Having recently finished the previously published story “The War Nurse” by Tracey Enerson Wood, I am happy to have had the chance for the e-copy; thank you NetGalley and Sourcebooks Landmark!

"My career is my calling. I have a sense of duty, a sense of being a leader and role model. I was brought up to put the needs of others first and to accomplish something important in life."

Julia Catherine Stimson's life as a nurse during the Great War was fascinating. The majority of the setting in this story was near the battlefields in France, however the focus was less on the weapons and destruction and more on Julia's fictional personal experiences, and factual moments establishing protocols and training for an efficiently run hospital for those injured and in need during the war.

As always, historical fiction can be filled with unknowns, and one that popped up here was that men stopped using pocket watches at this time to avoid having too much to carry during battle and began to wear wrist watches. That was just a little tidbit. The larger unknown for me was how the atrocious use of poison gas during this war actually helped the medical staff learn to understand how to care for the soldiers that began to arrive with the symptoms of the deadly pandemic of their time; the Spanish Flu. As I finish this story on Veteran’s Day 2022, the heroic sacrifices of the soldiers and the healers too, will be remembered.

I generally enjoyed this author's previous book. However, with that book I was disappointed to learn that she worked in a somewhat unnecessary and entirely fictional romantic plotline. It seemed to take away from the main character's own story. This book took the same approach, perhaps even worse. From the beginning, the main character seemed to have a school girl crush on a co-worker. The real life Julia Stimson was an incredible figure, and while she may have had romantic relationships, she never married. I am not sure that a romantic plotline needed to be featured, especially in the somewhat immature manner in which it was written. This author has so much promise based on her level of research and writing style, I really hope she will trust the stories of women to be powerfully engaging in their own right, without feeling a need to focus on unnecessary romantic plotlines.

"Birds were going to be birds. Soldiers would be soldiers. Nurses would be nurses. There wasn't much one could do to alter the nature of animal, human or otherwise."

The War Nurse is an interesting book but not a very good story. I love the idea of a nurse writing a book about a little known nurse leader like Florence Nightingale and Clara Barton. Unfortunately, I never really connected with the story.

From a storytelling perspective, there wasn't a very strong plot. So much of The War Nurse felt like Tracey Enerson Wood was simply reporting facts through Julia Stimson rather than telling a story. Wood simply recounted the different milestones and accomplishments in Stimson's career, and the story kind of just plodded along without any real direction or purpose. Sometimes we put so much effort into research that we feel the need to include every last detail, and I think that's what happened with The War Nurse. I'm a medicine nerd who like to get lost in the weeds sometimes, so I did find the information interesting, but I'm not sure if the average reader would feel the same way. Even then, I don't think any of us needed to hear Wood explain the ins-and-outs of the British system for ordering supplies.

In the beginning of the novel, it seemed like Wood was trying to paint a picture of a diverse group of individuals banding together for the collective war effort, but that never fully materialized. A bulk of the attention was placed on Stimson, and the other nurses who were only mentioned in passing. I think the story would've had a bit more dimension if the supporting cast had been developed more. I personally found the romantic subplot, though relatively light, unnecessary. I can't decide if Wood added it because authors seem to have a knee-jerk to include some kind of romance somewhere or because she wanted to create a tension between Stimson's professional and private life (or both,) but it didn't work for me. The storyline involving Marie Curie felt particularly out-of-place. The idea of an award-winning scientist getting caught up in Parisian gossip and the love life of a relatively unknown nurse was both unrealistic and distracting.

Because the story was so bogged down by facts, there wasn't much of an emotional impact. The stakes were never established and the writing was a little dry which made it hard to connect to Stimson as a character. The heavy focus on recounting events that there wasn't any room left for character development which is a shame because there was a lot to explore. Stimson's decision to give up a life of comfort and wealth to pursue nursing (and the subsequent strain it placed on her familial relationships,) her feelings of shame related to her eczema, or even her ambitions despite being "just a nurse" were touched on briefly but would have made the story feel more personal if they had been developed more.

