World War II is raging overseas, but back home in America things are boiling under the surface. Internment camps currently house all Japanese Americans, and even the wife of an American pilot and his daughter don’t escape the horror and the injustice of being forcibly detained in one. Meiko and her daughter, Aiko, hope daily for the return of Jamie Briggs. Meiko worries about Aiko’s fascination with the various Japanese folklore about demons, ghosts, and other monsters, but even more so when Aiko tells her the dead are coming to warn them. Meiko wants to dismiss it, but then she realizes something else is going on in Camp Minidoka. A disease is spreading, one that produces violence and hallucinations, and it’s not just within the camp either. Meanwhile, outside Camp Minidoka, reporter Fran Gurstwold is on the trail of what she hopes will be the biggest story of her career. At Gearhart Mountain, other lives are also being changed as Pastor Archie Mitchell watches his whole world explode in front of him. Can anyone put all the pieces together and stop the threat in time?

THE FERVOR is both a horrifying and a heart-wrenching tale. Alma Katsu’s poignant Afterword notes the history behind THE FERVOR, as she captures a glimpse at some of the less talked about portions of our not-so-distant American history. Readers should note that Alma Katsu uses some real events, such as Fu-go and the events on Gearhart Mountain as well as the internment camps, although the fictional timelines may not accurately match the historical timelines. Unfortunately, the injustices still exist as recent headlines show that violence against Asian Americans still occurs to this day based solely on propaganda and hate speech.

I have to admit that if Alma Katsu hadn’t authored this book, I likely would have skipped it simply at the mention of spiders. I have an almost lifelong hatred of spiders thanks to a certain Stephen King novel, but the tale of the Jorogumo fascinates me even as it gives me the creeps. The spiders are not the overtly horrifying ones found in movies like Arachnophobia but are more nuanced and had me searching the internet for more history on this fascinating, albeit very scary piece of Japanese folklore.

I love Aiko! Aiko is like a breath of fresh air in THE FERVOR. Her willingness to love and forgive others provides a nice contrast and a bit of hope when others are so stuck in their hate. Meiko’s strength is admirable as well, and I love how Alma Katsu weaves in historical fact and fiction to craft her back story.

THE FERVOR is a thought-provoking and sometimes disturbing look at a portion of American history most would like to forget. The horror is as much paranormal as it is the ability of humans to hurt others as Alma Katsu does a marvelous job at balancing the paranormal horror against the human horrors. THE FERVOR is a must read, even for non-horror fans, as it shines a light on things that wanted to stay hidden in the dark.

Book Summary