Fortitude by Carrie Dalby

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


A Southern Gothic coming-of-age story set against the backdrop of the Spanish-American War.

Claire O’Farrell craves a life beyond her hometown, one that will allow her to serve and help others. Her best friend, Loretta, urges her to volunteer with her as a nurse caring for sick soldiers, wounded, in recovery, or otherwise unable to fight.

Claire, white, has never been one to observe the laws of racial segregation, and insists she remain with Loretta when they arrive, assigned to the camp for the Buffalo Soldiers. The work is tough, but fulfilling, and Claire finds herself building a camaraderie will the soldiers.

But when she finds her head turned by a black soldier, who may claim her young heart, Claire may be putting herself and all around her in grave peril. For what is coming, she must summon all the fortitude she can muster if she is to survive.

‘Fortitude’ is told from the perspective of the novel’s protagonist Claire – a headstrong, yet somewhat naïve young white woman, at times impulsive, a kind-hearted and caring soul who feels things deeply. Throughout her story, we witness her naivety chipped away, as the injustice and the impact of prejudice and violence horrify her, while tragedy threatens to break or harden her heart.

This story also has links to Dalby’s ongoing saga ‘The Possession Chronicles’, making this novel a prologue to sorts to the series, but maintains its own identity as a standalone novel.

Rarely have I read Young Adult fiction, so I will not venture to consider the novel from that perspective, though I was impressed with the way the novel does not shy away from conveying pain and suffering, albeit told from the sidelines of battle, thus handling it in a way that is appropriate for younger readers. This is well-researched historical fiction, building a true sense of time and place. Dalby skillfully weaves Claire’s story with that of several secondary characters, creating a sense of living at the time from multiple perspectives, building a picture of the harsh reality they suffer, while never losing hope.

Racial prejudice is one of the core themes of the novel, dealt with both delicately and in stark detail. It is difficult and emotive subject matter with a dual perspective – in one sense we can witness how much has changed, in another how little has changed. But, despite being difficult, it is vitally important that such themes are dealt with both truthfully and realistically and that we continue to do so. We cannot change history, but we continue to have the opportunity to learn from it, and stories remain one of the most powerful tools in our arsenal. This novel is a great example of such fiction.

‘Fortitude’ is a moving tale of courage, bravery, young love and the horrors that humanity inflicts upon itself, be that through the carnage of warfare or the social discrimination that bleeds into hearts and minds.



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