content: This book could have been so good. But instead of focusing on the truly great story that is the Plague and the people who lived through it, Geraldine Brooks imposes her modern sensibilities on the characters and plot and ends up with a tiresome novel that leaps from one politically correct theme to another, even as the titillation factor becomes more and more outrageous. The story of the people in this village is one that needs to be told, but Brooks owes their descendants an apology for her ridiculous effort.