Chasing Secrets

I was immediately drawn to twelve year old Lizzie’s interest in medicine, and also how she doesn’t feel like she fits in with her peers. I really liked the few scenes where we see her put in such an unusual and pressurized position at such a young age, putting her medical knowledge to use. I wished there were a few more of those moments, instead the majority of the story revolved around Lizzie searching for someone and keeping someone hidden in her home, those two storylines weren’t boring but they didn’t feel quite as unique as the female kid-doctor did.

As for Lizzie not fitting in, it felt like that ended too early on, and too easily. The opening so strongly set up the idea that Lizzie’s this oddball spouting medical info show more who hasn’t really had anyone other than her family’s cook to talk to, so I guess I just expected more awkwardness and a more gradual arc to her finding acceptance and friendship.

I did like Lizzie’s small friend group, though they weren’t as fleshed out as maybe they could have been, especially Noah (the cook’s son), even by the end I felt like I didn’t know him all that well beyond that he’s intelligent and can dance, so I never felt as invested in him as Lizzie does.

Lizzie’s connection with her brother was probably the one I felt the most, while I would have liked a bit more exploration of her relationships with her Aunt and her father, though given that this is a middle-grade novel, it’s totally understandable that there’s more emphasis on showing Lizzie with characters her (and the intended reader’s) age.

There’s some hints of romance in this one though it never leans all that heavily into it. It kind of caught me by surprise that there even were two love interests, as one of them only ever felt like friend vibes to me whereas the other one it seemed like every time he appeared the author made a point of showing his feelings towards Lizzie with blushing glances and other endearing evidence of his affection.

Last year, I loved this author’s The Tenth Mistake Of Hank Hooperman so much that it’s probably inevitable that this backlist title wouldn’t live up to the expectations I went into it with, it just never reached that same level of emotional depth for me. However, the time period and the circumstances of this one involving the plague in San Francisco, learning a little about that history, how the Chinese population were treated, made for an often interesting read. show less

What an interesting book to read during a pandemic! The discussions of the role of competing financial interests and racial and class biases in crafting public health policy, distribution of treatment, and dissemination of information are very relevant, as is the issue of vaccine hesitancy. Aside from the timeliness, this is quite an enjoyable read about a young woman trying to find her way in the world. Another from Build Your Library, level 6.

I love historical fiction that gives us a glimpse of portions of history we haven't heard a lot about. In this new adventure/mystery set in 1900 San Francisco, a medical mystery highlights the tension between Chinese Americans and white San Francisco residents. Issues of class, race, and gender are everywhere, not to mention the pretty scary state of medical knowledge at the time!

I read this back when it came out. I'm not sure why I didn't review it then, but I can't stop thinking about it now. A deadly disease. Mandatory quarantine. Racism against Chinese immigrants. Sound familiar? This book is set in 1900, but so many aspects of it are relevant today with COVID-19.

CHASING SECRETS by Gennifer Choldenko combines an engaging medical mystery with a little-known historical event.

Set in 1900, Lizzie would prefer to work along side her physician father than attend finishing school. She secretly longs to become a doctor and is fascinated by science. When part of San Francisco is quarantined, a family servant is trapped in Chinatown. Although officials are denying a plague, Lizzie is convinced that people aren’t telling the truth about what’s happening in the city and she is willing to do anything to save her friends and family.

This compelling work of historical fiction weaves together a number of interesting themes related to forbidden friendships, race relations, and class. It also sheds light on show more the history of immunization and people’s distrust of medicine.

Fans of Choldenko’s other works of historical fiction will recognize her use of humor, well-developed characters, and conversational writing style. Librarians will find an audience beyond those who traditionally read historical fiction. This is an excellent opportunity to pair historical fiction with nonfiction books about the history of medicine.

To learn more about the author, go to http://www.gennifercholdenko.com/.

Published by Wendy Lamb Books, an imprint of Random House Children’s on August 4, 2015. ARC from NetGalley. show less

Choldenko writes great books. She takes a tiny piece of insignificant history and sets it to a story that's hard to put down. If I had to pick, I'd say I like the Al Capone books better. I have a slight fascination with the famous prison on a rock island. San Francisco is a great city and Choldenko must think so too, since she bases her books off of events that happened there.

Chasing Secrets is about the quarantine that happened in San Francisco's Chinatown in the early 1900's. The city placed barbed wire fencing around the area and didn't let people come or go in order to prevent the spread of Bubonic plague. The mystery surrounding this event is whether or not there really was an epidemic that required such drastic measures or whether show more it was fueled by racism.

Lizzie's family comes from the upper class. Her aunt and uncle are wealthy socialites. Her father is a physician who has inspired Lizzie's love of the medical field. Her aunt would rather her focus on learning how to be a proper lady. They have a servant named Jing who Lizzie considers her best friend. One day, she discovers Jing has gone missing, and living in his quarters on the top floor is a boy named Noah. No one in the house knows about Noah, so Lizzie takes it upon herself to protect him. She sneaks him food and becomes his only contact with the world while Lizzie goes in search of Jing. She fears that he is stuck inside Chinatown, unable to leave the quarantine.

Although the story is about Lizzie's life, with the quarantine history more in the background, I still enjoyed it. I liked learning about life for a girl in the early 1900's. Lizzie has a pioneer spirit. She wants her life to have meaning in a way that is not encouraged for girls. She's an adventurer and detective. A great book that highlights a time-period that is under-represented in literature. show less

Lizzie chafes at some of the constraints and expectations of being a high-society girl in 1900 California. When her family's driver and cook, Jing doesn't come home and their is a quarantine called in Chinatown, Lizzie is desperate to track him down and get him back. His son, Noah, has been stashed in the servants quarters in Lizzie's house. And even though their friendship would be forbidden, they become fast friends.
Lizzie's dad is a doctor and her uncle a famous newspaper man. When rumors about the plague abound, Lizzie doesn't know what to believe but she wants to investigate.
Some of the secondary storylines and characters don't get fully developed.
An engaging story, but I wonder how much it would resonate with young readers.