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Silent in An Evil Time: The Brave War of Edith Cavell
Dutiful nurse, hospital matron, courageous resistance fighter, Edith Cavell was all of these. A British citizen, the forty-eight-year-old Cavell was matron of an institute for nurses in the suburbs of Brussels at the outbreak of World War I. Dedicated to the methods of Florence Nightingale, her intelligence and ferocious sense of duty had transformed the institute into a leading training center.
When the Germans captured Belgium in the fall of 1914, an organization was formed to assist British and French soldiers trapped behind German lines. Edith was asked to help and she didn’t hesitate. From that moment forward, Edith sheltered escaping soldiers in her hospital, using trickery to keep the suspicious Germans from discovering them. She helped arrange a secret route to neutral Holland and back to England at great personal risk, enabling soldiers of all ranks to slip through German lines. Using the institute as part of an elaborate Allied escape route, Edith Cavell was responsible for one thousand soldiers eventually making their way home.
But Cavell’s role was discovered and a German military court put her on trial in Brussels, where she was sentenced to be executed by firing squad. On October 12, 1915, she put on her nurse’s uniform and met her fate, immediately becoming a worldwide martyr and rallying point for the British in their war against Germany.
In this riveting account, author Jack Batten brings an incredibly brave woman and her turbulent times to life.
When the Germans captured Belgium in the fall of 1914, an organization was formed to assist British and French soldiers trapped behind German lines. Edith was asked to help and she didn’t hesitate. From that moment forward, Edith sheltered escaping soldiers in her hospital, using trickery to keep the suspicious Germans from discovering them. She helped arrange a secret route to neutral Holland and back to England at great personal risk, enabling soldiers of all ranks to slip through German lines. Using the institute as part of an elaborate Allied escape route, Edith Cavell was responsible for one thousand soldiers eventually making their way home.
But Cavell’s role was discovered and a German military court put her on trial in Brussels, where she was sentenced to be executed by firing squad. On October 12, 1915, she put on her nurse’s uniform and met her fate, immediately becoming a worldwide martyr and rallying point for the British in their war against Germany.
In this riveting account, author Jack Batten brings an incredibly brave woman and her turbulent times to life.
144 pages, Paperback
First published October 1, 2007
3 people are currently reading
56 people want to read
About the author
Jack Batten
52 books25 followersJack Batten, after a brief and unhappy career as a lawyer, has been a very happy freelance writer for many years. The author of thirty-five books, Batten writes the weekly Whodunnit column in the Toronto Star, has reviewed jazz for the Globe and Mail, and has reviewed movies on CBC Radio for twenty-five years. He has written over thirty books on subjects that include biography, crime fiction, law and court cases, and sports. Not surprisingly, jazz, movies, and crime turn up frequently in Crang’s life. He lives in Toronto.
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Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews
May 5, 2018
We’re learning WWI in I&S class right now and this was the only book left in our school library that is related to the war.
I wasn’t really into biographies and history at all but this book is so well-paced, enthralling, and detailed.
“Think of me only as a nurse who tried to do her duty.” Edith Cavell’s inspiring story shows us how the most ordinary person can have an everlasting impact...
P.S. I really like the layout of this book XD
I wasn’t really into biographies and history at all but this book is so well-paced, enthralling, and detailed.
“Think of me only as a nurse who tried to do her duty.” Edith Cavell’s inspiring story shows us how the most ordinary person can have an everlasting impact...
P.S. I really like the layout of this book XD
October 24, 2015
The name "Edith Cavell" was completely unknown to me a month ago until I visited Mt. Edith Cavell while touring Jasper National Park in Alberta, Canada. As we hiked the short distance to view Mt. Edith Cavell and its glacier (named "Angel Glacier," undoubtedly significant in an otherwise appearing coincidence), our guide told us a short three-to-four sentence biography of Edith Cavell -- enough to intrigue me. I searched for a book about her during our travels to no avail. Once I got home, I found a couple of them: A Cup of Cold Water: The Compassion of Nurse Edith Cavell (Farenhorst) and Silent in An Evil Time: The Brave War of Edith Cavell (Batten).
