Book Review: Plague Year

Plague Year by Stephanie S. Tolan

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

My review from Goodreads:

Everything was mostly working for David. He joined the running team at his school, had a girlfriend, and a female best friend. Everything changed when a new odd looking boy joined the school (Bram). There is something different about this boy other than just his appearance.

This would be a great literary circle book. I think students would become intrigued with the story. I would have assignments (perhaps journal entries) on what they think would happen next.

I loved this book. I was really upset with the ending, but overall the book was pretty interesting. It dealt with bullying to the extremes and I think that it showed how hateful some “good natured” people can be.

View all my reviews

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Here is what I want to add:

I had to read this book for a class in college – one that taught about different genres, etc. that might interest secondary education aged students.  At first, I was mildly annoyed about having something else to read.  Despite the fact that I love reading, I had an additional assignment to read 50 Y/A books (10 could be picture books) by the end of the entire summer.  (I’m going to take a moment and brag that I logged 101 books by the end of the first half of the summer … Just throwing it out there.)

Anyway, at first I was bored with the book.  I had other things that I wanted to read.  However, after a very short time, I found myself sucked into the story.  I thought it was pretty predictable as to what would happen throughout the story (not the ending though!) but I couldn’t put the book down.  I started talking to the book and the books’ characters (a sign that I really am into a book and not just reading just to read) and found myself having to force myself to put the book down.

The general theme of bullying is central to the book as is being wrongly accused / inaccurately judged.  I am not sure if bullying has gotten worse or if there is just more media coverage of it – but I think a lot of students (and adults) could learn from this book.  The bullying that occurs within the text is not anything that I have ever witnessed nor have been a part of.  A friend of mine claimed that it was too much – that the author went too far.  I disagree.  The circumstances were so extreme that I could see the bullying becoming a realistic thing.

This book inspired me.  I plan on becoming a teacher and reading about teachers who (for the most part) stood by and let these things happen started a fire within me.  I couldn’t believe (yes, I did realize this was fiction) that teachers could turn such a blind eye to what was obviously going on.  I know that there are limitations to what teachers can do – there always have been and always will be – but I can’t help but feel they could have done more.  So, what has the book inspired me to do specifically? I now am going to make it a point to try an reach out to every student.  If I even get a hint of bullying or a student being highly unhappy, then I am going to do everything within my power to help them.  That might be direct approaches like talking to them or more indirect, such as just happening to bring up a book with a central theme that they could relate to. …

I have gone on a tangent a bit.  I apologize.  I loved this book and highly recommend it for readers in their teens and above.  There is some action, some relationship issues, and really almost a little bit of everything that a “problem novel” should cover.

My rating: 5/5 stars

Have a question, request, etc.?  Please feel free to e-mail me at taylorreadingblog23@yahoo.com 

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