Fatal Decision: Edith Cavell, World War I Nurse (2nd edition)

Fatal Decision was written very well. Commands your interest from the beginning. I have seldom read anything about World War I, I found this interesting. It is a very emotional story. I will read more of Terri Arthur's books and World War I.

Bravo to Edith! A Decision that would prove fatal for her, yet give strength to others to follow what is right and what should be done. One person can make a difference.

First and foremost I thoroughly enjoyed this book it was easy to read set out in a logical manner I.e. It started at the beginning of her nursing career detailing her daily life and most importantly what she was like as a person and working through to her almost her eventual death..I have admired Edith Cavhell ever since I read about her in my early teens but all it dealt with was her death I live about 20 miles away from Norwich and it always made me feel proud that someone from my local area had been so brave,Edith comes across as smart witty brave and naive her almost obsessive attention to her duty and the overwhelming desire to care for her patients be they ill or needing to be hidden until the underground could get them to safety shines through.it was her naivety and trusting nature that caused her downfall, the book was well researched and 99% of the book was in English (as opposed to American English) and just a couple of Americanisms slipped through (cookies we say biscuits and garbage we say rubbish no idea what the Germans would've said then) as with alot of biographies there is a certain amount of artistic licence dealing with her thoughts and feeling and at times it is hard to figure out fact from fiction obviously we have no way to know what Edith was thinking or feeling we can imagine and try to put ourselves in her situation I don't think there is anything wrong in saying I don't know how she was feeling or what she was doing at that moment I think the author had set the scene beautifully and should have left it at that and let the reader use their imagination as to how Edith was feeling this is the only reason why I have given the book 4 stars.the author has done an excellent job of bringing Edith and the people around her to life as I finished the book I felt I knew Edith and her close friends and colleagues.Edith's life was incredibly important to the men she cared for but I frankly had no idea how influential her death was and how it was used in encouraging men to enlist the outcry over her execution was tremendously far reaching. in essence this is a book about ordinary people in extraordinary situation it is a wonderfully descriptive and moving book giving us a snapshot of life over a hundred years ago but is still very relevant for us today it was a humbling experience to read this,my thanks to author for doing such a wonderful job

5 out of 5 stars Perhaps difficult to read at times but a great book about a hero of WWI ByMaggieon December 3, 2015

Format: Paperback

Before this book, I had never heard of Edith Cavell. I am so in awe of the author's detailed descriptions of the facts and the personalities involved in this heroine of WWI. The sheer determination to do good no matter the cost is a life lesson for us all.

I found the book a bit long and hard going because of the subject matter so took a break for a while about halfway through. Ironically, one of the novels I read during this break, The Nightingale, had a character who's hero was Edith Cavell. Coincidence perhaps or just revealing my previous ignorance. I went back to read this book and highly recommend it, even if you do find it a bit difficult at times.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for lending me an advance reading e-copy. The opinions in this review are my own.

An excellent story of a woman not familiar to many readers in the U.S. Edith Cavell's strength and courage to make a difference during WW1 is an amazing read.

I can't believe that I never heard this story before! This true story makes me feel much closer to the people in World War I, and understand what went on on a micro scale (whereas before I only understood it on the macro scale).