The Fervor by Alma Katsu
Set in 1944 as World War II rages on, The Fervor (Putnam) by Alma Katsu, follows Meiko and her young daughter Aiko as they endure life in an internment camp where a mysterious disease is spreading like wildfire.
What starts as a cold quickly turns into fits of violence, aggression and even death among those infected. Meiko and Aiko team up with a newspaper reporter and a widowed missionary to figure out more about this mysterious disease and expose those who aim to weaponize it. Will they successfully avoid catching this disease while also avoiding demons from Meiko’s childhood? Only time will tell.
Mieko and Aiko are torn from their home in Seattle, WA, after Mieko’s American, air force pilot husband is sent to war. Forced into an internment camp in the Midwest, internees try to take each day in stride and retain some semblance of normalcy through jobs, school for the children, and social activities. However, when a disease starts spreading, people deteriorate quickly, and the doctors that have arrived to “help” are even more of a threat than the disease itself. And to top it all off, Aiko sees demons all around the camp. Real creatures warning her to stay away from the disease at all costs.
THE PARALLELS TO THE PRESENT ARE SHOCKING
Outside of the camps, strange balloons are exploding around the country, causing terrible tragedies and side effects that mirror those of the disease. Reporter Fran Gurstwold saw one of these firsthand and feels motivated to get to the bottom of this mystery. When she and Mieko meet, they are determined to expose those who may be intentionally spreading this disease among the Asian community while also working to protect the rest of the country.
When this book was presented to me, it was identified as “historical horror,” and that was really intriguing. What I didn’t expect was that the horror would manifest in an untraditional way. The parallels in this story to the present day are shocking: particularly, the mistreatment of Asian Americans in the U.S. throughout the COVID-19 pandemic as well as the fear the pandemic itself has elicited over last two years.
I really loved Katsu’s writing style, flipping between present-day 1944 and the diary of Mieko’s father, a scientist who was conducting research around wind patterns on a remote island. It was easy to assume, throughout the book, that there was some connection between present day and these flashbacks, but in the end, the connection wasn’t what I expected. It was also great to learn more about the Japanese culture throughout the book, both folktales surrounding the demons that Mieko and Aiko grew up hearing stories about as well as family dynamics as a whole.
THE HORROR IS FRESH AND UNTRADITIONAL
Despite its supernatural elements, the true horror in The Fervor doesn’t come from jump scares like readers might expect. This wasn’t the kind of horror story that kept me up at night, afraid to close my eyes. (And that’s okay!) Instead, the novel provides an incredibly important and eye-opening commentary on discrimination and racism, particularly that faced by the Asian community. Considering both its historical significance and our current political climate, the demonization of the Japanese people portrayed throughout this story is horrific enough.
I’ll admit, it was hard to read a book about a fast-spreading disease during a time when we are all still dealing with the repercussions of the pandemic, but it’s an important read nonetheless. I’m happy to say that I learned a lot from, and thought much about, the underlying messages in this read.
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