A Cup of Cold Water: The Compassion of Nurse Edith Cavell (Farenhorst), a juvenile historical fiction/biography, tells Cavell's story from the beginning, describing a lot of her family life, and continues until her end. It is historically deep enough for middle/early high school without becoming boring, yet interesting enough without losing sight of historical significance. After reading this book, I wanted a little more, but something short enough to not get bogged down. That I found in Silent in An Evil Time: The Brave War of Edith Cavell (Batten).
Batten can tell a good story. And his historical details are plentiful, but not distracting. He lays a vivid landscape and clearly places characters in their historical places. Scattered throughout are photos from the times, many with Edith Cavell or people/places associated with her.
If I were still teaching school, I would be using Farenhorst's book in middle school and follow that up a few years later with Batten's book. World War I books are not abundant, especially for these school ages, and Batten presents this gritty war in a very real context through his Cavell book.
Reading both of these short books has given me insight and appreciation for courageous souls who stood their ground in the face of their fleeting future.
Prior to beginning either book, I wrote some thoughts about them in this short blog post.
A Cup of Cold Water: The Compassion of Nurse Edith Cavell (Farenhorst), a juvenile historical fiction/biography, tells Cavell's story from the beginning, describing a lot of her family life, and continues until her end. It is historically deep enough for middle/early high school without becoming boring, yet interesting enough without losing sight of historical significance. After reading this book, I wanted a little more, but something short enough to not get bogged down. That I found in Silent in An Evil Time: The Brave War of Edith Cavell (Batten).
Batten can tell a good story. And his historical details are plentiful, but not distracting. He lays a vivid landscape and clearly places characters in their historical places. Scattered throughout are photos from the times, many with Edith Cavell or people/places associated with her.
If I were still teaching school, I would be using Farenhorst's book in middle school and follow that up a few years later with Batten's book. World War I books are not abundant, especially for these school ages, and Batten presents this gritty war in a very real context through his Cavell book.
Reading both of these short books has given me insight and appreciation for courageous souls who stood their ground in the face of their fleeting future.
Prior to beginning either book, I wrote some thoughts about them in this short blog post.
October 28, 2024
Was a bit disappointed with the structure of the book and the writing itself, but finished the book with a sense of inspiration and admiration for Edith Cavell, so I count it as a reading win overall.
October 31, 2018
Going into this book, all I really knew was Cavell's famous quote: "Patriotism is not enough, I must have no hatred or bitterness to anyone." That, and I knew she was a nurse. (Oh, and I also knew about how her story ends, but I won't spoil this if you don't know her story.)
First, let me say that when I was a child, I had a hyper-fascination with Florence Nightingale. This is the Florence Nightingale of Belgium (even though, like Nightingale, she's actually British) and of the First World War. And then, she's also a spy!
Yet, such an unassuming spy who hide British and French soldiers from the German invaders.
First, let me say that when I was a child, I had a hyper-fascination with Florence Nightingale. This is the Florence Nightingale of Belgium (even though, like Nightingale, she's actually British) and of the First World War. And then, she's also a spy!
Yet, such an unassuming spy who hide British and French soldiers from the German invaders.
August 2, 2019
What an amazing woman, a British heroine, nurse and patriotic human being. Her bravery was legend and her execution by the Germans' made her a martyr. However, this humble woman thought only to save lives as was her god given duty. I really enjoyed reading about the history of this woman during the First World War. Risking her own life many times over for soldiers trapped behind enemy lines was nothing short of miraculous. Inspired by this woman's selfless devotion and bravery thousands of men joined up in her memory. Her famous quote that reverberated around the world was, 'Patriotism is not enough. I must have no hatred or bitterness for anyone.' Highly recommended.
