Blurb
August 1914: Edie Lawrence has never played by the rules. When war is declared, she disguises herself as a man to join the war effort and write about her experiences. But she also wants to catch news of her beloved Nate, who has already been sent to the Front.
Dr Lucie Garland volunteers her medical services to the war effort, only to be met with ridicule. Undeterred, she sets up a makeshift hospital in Paris, and soon loses her heart to someone unexpected.
And when Edie is injured and her gender revealed, the fates of these women intertwine in ways that neither could have foreseen . . .
My Review:
Women of War by Louise Morrish is impeccably researched, brilliantly written, and shines a light on forgotten stories from the past.
It follows Edie and Lucinda's separate and contrasting struggles to make their voices heard in a man's world. Whilst Lucinda is educated and encouraged by her family, Edie has battled her way through life after being brought up in a workhouse. Yet both women face the limitations of their era and are determined to overcome them.
The author's writing perfectly captures the times, with wartime London and Paris brought to life in evocative descriptions and minutely observed details. I was gripped by the accounts of Edie's gruelling army training and the heart-breaking scenes on the battlefield. I was also moved by the unspoken love that Lucinda feels for one of her colleagues and how that develops.
I admired the fortitude of both the main characters and kept turning the pages to find out how their different experiences of life and the war would intertwine. I loved how we learned about Edie and Lucinda's personal ambitions as well as their desire to help their country. The courageous acts of both women were inspiring.
After I finished the book, I stepped away all the richer for having met these unique characters inspired by real-life heroines.
Also published on Goodreads.
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