Tales of the Blue Death

Short but compelling, this well paced historical fiction novel is set in Victorian London and aims to

introduce young readers to a frightening outbreak of cholera that killed hundreds of residents of Broad Street in a matter of days.

Eel is a street urchin (or "mudlark") who spends his days working at a pub and his nights doing odd jobs. One such job Eel has been lucky enough to acquire is to take care of the lab animals for a Dr. John Snow whose work with anesthetics had earned him reverence of the Queen herself. When Eel is accused of steeling from the pub, he aims to get one of his night employers to prove that his extra coins come from Eel's hard work and not the profits from the alehouse. His first instinct is to talk to Mr. Grigg, a tailor whom Eel has cleaned house for and whose family has befriended the boy. Unfortunately, when arriving at the Grigg's home, Eel finds the tailor has fallen ill. Reluctant to bother Dr. Snow (he is way too important to come to Broad Street to vouch for a mudlark) Eel allows his cushy job to slip away and tries to pick up the slack on the streets. 

Shortly after, Eel finds that Mr. Grigg has passed away from what is most definitely cholera. As the days pass the epidemic worsens. When his friend Florrie informs him that Mrs. Grigg and one of their children is also sick, Eel decides it is time to "bother" Dr. Snow. As it turns out, John Snow is historically linked to this particular outbreak as the one who dispelled the theory that cholera is spread through bad air. In defiance of "miasma", Snow suspects that the disease is coming through contaminated water, and he recruits Eel as his assistant to prove this. 

Eel shows a natural curiosity and respect for science and education that allows the reader to believe that a man such as Snow would trust him. His side story, which is woven neatly within the plot builds his character. Having fled from his oppressive stepfather, a Bill Sykes type called "Fish-eye Bill", Eel uses his money to board his little brother Henry and make sure the boy is kept in school and far from Fish Eye's seedy desires. 

Along with his friend Florrie, Eel is able to help Dr. Snow and gains respect for the work of a physician. The tale of cholera along with the threat from Fisheye keep the plot tense and moving fast. The ending is wrapped up neatly and one might hope that Eel himself could be considering a future in medicine. 

Historical notes included.