Synopsis
Philadelphia. 1918. Young men going off to fight in the Great War. Others filled with hope for the future. Just months after the Brights arrive in the city, Spanish Flu reaches the shores of America. As it claims more than twelve thousand victims in Philadelphia alone, this family finds their lives looking nothing like the ones they knew before. Even as they lose loved ones around them, they take in an orphaned baby who brings hope to their desperate, tragic lives. This is the story of a young family learning who they are amidst the chaos of war and disease.
My Reaction
I found As Bright as Heaven to be so interesting! Especially since I live right outside of Philly and I love reading about its history. World War I is raging in Europe. America is just entering the war. Then, a flu pandemic breaks out not only in Philadelphia but all over the world. The story is told from the perspective of a mother and her three daughters, which I think was a great mechanism to keep the story moving forward. It also took the focus away from the war and what the men were up to.
Polly is a strong woman who has recently lost a child. She looks at the move to Philadelphia as an opportunity to reinvent herself. She takes a leadership role in their new home, and I think it was very strategic how she went about it; this is a smart woman who knows how men think and operate. Her three daughters, Evelyn, Maggie, and Willa, are young when the story starts and are trying to adjust to living in this new city when yet more tragedies erupt all around them.
Not many people know the history and stories surrounding the Spanish Flu crisis in 1918; I know I certainly didn’t. I found that the author does a great job fusing actual history with a compelling story to give us new perspectives on this time in the world, and American, history. So many more people died of the Spanish Flu in 1918 than died from fighting in WWI, did you know that? That’s crazy. Having read this story, I plan to seek out many more that highlight this period in history. Maybe Laura Spinney’s Pale Rider. Has anyone read it?
Just one thing really, but as soon as we meet Ursula, it was kind of obvious who she was meant to be. I mean I did, and I was reading this book pretty quickly. That being said, I loved this book and highly recommend it. You might even find yourself wanting to research the topic further after finishing it!
Also, if you’re looking for another Historical Fiction to read next, check out our other reviews to help you find your next book.
Rating
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