March 15, 2025
A short book about one of the heroes of WWI. There are a lot of books out there about the resistance and the escape routes of the Second World War, so I found it refreshing to read one about the early part of WWI. This story was interesting on so many levels, Cavell was a nurse then Matron before she was ever recruited into the underground forces that moved downed and injured soldiers out of Occupied Belgium and into neutral Netherlands. Fast read, good pacing.
January 25, 2021
I stopped reading this book with the line, "Edith was a spectacular example of the female of the species." Yikes. That couldn't be more cringy. That aside, this is an odd little book that leans on storytelling more than facts and the storytelling isn't very well crafted. If you are interested in the subject, you'll be better off with Edith Cavell: Nurse, Martyr, Heroine by Diana Southami.
September 11, 2017
Well done. Light yet pertinent overview of her life, her work and her death by firing squad in Belgium by the Germans during WW1. The murder of a female non combatant galvanized the western world to overcome the enemy and stop the slaughter.
August 2, 2025
For a non-fiction book, this was very readable. Such an interesting topic and woman.
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April 4, 2013It is always a pleasure to read a new book by Jack Batten. He is such a confident writer who knows how to tell a good story with the facts at hand. His new book about the First World War heroine, Edith Cavell, is no exception. Batten has told the tale of this amazing woman in fast-paced prose that captures her indomitable spirit and the excitement and tension of her wartime experience.
Edith’s story begins in 1865 in a quiet English village in Norfolk. The daughter of an Anglican vicar, Edith was well educated and began her adult life working as a governess. But after caring for her ill father, she felt that a career in nursing was calling her. Ever since Florence Nightingale had made nursing a respectable profession, young women in all levels of society were training to be nurses. Edith made an excellent nurse, and through a contact in Belgium during her governess days, she eventually went there to start a clinic and training program for nurses. The author notes that “she ran a happy clinic” and created a real family feeling among the nurses. Her staff had great respect for her. But in 1914, the war began and Germany soon occupied Belgium. Not long after the war started, Edith made a fateful decision. Using the clinic as a cover, she helped two British soldiers to escape from Belgium. It was the beginning of her involvement in the underground network that worked to get soldiers out of the German-occupied areas. There were some close calls, described in vivid detail. Finally, in June 1915, Edith’s network was broken and its members were arrested. She was found guilty of espionage and sentenced to death by firing squad. News of her execution took Britain by storm. Enlistment soared in Britain and France as young men marched off to war in her honour. She became an international heroine whose memory lives to this day.
This is a beautifully told story about a beautiful woman whose dedication and strength of character shines through on every page. Batten should be commended for bringing the story of Edith Cavell to today’s young readers. It is also a good introduction to World War I. Highly recommended for school and public libraries.
Reviewed by Mary Anne Cree in Canadian Children's Book News
Winter 2008 VOL.31 NO.1
Edith’s story begins in 1865 in a quiet English village in Norfolk. The daughter of an Anglican vicar, Edith was well educated and began her adult life working as a governess. But after caring for her ill father, she felt that a career in nursing was calling her. Ever since Florence Nightingale had made nursing a respectable profession, young women in all levels of society were training to be nurses. Edith made an excellent nurse, and through a contact in Belgium during her governess days, she eventually went there to start a clinic and training program for nurses. The author notes that “she ran a happy clinic” and created a real family feeling among the nurses. Her staff had great respect for her. But in 1914, the war began and Germany soon occupied Belgium. Not long after the war started, Edith made a fateful decision. Using the clinic as a cover, she helped two British soldiers to escape from Belgium. It was the beginning of her involvement in the underground network that worked to get soldiers out of the German-occupied areas. There were some close calls, described in vivid detail. Finally, in June 1915, Edith’s network was broken and its members were arrested. She was found guilty of espionage and sentenced to death by firing squad. News of her execution took Britain by storm. Enlistment soared in Britain and France as young men marched off to war in her honour. She became an international heroine whose memory lives to this day.
