Whew! An emotionally draining story of a 17th century English village struck by the plague.  The story is told through the eyes of an 18 yr. old housemaid who acts more like a wise, courageous and educated thirty something.  This compelled me to research the plague, its causes, spread, and cures.   Fascinating information on clashes of religion vs. science (especially early homeopathic medicine) and how disease was perceived and treated.