Mattie Cook's father passed away when she was little, so it's just Mattie and her mom left to run the family coffeehouse together in 1793 Philadelphia. Mattie is irritated by typical teen problems, like feeling overworked by her mom, and trying to hide her crush on Nathaniel. But when she finds out a girl her age from down the street has fallen ill and died within 24 hours, her world suddenly takes a dramatic turn. Yellow fever has taken over the city. Bodies are thrown in the streets, and neighboring towns refuse anyone passage. Mattie was a strong, multilayered character, and her grandfather, the Revolutionary War soldier, was hilarious. I enjoyed reading about the historical differences between the American doctors and the French doctors, too. A fun way to learn about a really interesting time in American History.
