I’ll be the first to admit that I am not as well-versed in American History as I want to be or need to be. I literally teach American Literature, but my English class has actually become more focused on students’ own writings and ACT test skills, as that is their state exam in Oklahoma. However, I would still like to become more focused on American historical eras this school year, and I have made plans to do that. I really want to integrate literacy more in several ways. One of the things I’m doing is to read all of the books on my YA classroom shelf so that I can know what to recommend to my students.
Of those, the book I just finished is Laurie Halse Anderson’s Fever 1793.
Overview
This is a historical fiction that follows the young Mattie Cook as she and her family, including a very salty parrot, battle the yellow fever epidemic in Philadelphia in 1793. All while trying to run a famous coffeehouse in the area. Actual people, such as Dr. Rush, feature in the book, so Anderson made quite an effort to make the book authentic. The book does not sugarcoat the disease, and Mattie is in some very difficult and heart-wrenching situations, including her own mother getting sick, she and her grandfather getting abandoned on the side of the road, and Mattie herself falling ill.
Review
Genre: Historical Fiction
Publisher: Simon & Schuster/Scholastic
Rating: Five Stars!
This is one of the books I plan on recommending to my students as soon as the school year starts back up! (I actually read the copy that is from my classroom bookshelf.) Mattie is seriously such a good role model and is just totally awesome! She is everything I would also like to be, and I’m grown already lol! This book’s reflection of perseverance is something crucial for many young readers in our world right now.
Overall, I liked the book for how vivid and realistic this book was. I could visualize it in my mind because Anderson has provided just enough historical context and information but not to the point that it is cumbersome and dense. The undeinable parallels to Covid also provide a real-world connection for current readers. She has included the very important racial aspect of this epidemic, and Eliza is like Mattie’s second mother.
Also, Mattie’s character is drawn so well. The book is first-person from Mattie’s point of view, and Anderson has done a good job portraying a girl that age. Mattie’s character arc is so strong; she starts out as a bit reluctant about things, even her housework. But by the end of the book, she has grown into a mother figure and has even fought off robbers with a sword! She has become unstoppable. This alone makes this book a must-read for our young people, especially girls.
The situations that Mattie finds herself in are so real, and you can really imagine a young woman in this era and place being in a lot of peril. I couldn’t help but think, “Okay, what is she going to do?” I could relate so much to her, too, because this year I’ve had some family situations happen in which I wasn’t sure what to do. While I was reading this book, I was literally sitting there nodding my head along with Mattie as she would negotiate through all of these scenarios.
My favorite character is the grandfather. He is the sweetest man, and quite a character. The fact that he taught Mattie soldier tricks from his Revolution days is top tier. He has instilled so much strength in Mattie rather than just scolding her and thinking she should be seen and not heard like many other adults in that era. He is partially why Mattie is so brave. I got emotional about his character a few times because it made me think about the close relationship I have with my grandmother.
Can I also just talk about how adorable the scene near the beginning of the book is when Mattie runs into Nathaniel on the street? I was already shipping them, for real. The way Anderson wrote Mattie in that scene is so true to how a teenage girl feels when she runs into her crush, and it was so cute to read. :)
Overall, I would highly recommend this book to anyone, not just one audience.
Reader Playlist
Evanescence - “Do What You Want”
Avril Lavigne - “Nobody’s Home”
Good Charlotte - “We Believe”
Chevelle - “Letter from a Thief”
The Band Perry - “If I Die Young”
I feel like these songs are self-explanatory if you look at the lyrics. You know that with such a strong female main character, I had to include some strong female singers! The Evanescence song is all about taking charge of your life. The Avril Lavigne track is more about a girl who might have run away from home and has nowhere to go, but Mattie is in a similar situation at one point in the book. I chose Good Charlotte’s “We Believe” just because it’s inspirational and reminds us to consider other peoples’ struggles, which is something that a few characters in the story don’t do. Chevelle’s song “Letter from a Thief” made me think about a few things in the story - literal thieves and also the metaphorical theft of everyone’s lives in the midst of this horrible fever. The song I chose from The Band Perry is probably how Mattie might feel or how I would feel in Mattie’s situation; it just generally fits the story.
Alternate Song…
“My Boy Builds Coffins” by Florence + The Machine is also applicable to the theme of mortality and remembering that everyone dies.
Resources Linked
https://curiosity.lib.harvard.edu/contagion/feature/the-yellow-fever-epidemic-in-philadelphia-1793
https://www.nlm.nih.gov/exhibition/politicsofyellowfever/index.html
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I hope everyone has a wonderful day and that you are reading something you enjoy!
Talk soon! :)
-Josee