The Young Adult Historical Fiction Society discussion

"In the Shadow of Blackbirds" was named as the reading selection for the Big Library Read from October 7 - 21. I just started reading it and thought it would be a nice read for October since it has a spooky theme. :-) For more details about the Big Library Read event, check out their website: http://biglibraryread.com/

Have you read this book? Feel free to share your thoughts while you're reading it. :-)

I love this book and think it's a terrific pick for October.

It sounds similar to Picture the Dead. The library's print copy is checked out right now but I should be able to get to it later this month.

Cat Winters opens up life during the 1918 Influenza Epidemic, a horrible time for everyone. I enjoyed learning about how that horrible plague affected every day Americans.

I found the book at another library and I'll add it to my TBR pile.

I think you'll enjoy it.

A little too dark/gothic/supernatural for me. The author sure did her research though.

The writer perfectly captures the horrors of the Spanish flu and WWI. She obviously did a ton of research on the Spanish Influenza pandemic and you will really feel like you're there watching the drama unfold. The author really excels at researching, bringing in World War I trench warfare and PTSD. You will feel like donating to the Wounded Warrior Project by the time you finish this novel. It's dark and heartbreaking in many places. I didn't quite expect the supernatural element. It got a little too gothic and supernatural for my tastes. I didn't really understand how the supernatural element worked. It didn't make a lot of sense and I didn't care for some parts of it. I wasn't crazy about the romance plot either. It went a little too far for my taste and was too unusual. I did like the relationship though. At first I didn't get it but later on it was explained how the two characters met and connected and why they continued to be close despite their geographic distance. I really wanted everything to work out happily but thought the story might have a dramatic ending that I couldn't handle. It had enough crazy elements to please teenage readers and lovers of supernatural stories but enough realism for adult readers.

Long review https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

I really like Cat's writing. She has another novel set during the influenza pandemic, one aimed at adults. It's called The Uninvited and also has elements of the paranormal. My taste tends toward darker fare so I really enjoyed it.

Seems like Cat Winters is really interested in epidemics and the supernatural because she wrote two novels with those themes.

I still haven't finished "In the Shadow of Blackbirds." I had an ebook copy of it but had to return it. The library I work at has a copy of it so I plan to borrow it today and maybe finish it this week. :-) I'm not too into the supernatural elements of the story (because I don't have a big interest in ghosts/spirits), but the time period of World War I and the influenza epidemic is really interesting! I also like the main character and how unconventional she is.

I agree Charmaine, Mary Shelly is Cat's most intriguing protagonist. She's a delight.

I liked that Mary Shelley was into science though I'm not. It made her unconventional and different. I liked how everyone thought she was weird because girls weren't "supposed" to be into science.

I agree - Mary Shelly was so different from the girls of her era.

QNPoohBear wrote: "I liked that Mary Shelley was into science though I'm not. It made her unconventional and different. I liked how everyone thought she was weird because girls weren't "supposed" to be into science."

I agree with you, too! I'm not a big science person (although I do have some interest in human anatomy) but her fascination with scientific topics was really interesting.

Everyone, what did you think of some of the other characters, such as Stephen (Mary Shelly's love interest) his brother, and Mary Shelly's aunt?

I didn't care much for the secondary characters. While I felt really bad for Stephen, I didn't like his creepy stalker obsession with Mary. Paranormal just isn't my thing so right off the bad the ghost lover didn't appeal to me. The brother is disgusting and despicable to feed on people's despair and grief. What he did to Stephen was horrid.

I wan't crazy about Aunt Eva. I didn't like how desperate she was for love from a man. She wanted marriage and family too badly and couldn't make rational judgments. In many ways her teenage niece was smarter. I also didn't like all the onions and garlic she used to ward off the flu. It seems a little weird that her sister was a doctor and yet she still believes in folk remedies. I didn't like how she reacted to Mary Shelley's supernatural experiences but I understand her fear.