My TBR stack is humongous (actually, you can't really call it a stack at this point. I now have boxes upon boxes of books I am planning to read someday) and two of those books on my stack are by Susan Meissner. I am so happy that I had time to read As Bright As Heaven this past weekend. I loved it so much that I now want to read her other titles I already own.
Historical fiction is my very favorite genre to read, and Meissner has done such a wonderful job of bringing the early 1900s to life when the Spanish flu killed so many people.
Told by four narrators: Willa, Evelyn, Maggie, and Paulina we get to see this time period and the events that change their lives.
Paulina moves with her husband and three daughters to Philadelphia after the death of her infant son, Henry. Her husband will be working with his bachelor uncle in the funeral home he owns, which will secure their family's future.
However, shortly after their arrival in Philadelphia the flu arrives, striking down young and old and those in the prime of their lives. Thousands of people in Philadelphia die from the flu and the Bright family doesn't get by unscathed. As they lose friends and loved ones, they are buoyed by the addition of an orphaned baby that Maggie finds one day as she is delivering meals to the sick with her mother.
And eventually the flu moves on, and the story continues with those who have survived.
I loved hearing this story from multiple perspectives. I loved the time period this is set in, and how the story centers around the pandemic. Meissner's choice of placing the Brights in the funeral home is a way of bringing the flu to the forefront of the story. There were a few things I found a little to predictable or neatly tied up, yet I didn't feel like it got in the way of my enjoyment of this story. I also loved that this story spanned several years which allowed me to get to know the characters and see them grow and change.
If you're looking for a great historical fiction book, this one definitely fits the bill. And if you are a fan of Meissner's work already, this is one you won't want to miss.
2 comments:
I've heard lots of good reactions to this book. Think that it's interesting that this year is 100 years since that flu pandemic. So many people died. Looking forward to reading this one before long.
I wouldn't call myself a *huge* fan of historical fiction, but I do enjoy the genre when the story revolves around a subject or time period that interests me. I remember seeing this one as a BOTM pick and feeling curious about it; I'm so glad you enjoyed it!
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