Fever, 1793 is a work of historical fiction, which means that it makes use of time and place in the distant past to unfold the plot, as well as to dramatize its basic themes and concerns. Anderson's novel is set in late eighteenth-century America, a time when men wore powdered wigs and George Washington was President. In other words, the good old days! (Yeah, sure, except for the pesky fever part.) For more, see our section on "Setting."
Young adult books are written for and marketed specifically to children and adolescents (though us adults here at Shmoop enjoy them too). The genre is known for many things, among them stories about coming of age, the search for identity, and learning how to be a grown-up. Fever, 1793 fits the bill on all these counts.