Wickett's Remedy

A Novel

By: Myla Goldberg

Narrated by: Myla Goldberg

Length: 10 hrs and 58 mins

Publisher's summary

The triumphant follow-up to the best-selling Bee Season, Wickett’s Remedy is an epic but intimate novel about a young Irish-American woman facing down tragedy during the Great Flu epidemic of 1918.

Wickett’s Remedy leads us back to Boston in the early part of the 20th century and into the world of Lydia, an Irish-American shop girl yearning for a grander world than the cramped confines of South Boston. She seems to be well on her way to the life she has dreamed of when she marries Henry Wickett, a shy medical student and the scion of a Boston Brahmin family. Soon after their wedding, however, Henry shocks Lydia by quitting medical school and creating a mail-order patent medicine called Wickett’s Remedy. And then just as the enterprise is getting off the ground, the Spanish Influenza epidemic of 1918 begins its deadly sweep across the world, drastically changing their lives.In a world turned almost unrecognizable by swift and sudden tragedy, Lydia finds herself working as a nurse in an experimental ward dedicated to understanding the raging epidemic—through the use of human subjects.

Meanwhile, we follow the fate of Henry’s beloved Wickett’s Remedy as his one-time business partner steals the recipe and transforms it into QD Soda, a wildly popular soft drink.

Based on years of research and evoking actual events, Wickett’s Remedy perfectly captures the texture of the times and brings a colourful cast of characters vividly to life, including a sad and funny chorus of the dead. With wit and dexterity, Goldberg has fashioned a novel that is both charming and grand. Wickett’s Remedy announces her arrival as a major novelist.

"South Boston belonged to Lydia as profoundly and wordlessly as her thimble finger. Her knowledge of its streets was more complete than any atlas, her mental maps reflecting changes that occurred from season to season, day to day, and hour to hour. Each time she left 28 D Street—one among a row of identical triple-decker houses, the tenements lining the street like so many stained teeth—her route reflected this internal almanac....

For ten years this was enough. Then in fifth grade, Lydia saw a city map and realized her entire world was a mitten dangling from Boston’s sleeve. Across the bridge lay Washington Street—the longest street in all New England—which began like any other but then continued north, a single determined thread of cobblestone that wove itself through every town from Boston to Providence. Once Lydia saw Washington Street she knew she could not allow it to exist without her."—excerpt from Wickett's Remedy

©2005 Myla Goldberg (P)2005 Random House, Inc. Random House Audio, a division of Random House, Inc.

Critic reviews

“With this second voyage out, Goldberg demonstrates her versatility, mixing research with whimsy, sensitivity with humour, satire with romance.” —The Gazette (Montreal)

“Goldberg displays a fresh, distinctive, totally winning voice.” —Publishers Weekly

“A rich historical re-creation whose energy and ingenuity evoke memories of EL Doctorow’s classic Ragtime, Stephen Milhauser’s Pulitzer Prize winner Martin Dressler and Thomas McMahon’s forgotten picturesque mini masterpiece McKay’s Bees. A fine novel …. And a quantum leap forward for the gifted Goldberg.”—Kirkus Reviews (starred)

An Odd Little Tale

This really was an odd little tale. Enjoyable, but odd. The central theme of the flu epidemic during 1918 takes a young woman to a marriage, to becoming a widow, to a career of fighting that epidemic. Sprinkled in and out are spots for a soft drink the widow's husband had created.

The characters get confusing as the settings are so diverse. The soda pop vignettes are a bit distracting as they lend little to the main theme.

Overall, this was a pleasant listen. Don't expect much and you won't be dissappointed. but it is nice enough.

hard to finish

I enjoyed Bee Season and was looking forward to Myla Goldberg's next book, but I did not enjoy this story. I found it quite boring and I still don't understand what the plot was supposed to be. As an audible book I found the parts of the story that were interviews, tours or newsclippings very confusing when they disgressed from the main story. I forced myself to finish the book, but was disappointed that it never seemed to amount to anything.

Wickett's Remedy

I am sad to say that I really did not enjoy this book very much. The audio clips of the news reels were funny and well done; but the story was just bland and not very interesting to me.

confusing to hear

I think this book has an interesting storyline but it got confusing to listen to it. There wasn't enough information to let you know "when" each chapter was taking place. I got a little bored with it and feel I missed the sense of the plot and where she was intending to go with it...and it's un-abridged!

Confusing

Seems like Myla may be trying to be all things to all people? The story lines and timeframe changes interlaced with voices of the dead is hard to follow and then just annoying. Wonder how it translates in print...by the end she really hasn't said much which is a shame because it starts with some promise and clearly the author has done research. Too bad...was just glad to be done with it!

Better as an audiobook

I haven't seen the printed version, but the unique way the audible reading is structured (as well as the competence of the orator) surely makes the listening experience superior to reading it. Though the story changes directions midway through and seems to get lost at the end, listening to it was a pleasure.

too much junk detracts from story

comments from the dead, not even relevant to the story in the margins? Advertisements and diary entries for QD soda? not relevant! word to the author: FOCUS

Remake this audiobook! Narration is AWFUL!

I love Myla Goldberg’s writing. Wickett’s Remedy is one of my favorite books of all time. BUT the narration of this book is AWFUL! Myla’s voice is exactly like Lisa Simpson’s. So listening to this high pitched cartoony voice took away so much of the power and drama of this story. I was severely disappointed.

A great listen!

I started reading this book in paper format while wandering around B&N one day, and realized about 1/4 through that it would make an awesome audiobook if done well. And what a success! Myla's reading, the hushed asides, the sound effects, and the dramatizations all make this a highly entertaining read. I found it not at all difficult to follow or understand. Ms. Goldberg's writing is divinely descriptive, and her premise is one of the most usual and creative I've yet encountered. Please give this a try! :)

Disappointing

I loved Bee Season and looked forward to this book, but it was uninteresting, loosely pulled together, and had an unsatifying end. Come to think of it, there were lots of unsatisfying ends. This book was just way too rambling for my tastes.