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What might future novelists write about the Great Coronavirus Pandemic of 2020? Its major effects on daily life make it ripe for historical fiction. Can you suggest a one- or two-sentence summary for a plot?
For inspiration, or to fill the time offered by cancellations and self-isolation, these five novels portray ordinary folk caught up in past epidemics:
4 Comments
Connie Gill
3/16/2020 07:52:07 am
Thank you Sarah! Year of Wonders is one of my favorite books. I haven't read the others, but I'm going to take a look at them.
Sarah Cook
3/16/2020 08:33:57 pm
Yes, Year of Wonders is pretty amazing. The ending didn't quite fit for me, but overall a very worthwhile read. 3/16/2020 08:44:47 pm
Wish I could remember more of what the characters were doing! Your mention of balconies reminds me Romeo and Juliet is another tale with a plot driven in part by the plague. Stories being what they are, the protagonists aren't sitting around socially distancing and flattening the curve; my activities these days wouldn't make for a page-turner. They're generally trying to help or to run away, or a catch or escape a villain. In Nemesis (spoiler alert), parents send their kids to the supposed safety of camp to escape the city, and the camp all gets infected. In The Venetian Bargain by Marina Fiorato (set in 1576, not on today's list but a great read), the protagonist female physician is infected early and recovers, giving her immunity and the ability to help others. Leave a Reply. |
AuthorI'm a historian who writes novels and literary nonfiction. My home base is Madison, Wisconsin. Archives
September 2023
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