LitPick Review
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.
Opinion:
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.