One thing I did really appreciate about The War Nurse is the way in which Wood really champions nursing as a career and calling. Nurses can often be undervalued and underappreciated, but a desire to commend nurses for their work was at the heart of the novel. There were a few inspirational passages about the tough but rewarding profession that I particularly loved, and I can't help but think any nurse reading them would be proud to be a nurse.

Great historical fiction based aon a real life hero. I enjoyed all the medical references but the war stuff, not so much. Overall a good read!

Wow. Just breathtaking. See the tragedy and poignancy of WWI through the eyes of a nurse. This is based on a true story, which is what captivated me to pick it up. I am also a nurse and truly appreciate tales of those who have gone before. The historical details are well researched and written in a way so as to transport the reader there to the war tents. I cannot even begin to imagine what these women experienced, but this book does a great job of bringing it to light. Julia pushes the boundaries, as many nurses do to actually see change occur, because they are driven by the needs of the people they are called to serve. I highly recommend this account of one woman determined to make a difference.

I received a complimentary copy, with thanks, from the publisher via NetGalley. All opinions expressed are solely my own and freely given.

Historical Fiction

This book tugged at my heart strings and was such an emotional read. It was meticulously well researched and I very much appreciated the amount of detail that was put into the novel. It was very evident how much work Wood put into The War Nurse.

I would definitely recommend this to any historical fiction fan or anyone who wants to read a well written story.

The War Nurse is the story of Julia Stimson, the Superintendent of Nurses at Washington University, and what happens after she is tasked to train five nurses to take over nursing at a field medical station from the British Expeditionary Force in WWI France. She ended up having to deal with Doctors who through nurses were glorified chambermaids and British Army officers whose station in the Army was determined more by which titles were attached to their name than any ability to perform as an Army officer in a warzone.

Stimson finds her decisions second-guessed or ignored entirely, and battle decisions being made by ego instead of intelligence. This in addition to horrific injuries--injuries that in previous wars would have shortly killed a soldier now could be survived--lack of medicine, supplies, and in some cases any common sense.

The war finally runs down, but there's now a new issue--soldiers are coming to the field tent with respiratory ailments that are killing them. Stimson finds that the Doctors are no more cognizant of what's going on than they were with battle injuries. If the illness is to be controlled, Stimson will have to do it on her own...

The story is true--like most Historical Fiction there may be characters who are amalgams of many, and names changed--but the utter slog of dealing with war and arrogance is true. This leads the reader to have to expend a bit more effort to make it through the story, but it's well worth it.

I requested this book as background reading for a discussion we are currently hosting on BookBrowse (agreed with Valerie and Tiffany in marketing).

You can see the discussion at
https://www.bookbrowse.com/booktalk/threads.cfm?forumid=60DB86BA-9D4D-DEFF-D16F7D72CD80EA5A

and this is a link to our "Overall, what do you think ...." thread - which are essentially reviews of the book by participants in the discussion:

https://www.bookbrowse.com/booktalk/messages.cfm?threadid=48C27D71-05E3-4DA6-40741759305D9164

This is a gripping story of Julia Stimson, the Superintendent of Nursers at Washington University Hospital in St. Louis. Tasked with the job of recruiting nurses to take over a field hospital in WWI, she must create and lead a team that will battle the ravages of war and the start of the Spanish flu, as well as the prejudices and sexism from male doctors unwilling to work with and respect female nurses.

Based on the life of this female pioneer, The War Nurse is sweeping novel with a wonderful sense of time and place, richly detailed and an engrossing read.

A welcome novel for fans of historical fiction, WWI fiction and works with strong female characters.

This book is the amazing true story of Julia Catherine Stimson and the unbelievable work she and her nurses did to save lives and help people during World War I. Through careful research, this book shows the bravery and compassion of women who find themselves in extraordinary situations. Definitely worth reading.

THE WAR NURSE by Tracey Enerson Wood

Thank you to NetGalley, Sourcebooks Landmark and the author for a digital ARC for my honest review.

