Virus

Med Center #1

by Diane Hoh

When a lethal virus of unknown origin breaks out in Grant, Massachusetts, a group of hospital volunteers including wealthy Susannah, romantic Will, ambitious Kate, and scheming Callie find themselves caught in the middle of the chaos

Genres: Young Adult, Medical, Fiction, Own, Romance, Drama, Childrens

278 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published July 1, 1996

About the author

Diane Hoh is the author of fifty-seven novels for young adults. She grew up in Warren, Pennsylvania but currently resides in Austin, Texas. Reading and writing are her favorite things, alongside gardening and grandchildren.

Reviews

[Sheila Myers · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an exciting medical story written for young adults, but I think even older people would enjoy it.

[theperksofbeingmarissa ;) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Reading this book post Covid is an experience! 

(3.5 rounded up to 4 stars)

[Carolyn Dijk · Rating 3 out of 5]

The story was pretty good. Probably directed at younger readers. But I found that for high school students and volunteers, the characters had too many liberties in the hospital which the volunteers in the hospital that I work in certainly would not be granted.

[Dustin Dye · Rating 2 out of 5]

I bought Med Center: Virus at a book fair when I was in the seventh grade. I read about 2/3 of the book before putting it aside as it didn't grab my interest and I didn't retain any of what I'd read. I recently found the book in my parents' basement and read it with the hindsight of living through a pandemic. Some aspects are realistic, such as the coverup by the hospital. Others are laughable, such as the ease in finding patient zero and the speed with which a vaccine was produced. The level of access the hospital volunteers are given stretches credulity, but I can give that a pass for artistic license as the book needed teenage protagonists.

Overall, I found the book lazy and dry. The writing has no style, but is serviceable. Pretty much every creative decision is lazy. Diane Hoh probably had two weeks to crank out a draft, so she didn't spend any more time than necessary coming up with interesting details. The med center is referred to as "Med Center." The music club every character hangs out at every night is called The Music Room, and it's too convenient a location for much of the action. The characters are two-dimensional, and the wicked characters are over-the-top mean, like something out of a bad after-school special. Hoh seems to get her two black characters', Kate's and Will's, mothers mixed up, and this slipped through the editorial process. (Will's mother was never introduced in the book, but apparently she is a nurse, like Kate's, and Hoh attributes her for something Kate's mother said earlier.)

Young readers deserve better than this.

[Morgan · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read these when I was a "tweener," and plan to read them again at the and of this summer. I ordered all 6 from Goodwill's across the country, Jenson's Books, Once Upon a Time Books, etc.

It took me YEARS to remember this series! To find it again, ohhh...I am SO elated! 😊😁

I will edit these reviews once I re-read, as it has been almost a quarter century (omg, I'm getting old! XP)

P.S.

Her two books on the Titanic are on my re-read list as well. I bought them this time on Kindle. ;)

Thank you for all the amazing memories, Diane Hoh, and all the new ones that will be made from reading them again. You are wonderful! 🤗🎉

[B. · Rating 3 out of 5]

I first read this one when I was much much younger and I hadn't thought of it since then. I saw it in Goodwill a few days ago and grabbed it because I remembered it fondly. I decided to reread it to see if it was as good as remembered, and it was a bit plot light and the ending trailed off, but that being said, it reminded me where some of my unwavering belief in the CDC came from. It was a good trip down memory lane and it would be a good book for a little one to read (4-6th grade, somewhere in there) to get them interested in medicine.

[Miki · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am new to this series and I am really enjoying these Med Center books (even though I am reading out of order). Twenty-four years before Covid we get an inside look of a med center dealing with something very similar. We get a firsthand look at how the medical staff deals with the beginnings of a pandemic. Although the CDC involvement was rushed the procedure was correct of how they work to deal with an unknown virus. Even though the target age for these books are tweens/teens I still enjoyed it. This series a must read. I highly recommend.

[Rebecca Kramer · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this series way back in the 90s and enjoyed it. I'm pre-reading it again for my kids. I think this book is the least heavy in the series and the oldest might enjoy it (age 10). As I recall, the rest of the series has more death. All in all, a decent read that tells kids what to do in situations without being preachy. The ending is a bit rushed, and as we are currently living through a virus, seems a bit too easy.

[Cindy]

DNF 50%

I hate how I have looked for this series for literal years but now that I have it I’m bored 😂 will probably finish this in the future but right now I’m too annoyed

[Madame Jane · Rating 2 out of 5]

General Hospital for teens. The build-up was great than the ending flutters in 20 pages.

[Shannon · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have such fond memories of this series from when I was a young teenager. It's a fun and quick (and very cheesy) medical drama, that was interesting to read again post-Covid.

[Hayden Parrish · Rating 5 out of 5]

So good I can’t wait to read book 2.

[Sarah Elizabeth · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was okay, nothing amazing. I found it a little odd how involved these teenagers got in what was going on at this hospital. Shame that Abby wrecked Susannah's Mercedes. Not sure how these people would have coped with covid 🤣

[Amanda · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was one of six books in the series and I loved them as a teen; I still pick them up off my shelf and read them. They fascinated me with the medical drama going on with those my age and that teens were able to do procedures that in real life, it wouldn't be allowed. I feel in love with these books and sought them out. If you can suspend your concept of reality, you'll find drama, excitement, romance and more. It is even more enjoyable if you like medical fiction.

[Mauri · Rating 3 out of 5]

Probably the first book I read after my mother dragged me out of the kid's room at the library. Laura reminded me of their presence this past month and hauled them out of her room for me to enjoy. They're absolutely hysterical now that my reference for volunteering in an emergency room is, ya know, volunteering in an actual emergency room, rather than ER.

[2lemon_johnathan · Rating 3 out of 5]

I thought Med center was an okay book it wasn't my favorite book but it wasn't bad. The only thing I didn't like were the long periods of nothing happening and less action. I also didn't like when Tina Montgomery died it made me very sad. Overall I thought it was to slow paced but if you like medical stories you'll like med center: Virus.

[Maria · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved these series.
Greys anatomy is a highly loved doctors show and it sometimes seem like that the ideas have been taken from this book.
I love Will. I wanted something to happen between him and Samantha.

[Rebecca · Rating 5 out of 5]

My favorite series as a kid ever!