The Vines

The Vines is a story that ties together modern advances in microbiology and vaccination with a historical background.

It begins with Finn, a descendent of a family of microbiologists in some form. He discovers a scarred woman named Cora and begins to unravel her connection to his family and the small, abandoned New York island she resides on. We find that Cora has been experimented on for decades and hosts multiple epidemic diseases, including typhoid and smallpox. It is up to Finn to discover how she has lived so long, determine the extent of his family's unethical treatment, and try his best to help her.

I particularly enjoyed the historical aspects of the story. Many famous scientists and their discoveries, such as Leeuwenhoek's “animalcules,” are discussed. It also brings a focus to ethics and if one person's suffering for the “benefit” of mankind acceptable.