Kirkus-style Review of Keep You Safe by Melissa Hill

In Keep You Safe, Melissa Hill covers both sides of the controversial debate over vaccines with an in-depth exploration of what happens when two unvaccinated children contract measles, a highly contagious virus with the potential to be fatal. Although medicine and medical misinformation drive the plot of the novel, with the investigation of the physical and psychological effects an outbreak of a virus like measles has on the infected, their families, and the community, Hill also explores parenthood and the impact of gender roles on parenting responsibilities, familial dynamics, the influence of social media, and, to an extent, how the legal system works. 

Kate O’Hara is a widow and single mother to her five-year-old daughter, Rosie, who cannot get vaccinations because of a potentially lethal gelatin allergy. Madeline Cooper is a mother to two children, Jacob and Clara, wife to Tom, and a blogger who writes about her parenting experiences. Blogging has earned Cooper a spot on a morning news broadcast, which, despite giving her notoriety, has also put her, her blog, and her family, under scrutiny. One such decision for which Madeline and her husband face scrutiny is their choice not to vaccinate their children, fearful that vaccines cause illness. On the same day, the school sends home a note alerting parents of their child’s potential exposure to chicken pox Clara becomes ill with cold-like symptoms; a few days later, Rosie, too, begins displaying signs of illness, symptoms which rapidly become life-threatening. Although unvaccinated like Rosie, Clara recovers from measles quickly; however, Rosie experiences measles-related complications which require hospitalization. Rosie’s hospitalization prompts Kate to meet with her friend’s cousin, Declan, a lawyer, to discuss taking Madeline and Tom to court, believing the couple is responsible for her daughter’s illness. As Kate learns more about Declan and sees the care he shows her daughter as she recovers, the two begin a romantic relationship. Kate decides to sue Madeline and Tom, who countersue, claiming their innocence, resulting in the two families going to court. Although the beginning half of the novel is strong, the latter half is unsuccessful, particularly the courtroom scenes. They contained extraneous information, and the unethicality of several witnesses rendered the text almost inappropriately comedic, given the seriousness of Rosie’s condition. However, the court proceedings are necessary to the novel because they prove, backed by scientific evidence, the person responsible for the measles outbreak.

 

Six years after its publication, Keep You Safe remains relevant, particularly today in 2023, in the ongoing debate about the Coronavirus vaccine. This book successfully maintains an objective stance on the issue of vaccination, considering both sides of the argument and examining the intricacies and complexities occurring on each side.

 

References:

Hill, M. (2017). Keep You Safe. Mira Books.