It is spring 1666 and the Great Plague is raging through London, killing more than 7,000 souls in a week and driving hordes of people out of the city to escape the contagious disease.
The north of England remains free from contamination, until a single bolt of cloth arrives in Eyam, Derbyshire from London.
The cloth is damp and carries the seeds of bubonic infection. It is to change the life of the novel's heroine, 18-year-old Anna Frith, beyond recognition.
For the villagers of Eyam, take the extraordinary decision to incarcerate themselves to contain the plague. This is a sacrifice that will inevitably mean great suffering.
As the year unfolds, Anna is forced to confront the loss of her family and the disintegration of her community.
Daily, the death toll rises and people turn from prayers and herbal cures to sorcery and murderous witch-hunting.
The heart-breaking events described in Year Of Wonders are based on the true story of Eyam, which is known as the "plague village." In the 17th century, local people there really did isolate themselves in a fateful quarantine.
This is a powerful and moving first novel by Geraldine Brooks. The horrors of the time are brought vividly to life by her inventive use of language - and they linger hauntingly in the reader's mind.
Year of Wonders by Geraldine Brooks is published by Fourth Estate, priced £12.99, and is out now
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