriate voice for the character, but I just don't enjoy listening to it.

Did Year of Wonders inspire you to do anything?

No

Not What I Expected

The historical significance of this read is accurate and well researched. My only problem was with the melodramatic sensualization involving our "heroine". At times "school girl crushes" or all out lust would water down heartfelt moments.
As far as the narrative, I disagree with most reviews in that I thoroughly enjoyed the author's reading. The author gave the lead character life in the way I believe she was meant to be....subdued, conscientious, sweet and charming.
All in all, it was just okay..

favorite book

I adore this book. I wish the author had allowed for a better narrator. Do a remake!

Pandemic… This book makes it seem like a walk in the park.

This book is a huge dose of reality for me. As bad as I’ve been feeling during this pandemic, it doesn’t shine a candle to the plague as described in this book. (which is historical fiction and highly researched. )Not the cheeriest of all topics but I found it incredibly interesting and I really appreciated Geraldine Brooks his ability to weave this tale.

A wonderful story

I loved the story, the writing and the narration. I highly recommend the wonderfully written story.

Narration Prevents Enjoyment

Wow. I've tried to listen to this book 4 times and haven't been able to concentrate on the narrative. The narrator has a high, baby-like voice that really gets in the way of my absorbing the story. I am very interested in this story and know that it is an accomplished book. This is one of the first times I have determined that the narration has really prevented my enjoyment in experiencing this story.