I found this to be a very interesting read based on Julia Catherine Stimson, who played a key role in developing the standards for the nursing profession during WWl. It's always great to learn about such courageous people in our past history. I really enjoyed this book.

#TheWarNurse #NetGalley

Title: The War Nurse
Author: Tracey Enerson Wood
Genre: Historical fiction
Rating: 4 out of 5

Superintendent of Nurses Julia Stimson must recruit sixty-five nurses to relieve the battle-worn British, months before American troops are ready to be deployed. She knows that the young nurses serving near the front lines of will face a challenging situation, but nothing could have prepared her for the chaos that awaits when they arrive at British Base Hospital 12 in Rouen, France. The primitive conditions, a convoluted, ineffective system, and horrific battle wounds are enough to discourage the most hardened nurses, and Julia can do nothing but lead by example―even as the military doctors undermine her authority and make her question her very place in the hospital tent.

When trainloads of soldiers stricken by a mysterious respiratory illness arrive one after the other, overwhelming the hospital's limited resources, and threatening the health of her staff, Julia faces an unthinkable choice―to step outside the bounds of her profession and risk the career she has fought so hard for, or to watch the people she cares for most die in her arms.

I enjoyed this read. Julia was an interesting character: she has a fairly distant personality—she keeps her emotions in a little box—but she wants to be close to people. She’s motivated by her desire to make things better for the people around her, whether the patients, her fellow nurses, or the doctors.

The blurb makes it sound like the respiratory illness is a HUGE part of the novel, but it really wasn’t. The bulk of this story is Julia’s internal conflict. Even the war itself isn’t an on-screen character, it’s more background and setting. This is a solid read about a fascinating woman.

Tracey Enerson Wood is from New Jersey. The War Nurse is her newest novel.

(Galley courtesy of Sourcebooks Landmark in exchange for an honest review.)

(blog link live 7/20.)

The War Nurse, Tracey Enerson Wood’s new historical fiction novel based on a true story set during World War I, reads like a memoir with the protagonist as the narrator. Early in her life, Julia Stimson encounters prejudice that will follow her intermittently as long as she lives. Family expectations for her brothers include prestigious careers while they would not support her dream of becoming a physician. It is assumed nursing will be the pinnacle for her. Even in the early stages, her drive and independence should have brought an alert that important things are ahead for her.
In time, she becomes the superintendent of nurses, responsible for recruiting sixty-five American nurses to help the British Base Hospital 12 in Rouen, France with its personnel already suffering from battle fatigue. She develops a warm relationship with her nurses, always keeping her role as leader rather than becoming one of them. Regular problems include primitive working conditions, horrible battle wounds, and doctors who question her ability and decisions. Then the day comes when groups of soldiers arrive carrying a mysterious respiratory disease that is killing many of them and threatens the lives of her nurses. More than once, she must face a decision whether to save a life when it requires her to go beyond what she is authorized to do
The author lightens the tension with dashes of humor, the transfer of Julia’s brother to her area, and a bit of romance while keeping an authentic feel for the life Julia leads. The author’s note at the end adds information about the real people who are part of her novel and a bit of what happened afterward.

Julia Stimson is tasked with finding 65 nurses to serve near the front lines in Rouen, France during the Great War. Nothing could have prepared her for the primitive conditions and ineffective systems in place. She tries to lead by example but ultimately struggles with staying inside the bounds of her profession when she is watching those she cares for die in her arms.

Even with a little bit of a slow start, I quickly became engulfed in the life of British Base Hospital 12. When I learned that most of the main characters were real people in history, it made me fall in love with the story even more. This gave life to a true pioneer in the medical field and showcased all of the hardships she went through.

I very much enjoy reading historical fiction books and this one is from WWI.

Julia Stimson is tasked with rounding up 64 nurses to take to the war even before the US has entered the war. They arrive in France and are to relieve a British group of doctors and nurses.

The book takes you through all the learning curves that they must go through to give the wounded soldiers the best care possible even in the poor conditions that they worked in daily.

