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The War Nurse
The War Nurse is a historical family saga and epic military romance set during WWII.
This historical thriller begins on the eve of WWII in the Philippines. Katarina Stahl an American Red Cross nurse, is the happiest she’s ever been in her life. She’s making love and playing music with Jack Gallagher in an idyllic paradise. Their medical mission is over, the boat tickets to home are purchased, and all that remains is to fly a sick child to the hospital at Clark Air Field.
She never expected to witness bombs falling out of planes. In those terrifying first minutes, she frees a German doctor accused of spying and saves his life. She turns to nursing the injured, unaware she’s unleashed an obsession more dangerous to her and those she loves, than the war she’s trapped in.
Doctor von Wettin, the man she freed, finds Katarina pregnant and starving in a POW camp after the surrender. He begs her to nurse his bed-ridden wife. She knows other Americans will despise her, but wants her baby to live after surviving Bataan. Their uneasy alliance is destroyed when she discovers he exploited Red Cross diplomatic channels and contacts at the German embassy to wire money to her parents. His benevolent mask slips when he informs her that her brothers and parents are interned on Ellis Island.
When the Stahl family is swept up in the FBI’s dragnet, Josep Stahl believes it’s all a misunderstanding. He’s interrogated like a criminal at the city jail, a military camp, Ellis Island, and then the civilian internment camps in Texas. His anger and pride blind him. One by one in this painful family drama, his wife and sons join him behind barbed wire in. There they face ostracism, segregation, and, most frightening, repatriation.
Katarina begins an even more terrifying journey into depraved darkness as Manila descends into occupation and chaos. The doctor threatens everyone she loves: infant son, POW husband, and Filipino friends. She’ll do anything to protect them; she lies, steals, and smuggles. As the war turns against the Japanese, they withhold the doctor’s wife’s life-saving medications until he finds a hidden radio inside the civilian internment camp. If Katarina refuses to help him, her son pays the price.
Survival has corrupted Katarina; but she’s not about to become his camp rat. After years of hell, she’s earned her nickname, war nurse. Doctor von Wettin is about to find out what that means.
This historical thriller begins on the eve of WWII in the Philippines. Katarina Stahl an American Red Cross nurse, is the happiest she’s ever been in her life. She’s making love and playing music with Jack Gallagher in an idyllic paradise. Their medical mission is over, the boat tickets to home are purchased, and all that remains is to fly a sick child to the hospital at Clark Air Field.
She never expected to witness bombs falling out of planes. In those terrifying first minutes, she frees a German doctor accused of spying and saves his life. She turns to nursing the injured, unaware she’s unleashed an obsession more dangerous to her and those she loves, than the war she’s trapped in.
Doctor von Wettin, the man she freed, finds Katarina pregnant and starving in a POW camp after the surrender. He begs her to nurse his bed-ridden wife. She knows other Americans will despise her, but wants her baby to live after surviving Bataan. Their uneasy alliance is destroyed when she discovers he exploited Red Cross diplomatic channels and contacts at the German embassy to wire money to her parents. His benevolent mask slips when he informs her that her brothers and parents are interned on Ellis Island.
When the Stahl family is swept up in the FBI’s dragnet, Josep Stahl believes it’s all a misunderstanding. He’s interrogated like a criminal at the city jail, a military camp, Ellis Island, and then the civilian internment camps in Texas. His anger and pride blind him. One by one in this painful family drama, his wife and sons join him behind barbed wire in. There they face ostracism, segregation, and, most frightening, repatriation.
Katarina begins an even more terrifying journey into depraved darkness as Manila descends into occupation and chaos. The doctor threatens everyone she loves: infant son, POW husband, and Filipino friends. She’ll do anything to protect them; she lies, steals, and smuggles. As the war turns against the Japanese, they withhold the doctor’s wife’s life-saving medications until he finds a hidden radio inside the civilian internment camp. If Katarina refuses to help him, her son pays the price.
Survival has corrupted Katarina; but she’s not about to become his camp rat. After years of hell, she’s earned her nickname, war nurse. Doctor von Wettin is about to find out what that means.
382 pages, Paperback
First published January 9, 2014
111 people are currently reading
630 people want to read
About the author
R.V. Doon
9 books57 followersR.V. Doon used to have a really nice C.V. detailing her advanced nursing education and numerous certifications. She's had varied experiences from bedside nurse, teacher, administrator, and ended her career as a clinical research nurse. R.V. writes across genres from cozy mysteries to historical fiction. The connecting thread between every Doon book is the colorful characters that won't let readers forget them when the story ends.
