Tuesday, February 01, 2011

Deadly by Julie Chibbaro

Imagine living in a time period when no one knew how infectious were spread. Prudence Galewski, the main character of Deadly, by Julie Chibbaro, sees people around her becoming ill with typhoid, a deadly disease that once plagued many. Prudence is a budding female scientist who quits school to work as an assistant in a laboratory. She and her supervisor discover what they think is the key to the spread of typhoid - human carriers. Prudence must learn to balance her own doubts with scientific facts in order to stop the spread of typhoid and establish a successful career for herself. Part mystery, part historical fiction, this book is an exciting, fast paced read.

This book was filled with information, but was presented in an engaging, interesting way. I enjoyed that the book was written in a journal format because it made me feel more connected with the main character. I did find some elements in the book to be slightly unbelievable, such as when one of her father's old friends found a way to contact Prudence after her name is printed in the paper. I enjoyed reading from Prudence's perspective, however, because I found her to be a fresh, engaging narrator. This is the first book I have read about the history of a disease, and I found it quite enjoyable. I would recommend it to teenage girls interested in the history of medicine.

Reviewer Age:14
Reviewer City, State and Country: Bayside , WI U.S.A.