The Goodbye Season - Hardcover

Hale, Marian

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0805088555 ISBN 13: 9780805088557

Publisher: Henry Holt and Co. (BYR), 2009

Synopsis

A courageous young woman comes of age in the midst of an historical tragedy, from the author of Dark Water Rising.

Mercy Kaplan doesn't want to be like her mother, saddled with crying kids and failing crops for the rest of her life. Mercy longs to be on her own―until her wish comes true in the worst possible way. It is 1918 and a deadly flu epidemic ravages the country, leaving her utterly alone and penniless.

Mercy soon finds a job with Mrs. Wilder. But there's something unsettling about the woman, whose brother died under mysterious circumstances. And then there's Daniel, who could sweep a girl off her feet if she isn't careful.

“The history―of the epidemic and of early feminism―creates a dramatic story, and Mercy’s personal struggle for independence is universal.” ―Booklist

“Mercy tells her story in a gentle, cadenced voice filled with youthful hope, simple wisdom and gritty endurance. Perfect similes capture the flavor of Mercy's bittersweet life during the epidemic of 1918.” ―Kirkus Reviews

About this title

About the Author:

Marian Hale is the author of acclaimed historical novels for young adults including The Truth About Sparrows and Dark Water Rising. She lives with her husband, daughter, and grandbabies on the Texas Coast.

From School Library Journal:

Grade 7 Up—In this compelling, tautly written novel, Mercy Kaplan, 16, feels the weight of endless daily chores and caring for her younger siblings. She has a loving family, but she longs for the freedom to be herself. Times are hard as World War I drags to an end. Mercy's family can no longer afford her keep, so she hires out miles away on the Bonner farm, and her dreams of freedom slip further away. Yet her troubles are just beginning. The influenza epidemic of 1918 sweeps across the country. No sooner does Mercy begin to feel at ease with the Bonners than tragedy strikes them, and she heads back home, only to find that her family has died. She soon gets a job as housekeeper and nanny for the widow Wilder's two small children, but there is something about the household that puts Mercy on edge. Is it the attention Daniel Wilder, the handsome, older stepson, pays her, or is it the peculiar behavior of Cora Wilder that causes Mercy's uneasiness and concern? In the end, events spiral into disaster, and Mercy struggles to be true to herself.—Roxanne Myers Spencer, Western Kentucky University, Bowling Green END

About this edition

• Publisher: Henry Holt and Co. (BYR)
• Publication date: 2009
• ISBN 10: 0805088555
• ISBN 13: 9780805088557
• Binding: Hardcover
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 288