Ms. Stimson is a very strong lady, very hard working and fiercely protective of her nurses and is constantly fighting for them. Her brother is injured in the war and comes to get mobile hospital and begins to research infectious diseases in children. Julia might have a little romance budding with a DR too.

Highly recommend this book and thank you for the early digital copy.

As a RN I’m always interested in stories that feature Nurses, particularly from different eras. It’s fascinating to read how the profession was in earlier years. I was pretty excited when I was approved for a DRC of The War Nurse. Thank you Netgalley and Sourcebooks Landmark.

Set during WWI, this tale follows Julia Stimson as she embarks as the Superintendent of Nurses at an aide station/hospital in France. I enjoyed reading about the descriptions of nursing near the battlefront and also of the evolution of nursing practice as situations such as Spanish flu arose. I also so appreciated the multiple appearances of Marie Curie - such an engaging addition.

What I struggled with was finding a connection with Julia. Her story was told in a way that felt clinical gto me and didn’t open into a multidimensional view of her. I also wish the story was told from more then just Julia’s point of view. I’m curious as to how others viewed her and the situation they were working in.

Overall, this was a solid historical fiction read but one I wish I was able to engage with more.

If you like your historical fiction with a touch of romance, then you’ll enjoy The War Nurse. You’ll love this one even more if you like learning about real women who push the boundaries of their era and achieve results. Julia Stimson lives in a man’s world in the early 20th century. She comes from a family with high expectations, yet they still expect her to fill a woman’s role while she is making a difference. Julia truly wants to become a doctor, however, she cannot afford to pursue her dream without her family’s support. Nursing is a more socially acceptable role for a woman. As a nurse Julia still comes up against men who want to hold her back, but she never gives up.

Tracey Enerson Wood is quoted in the back matter as saying that she chose to focus on personal experiences rather than battles and gore. For readers who prefer a lighter touch, this works very well. The parallels to the 1917-1918 influenza outbreak and the coronavirus outbreak are remarkable. Treatment and sanitation practices at the time were developing slowly. This book will be a hit with medical practitioners. I’ve already ordered a copy for my sister, a retired nurse.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the chance to read this arc in exchange for an honest review.

In 1997, I had the opportunity to talk with my 101 year-old great uncle about his experience in WW I. (He was able to wear his uniform on his hundredth birthday). His job was to drive a lumber truck to the soldiers building trenches. I learned so much about what these soldiers went through during and right after the war. This began my interest in learning more about the war. Author Tracey Emerson Wood has extensively researched the life of Julia Stimson who in 1917 was the Superintendent of Nurses in charge of training new nurses at Washington University in St, Louis. The Red Cross identified the school to be activated in an emergency. She was given six weeks to recruit 65 nurses to relieve the British Expeditionary Force Hospital in Rouen, France. She instituted new procedures at the hospital which often had almost three times the number of patients in the 500 bed hospital. I was fascinated to learn what the doctors and nurses did during the war including many advances for the medical profession. Especially with the past many months of Covid, it was interesting to find out the Spanish Flu attacking soldiers and how masks were used. My thanks to Sourcebook Landmark and NetGalley for an ARC of this book. The opinions in this review are my own.

The War Nurse by Tracey Enerson Wood is a historical novel of the Great War in France. Based on a true story of World War I nursing. Nursing practice was very different from what we know today. Influence of the development of procedural changes in emergency intake, radiological technique, oxygen delivery to patients and other practices are still evident today. I smiled at one of the physician‘s descriptions of the roles of physicians and nurses. Some things never change.
I wish I had asked nurses from previous generations more about their nursing experiences but reading this book answered many of my questions. Ms. Wood provides excellent historical details and insights into early 20th Century medical practices. I highly recommend this book to anyone who lives and loves medicine.
I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. I appreciate the opportunity and thank the author and publisher for allowing me to read, enjoy and review this book. 5 Stars

Unfortunately I put this book down halfway through I grew bored of the story. I felt like I was waiting for something big to happen in the story, and I didn’t want to read on to see when or if there would be something.
Reading about women nurses in the war, I was hoping for a bit more excitement.