by Emma Donoghue
Published by Little, Brown and Company Genres: Historical Fiction, Literary Fiction
Format: ARC
Published by Little, Brown and Company Genres: Historical Fiction, Literary Fiction
Format: ARC
“The human race settles on terms with every plague in the end, the doctor told her. Or a stalemate, at the least.” Talk about a timely book. In the Author’s note, Emma Donoghue shares how she began writing this book after being inspired by the centenary of the great flu, and by the time she had delivered her last draft to publishers in March 2020, COVID 19 came on the scene. “**The influenza pandemic of 1918 killed more people than the first World War – an estimated 3 to 6 percent of the human race.” In Dublin, 1918, Nurse Julia Power is working in the maternity ward of an understaffed hospital. There to assist her are Dr. Lynn and a volunteer helper, Bridie Sweeney. Over the course of three days, these women’s lives will be intertwined, and we watch as they (mainly Julia) attempt to save their patients, bring babies into the world, and care for their very sick patients. “Your job’s not to bear the babies, Bridie had told me, it’s to save them.” The research that went into this book is impressive. I applaud Donoghue’s attention to detail. I love how she blended facts with fiction. The writing is impeccable, the story drew me into, and I felt as if I were a fly on the wall as all the characters attempted to save lives, deliver babies, and just plain live in desperate times. I enjoyed how the characters cared for each other and tried their best despite the odds being against them. I think it is worth mentioning a second time that this book is beautifully written, researched and carefully plotted. Thank you to Little, Brown and Company and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All the thoughts and opinions are my own. |