This is a beautifully told story about a beautiful woman whose dedication and strength of character shines through on every page. Batten should be commended for bringing the story of Edith Cavell to today’s young readers. It is also a good introduction to World War I. Highly recommended for school and public libraries.
Reviewed by Mary Anne Cree in Canadian Children's Book News
Winter 2008 VOL.31 NO.1
November 25, 2014
There are very few books published recently for young people about this amazing woman.
Edith Cavell was matron and instructor in a teaching hospital for nurses in Brussels, Belgium as WWI began. Many French and English soldiers found themselves behind the German front lines after the battle of Mons. A secret organization formed to help these men escape into the neutral territory of Holland. Edith became a key part of that network.
I learned more about World War I through reading this book than I did as a student. This is often the case as history was made by individuals.
Edith's last words have been an inspiration to generations and have been memorialized on her monument located in Trafalgar Square in London. She said to the Reverend Stirling Gahan on the last night of her life, "Patriotism is not enough. I must have no hatred or bitterness for anyone."
I highly recommend this book or any book about this woman.
Edith Cavell was matron and instructor in a teaching hospital for nurses in Brussels, Belgium as WWI began. Many French and English soldiers found themselves behind the German front lines after the battle of Mons. A secret organization formed to help these men escape into the neutral territory of Holland. Edith became a key part of that network.
I learned more about World War I through reading this book than I did as a student. This is often the case as history was made by individuals.
Edith's last words have been an inspiration to generations and have been memorialized on her monument located in Trafalgar Square in London. She said to the Reverend Stirling Gahan on the last night of her life, "Patriotism is not enough. I must have no hatred or bitterness for anyone."
I highly recommend this book or any book about this woman.
July 13, 2008
A biography of a nurse Edith Cavell. Edith is originally from England, but sets up her own practice in Brussels. WWI begins, and she finds herself aiding the allies with German soldiers all around her. She nurses English and French soldiers and gets them out of Brussels. Towards the end of WWI, she is finally found out, and executed by the Germans. Better than a biography, I see it as a really good story. People don't read a lot on WWI, and this woman was truly brave.
June 19, 2008
This is a natural booktalk. I have a great local connection, given that Mount Edith Cavell is in Jasper Park. Edith Cavell was an English nurse who hid hundreds of British soldiers and helped them escape from behind enemy lines in Belgium. Her execution at the hands of the Germans in 1915 led people in Great Britain and Canada, to enlist in droves and was received with great sympathy in the United States, which had not yet joined the War.
December 23, 2011
Great book for YA/older children. It's a short biography on Edith Cavell (140 or so pages). I had never heard of her before, but what a woman! She helped smuggle home soldiers trapped behind enemy lines as an English nurse working at a hospital in Belgium during WWI. Sad ending, but really inspiring. I thought it also did a great job briefly explaining how Europe got started in this war. Really readable.
August 31, 2014
I thank Betsy for giving me this book. I had never before heard the story of Edith Cavell. The daughter of an Anglican vicar, she became a nurse after being a governess & caring for her ill father. Her heroism in WWI is undeniable. She may have very well changed history with her acts. This book is well-researched & tells her life story well.
Want to read
August 5, 2009Sounds interesting!
Juvenile non-f/biography & autobiog/ historical
WWI
Juvenile non-f/biography & autobiog/ historical
WWI
October 5, 2013
Surprisingly good for a young adult book. While it doesn't get into the nitty gritty of WWI it also doesn't romanticize Edith's life. It's real and doesn't pull any punches. I was crying at the end.
May 9, 2014
Ehh
Ehh
I didn't really like the book but in some parts of it, it was really good :)
I would recommend this book to people who like WW1 and WW2
Ehh
I didn't really like the book but in some parts of it, it was really good :)
I would recommend this book to people who like WW1 and WW2
Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews