On the face of it this has all the elements of a novel I should love: a story set during the war, and story with folk-horror, a story which holds a mirror up to modern society. Sad then that it drops the ball. The characters neither feel nor speak like people from the 1940s. The persistent need to beat us around the head with the fact that this might be a story set during WW2 but it is ACTUALLY a story about the last three years leads to a near constant barrage of anachronisms that sent the pedant in me into orbit. And then there is the unwelcome addition of a thriller element which feels like it has only been included to prop up the book's message. I don't WANT a thriller, I want scary Japanese spider demons and historical accuracy.

In short, this tries to be too many things at once and as such doesn't live up to its potential. This is most obvious at the end, where the author clearly didn't know how to wrap up the story so just... stopped writing? Which is one way to do it I guess. That said, I enjoyed some parts and didn't actively dislike it so I'm giving it a generous three.

Thank you to the publisher for providing me with a copy the eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This would be 3.5 stars, and I had a hard time trying to figure out if I should round up or down. The story was very interesting and I found myself very drawn in by the story. The characters, though, felt a little flat. They all kind of read the same, even though they were all wildly different in their backgrounds/motivations/etc.

I also thought the writing wasn't great, or at least, I didn't find it easy to vibe with, personally. Maybe it was because it was an ARC, but I also found so many plot inconsistencies. Tons of little things, like one moment a character is holding something, and a moment later they aren't, those types of things. This was fairly pervasive through the book.

Overall - compelling story, but I feel like the execution fell flat. I'm not clamoring to pick up another Katsu after this.

THE FERVOR by Alma Katsu shows how history can so easily repeat itself. A historical fiction tale set during WWII and focusing on the Japanese internment camps here in the USA, Katsu weaves a story that moves along at a great pace, always enticing me to quickly read along as to learn what is happening. Focusing on a small cast of well developed characters, who I found myself quickly engaged in, tell the story in nicely rounded chapters, bouncing from location to location and in one case as peeks into the past. The supernatural that Katsu has become so well known for is sprinkled throughout the story with just enough hints as to cause me to wonder and come up with ideas as to what is exactly happening. I really loved delving into the pages of THE FERVOR this week. The tone and descriptions of the Pacific Northwest were spot on to me. Although the tone of the book was full of anxiety and worry, sickness and madness, it was an enjoyable read. I can’t wait for this latest novel by Katsu to hit shelves and be devoured by her fans and new readers alike. It’s just so good!

If you're looking for a historical fiction book that also has elements of supernatural, psychological, and horror this is the book for you!

We mainly follow Meiko and Aiko Briggs, a mother and daughter who have been dislocated from their home in Washington state to an internment camp in Idaho because they are Japanese. But now, there is an illness spreading throughout the camp that's causing strange behavior amidst the camp residents and the guards. As the mystery continues to grow, the Briggs' connect with a newspaper reporter, Fran, and their former friend Archie to connect the dots and try to discover a way to stop the spread of the illness.

I liked integration of the traditional Japanese demons and other mythology as well as the connection of the 5 different narrators (Fran, Archie, Meiko, Aiko, and Meiko's father). The line at the end of the book, "The fervor... had for its symptom the most powerful of contagious elements: fear" was a powerful summary of one of the themes of the book for me. However, I think reading at a time when I feel human rights are again under attack made it a harder read that I anticipated as it didn't feel as 'historical' anymore. That is a testament to Katsu and how well she incorporated stories from the internment camps from her family and others into the story; despite the supernatural elements, it felt real.

A historical, literary, horror, thriller, this story hits a multitude of sweet spots in one swing. Realistic characters set against a disturbing, true setting, the book taps into a range of fears, and one way or another, works its way under the reader's skin.

It was fine. Important themes, no doubt, but pretty underwhelming.

Classified as “horror,” I think the most horrific parts of the novel are those rooted in history: the mistreatment and internment of Japanese Americans during WW2. The only spooky scene in the book turned out to be a dream.

4.5 stars.

Thanks to NetGalley for the Advanced Reader's Copy!

I think this is my favorite book that I've read by Katsu. As she mentions in the afterword, it is very different than her previous two books, but that's because it was written out of political urgency instead of purely to entertain. I love timely books that mirror current society, so it was perfect for me.

I did find the ending a bit rushed, but everything made sense. It just felt like it jumped to the end and the narration explained what happened to get them there, rather than having it play out for the reader. To be fair though, I'm not sure how entertaining reading the FBI stuff would've been, so I understand the decision. It just felt weird while reading it.

Katsu is an author I will definitely continue to read as she releases books. She hasn't QUITE hit that "omg I must read" level yet, as I always find that her books are missing a sort of spark for me. I really do think I would've been able to round this up to 5 stars if the ending hadn't been so abrupt though, so maybe her next one will finally hit 5 stars for me.

A nice mix of the supernatural, the natural, and good ol' regular people combining to make for a horrific situation.

No surprises about the racism and general awfulness surrounding the wrongful imprisonment by the government of thousands of people of Japanese ancestry in internment camps during World War 2. But even knowing that going in doesn't lessen the impact of reading a story set during this terrible time in history.

I've only read one of Katsu's previous books, [b:The Hunger|30285766|The Hunger|Alma Katsu|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1497803277l/30285766._SY75_.jpg|50762090]. As in that book, here Katsu does an excellent job of writing a well paced story populated by believable characters, where the people involved are just as monstrous as anything else.

The Fervor was written through the lens of someone whose family experienced internment camps firsthand. What's amazing (and/or depressing) is how relevant this story is to our current climate. Swap out some era-specific details with a few modern flourishes and Alma Katsu's novel could take place in modern times. Katsu's strength is placing the reader in the story and skillfully weaving various narratives into a web whose pages we want to flip increasingly faster.

Excellent choice for lovers of historical fiction with an edge.