Influenza is a disease that many from the twentieth century remember...but how would the twenty-first century react? In this dystopian novel, Hirsch introduces a scary strain of Influenza that decimates the population. The strain was released due to a war between North America and China. Stephen Quinn survived the influenza with his family, but by the time readers meet Stephen, his family is fractured. Hirsch catches readers up Stephen's life and begins the action within the first couple of chapters.
Stephen meets Jenny later on in the book and their friendship, though rocky at first, takes off. Jenny represents everything that Stephen has feared. She is Chinese and feels ostracized. Though Hirsch did portray the two as sympathetic characters, readers may have a hard time finding anything redeemable in the two. They may come off as very rude and ungrateful.
Overall, THE ELEVENTH PLAGUE contains twists and turns that will keep you entertained. The plot itself is interesting and refreshing to read about. If you have a young adult reader in your home be sure not to miss THE ELEVENTH PLAGUE!
In an America devastated by war and plague, the only way to survive is to keep moving.In the aftermath of a war, America’s landscape has beenravaged and two thirds of the population left dead froma vicious strain of influenza. Fifteen-year-old StephenQuinn and his family were among the few that survivedand became salvagers, roaming the country in search ofmaterial to trade for food and other items essential forsurvival. But when Stephen’s grandfather dies and hisfather falls into a coma after an accident, Stephen findshis way to Settler’s Landing, a community that seems toogood to be true, where there are real houses, barbecues,a school, and even baseball games. Then Stephen meetsstrong, defiant, mischievous Jenny, who refuses toaccept things as they are. And when they play a prankthat goes horribly wrong, chaos erupts, and they find themselves in the midst of a battle that will change Settler’s Landing forever.
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