This book is a smooth read and would appeal to young adults and adolescents particularly. The characters are appealing and the story itself is uncommon. The author writes clearly and is knowledgeable about Chinese culture. One would learn a lot by reading this story. I found it difficult to keep the girls separate and had to make a list with the characteristics of each. Very good descriptions of places, things, people and the revolution.

Fever is a remarkable book. The author's characters are so real that they remain with you after you have put down the book. Moreover, you wonder what they are doing while you are away from them. She has conjured up long gone people and brought them back to life. Her writing is beautiful and she has great empathy for her characters. Although it is a difficult read because of the many hardships they face, you will gain perspective on lives of immigrants, appreciation for how far medical science has come and you will feel very grateful to your ancestors who made the trip to America under very difficult circumstances. I highly recommend this book and author.