Saturday, March 27, 2010

52 Books in 52 Weeks - Book 12: The Things That Keep Us Here

Libby coughed that awful croupy cough. Ann felt something dark grow inside of her. She reached up at shot the dead bolt home. The sound filled the hall. The doorknob rattled. Peter frowned, confused.
       'Why'd you do that?' 
       'She's sick.' ... Libby's voice was hoarse between coughing fits. 
       'Jacob's okay. I promise. He's already had it.' 
       'If he's already had it, he's immune,' Peter said. In Libby's place, Ann would say the same thing. Her heart was thumping. She needed to think. Could she possibly take the baby?

This is one of the many decisions that the Brooks family must make in the midst of a worldwide pandemic. Do you take in the infant son of a dying neighbor? How can you be sure he's immune? Can you put your children at risk?

Carla Buckley has written a  spellbinding and believable  novel that teases out the questions that would need to be answered in order for basic survival in the face of a fatal illness that is sending thousands to their graves.  We follow the Brooks family as they learn to live life under a quarantine with no end in sight. Serious moral choices must be made regarding communicating with neighbors and friends, finding food and learning how to relate to one another in a whole new light. This book is amazing, not only in it's realistic but not over-dramatized scenario, but also in the depth of character development and the way that it manages the complicated relationships between it's characters. If you are a fan of Jodi Picoult, you will enjoy this book. I look forward to reading more of Ms. Buckley's work - I'm off to check the library!

So - would you take the baby?

5 comments:

cjtoscano said...

Have you read The Help? Did I get that suggestion from your blog? You are helping me find some good books!

I finished Why Gender matters? I'd highly recommend it.

TechWife said...

Yes - The Help is wonderful! Why Gender Matters in on my nightstand - I'll have to move it closer to the top of the pile - glad it's a good one.

Paula's Place to Ponder said...

So is this one you will be passing on?

Paula's Place to Ponder said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
TechWife said...

Yes, I'll pass it on!