The Fever
A Novel
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3.1 • 15 Ratings
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- $9.99
Publisher Description
The panic unleashed by a mysterious contagion threatens the bonds of family and community in a seemingly idyllic suburban community in this "engrossing, disturbing, panic attack of a novel" from the award-winning author of The Turnout and Dare Me (Jodi Picoult).
The Nash family is close-knit. Tom is a popular teacher, father of two teens: Eli, a hockey star and girl magnet, and his sister Deenie, a diligent student. Their seeming stability, however, is thrown into chaos when Deenie's best friend is struck by a terrifying, unexplained seizure in class. Rumors of a hazardous outbreak spread through the family, school and community.
As hysteria and contagion swell, a series of tightly held secrets emerges, threatening to unravel friendships, families and the town's fragile idea of security. A chilling story about guilt, family secrets and the lethal power of desire, The Fever affirms Megan Abbott's reputation as "one of the most exciting and original voices of her generation" (Laura Lippman).
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
Abbott's (Dare Me) thrilling seventh novel takes a peek into the strange, inscrutable minds of teenage girls. Deenie, Lise, and Gabby are the "Trio Grande," whispering together in the library and giggling late into the night during sleepovers. Their "teen-girl-ness" confounds Deenie's father, a teacher at their school, and her older brother, Eli, a popular hockey player. When Lise has an unexplained a seizure during class, the girls' triumvirate is thrown into disarray, and no one seems to have any answers. Everyone from doctors to school administrators are keeping quiet, sending a ripple of fear throughout the school. Almost immediately, other girls start getting sick and the suspicions and hysteria quickly rouse the small town into a fervor. Parents, teachers, and students alike speculate wildly, the rumored causes ranging from stress to mutant viruses, as Deenie tries to find out the truth. Abbott's adolescents are close to pitch-perfect with their sudden switches between childlike vulnerability and calculating maturity. What the narrative lacks in depth it makes up for in momentum and dark mystery. This is a gripping story fueled by the razor-sharp treachery, jealousy, hormones, and insecurities of teenage girls.
