It’s 1918, and thirteen-year-old German immigrant Pia Lange longs to be far from Philadelphia. The streets where she lives are overcrowded slums, rife with anti-German sentiment. But Pia must face a more urgent threat, Spanish influenza has the city in it’s grasp. Soon the dead and dying are everywhere and food is scarce. Pia is forced to venture out in the hopes of finding sustenance, leaving her infant twin brothers behind.
Bernice Groves is lost in grief, after her son is taken by the pandemic. Full of bitter resentment for the hordes of immigrants who were treated by doctors before her beloved Wallis. When she sees young Pia leave her home, Bernice makes a drastic decision. One which will change the course of her life forever.
As Pia navigates the city’s sombre neighbourhoods, she cannot know that her brothers won’t be home when she returns. And so begins a long and arduous journey to learn what happened.
Only with courage and persistence will Pia put the pieces together and find the strength to risk everything to see justice at last.
I am a huge fan of Wiseman’s stories, and although this one wasn’t my favourite, it still didn’t disappoint.
I felt what let me down the most was the timing of my reading. With the COVID pandemic madness surrounding my everyday thoughts, I found it difficult to be reading of a similar occurrence. I am definitely a reader for escapism, and this sadly didn’t provide that, therefore, I felt less inclined to binge read as I would normally do.
Following Pia’s plight and witnessing her shear determination and resilience was both a joy and at times harrowing. This is a heart-breaking tale that shows both the good and truly hideous sides of humanity. Wiseman never shies away from showing the true grittiness and often disturbing truths history has to offer.
If you’re looking for a light-hearted historical story, this one isn’t for you. However, if you want a truly captivating and vivid depiction of bygone times and are enthralled by the emotional highs and lows of unforgettable characters, Wiseman’s books are the ones for you.
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