Status
Available
Call number
Collection
Publication
HarperTrophy (2000), Paperback, 272 pages
Description
A sixteen-year-old boy living in 2407 collides with the past when he finds himself in Strasbourg in 1348 confronting the anti-Semitism that sweeps through Europe during the Black Plague.
Subjects
Awards
Eliot Rosewater Indiana High School Book Award (Nominee — 2004)
Read Aloud Indiana Book Award (High School — 2003)
Language
User reviews
LibraryThing member paradox98
A dystopia with an interesting perspective.
If you judge by the description on the back, it sounds more interesting than it is at times. Still worth a read. A Fahrenheit 451 that falls short, but only slightly.
If you judge by the description on the back, it sounds more interesting than it is at times. Still worth a read. A Fahrenheit 451 that falls short, but only slightly.
LibraryThing member katekf
Levitin gives herself a huge challenge in this book as she combines a dystopian future with references to Brave New World with a in depth look at the life of the Jewish community in Strasbourg during the 1500s and the time of the Black Death. The story follows Gemm, who is a boy from a future where
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all emotions except serene joy have been suppressed, everyone wears masks and there is no form of art or creative expression. The story follows his journey as he hears music and his creative urges are suppressed by The Cure which forces him to experience the life of Johannes, a Jew in Strasbourg. Overall the historical sections are a more satisfying read since Levitin has done careful research into the traditions and prejudices of the times, which helps each moment feel real and at some points quite terrifying. Sadly the whole book does not live up the promise of this middle section because the ending with Gemm does not hold the same emotional redemption as the end of the Johannes' section. This book presents a good opportunity to discuss various types of prejudice from overt to more insidious ones and also could be a gateway into learning more about history. Show Less
ISBN
0152018271 / 9780152018276