R.V. lives in historic Mobile, Alabama on the beautiful Gulf Coast with her husband. She loves seafood, deep sea fishing, and has taking up sailing.
R.V. lives in historic Mobile, Alabama on the beautiful Gulf Coast with her husband. She loves seafood, deep sea fishing, and has taking up sailing.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 31 reviews
November 24, 2014
Find this and other reviews at: http://flashlightcommentary.blogspot....
My nose for WWII literature has led me to a number of interesting titles. The Bone Church, Fires of London and The Wherewithal jump immediately to mind, but R.V. Doon's The War Nurse was different. Since reading Ghost Soldiers by Hampton Sides in 2009, I've been fascinated with the experiences of those caught behind enemy lines when Japan invaded the Philippines and hoped Doon's fiction would do justice to the history on which it was based.
Did she succeed? I'm hesitant to say. Her effort certainly sheds light on the political situation and how quickly things went from bad to worse, but I felt the material was often lost in the complex intrigue that envelops the Stahl family over the course of the novel. Doon touches on a lot of compelling material and highlights an interesting parallel between the Japanese POW and US internment camps, but in retrospect, I can't help feeling the fictional drama, sizable cast and sheer magnitude of the novel's scope overwhelming and somewhat awkward.
The story itself is quite intricate, but personally I'd have liked to see more character development and atmospheric detail incorporated into the telling. Doon has the right idea, but plot points hit with the speed and rapidity of .30 caliber Browning, the weight and import of each never being allowed to settle between one impact and the next. Maybe it’s just me, but I feel the themes she wished to express and emotions she sought to elicit would have been more powerful and persuasive if tackled with a more delicate hand.
At the end of the day, I admire The War Nurse for its entertainment value. It leans towards the theatrical, but that's common fair in war era fiction. The story kept me engaged beginning to end and that’s more than I can say of many titles and while I feel it could have been stronger, I think the right reader will find its imaginative complexities and feisty heroine quite enjoyable.
My nose for WWII literature has led me to a number of interesting titles. The Bone Church, Fires of London and The Wherewithal jump immediately to mind, but R.V. Doon's The War Nurse was different. Since reading Ghost Soldiers by Hampton Sides in 2009, I've been fascinated with the experiences of those caught behind enemy lines when Japan invaded the Philippines and hoped Doon's fiction would do justice to the history on which it was based.
Did she succeed? I'm hesitant to say. Her effort certainly sheds light on the political situation and how quickly things went from bad to worse, but I felt the material was often lost in the complex intrigue that envelops the Stahl family over the course of the novel. Doon touches on a lot of compelling material and highlights an interesting parallel between the Japanese POW and US internment camps, but in retrospect, I can't help feeling the fictional drama, sizable cast and sheer magnitude of the novel's scope overwhelming and somewhat awkward.
The story itself is quite intricate, but personally I'd have liked to see more character development and atmospheric detail incorporated into the telling. Doon has the right idea, but plot points hit with the speed and rapidity of .30 caliber Browning, the weight and import of each never being allowed to settle between one impact and the next. Maybe it’s just me, but I feel the themes she wished to express and emotions she sought to elicit would have been more powerful and persuasive if tackled with a more delicate hand.
At the end of the day, I admire The War Nurse for its entertainment value. It leans towards the theatrical, but that's common fair in war era fiction. The story kept me engaged beginning to end and that’s more than I can say of many titles and while I feel it could have been stronger, I think the right reader will find its imaginative complexities and feisty heroine quite enjoyable.
November 25, 2014
This book took me by complete surprise. It’s a love story, but truly the love story is in the background foreshadowed by the brutality and harshness of war. The narrative is quietly powerful in its unique perspective of war.
The momentum builds as the love story forms before it is fractured by war. In the trenches an ongoing reminder of the cruelty and reality of combat. Doon paints a setting clearly depicting the destructiveness of war and its unmistakable impact on many.
As the story progresses, you understand as battle rages on, people’s lives came to a virtual standstill. Promises broken, expectations unmeant, dreams postponed, hopes extinguished, faith questioned, a time leaving all in limbo. The agony, suffering, loss and small samplings of joy were described wonderfully by Doon. She manages to capture the sacrifices and difficult choices faced, truly an affecting moment in history.
Doon cleverly tells the story from two very interesting and unique perspectives, a German family, and a German war nurse in the battlefield. Unique due to the fact you experience what a German family faced by Americans complete with internment camps. This original perspective added depth and dimension to the entire story, creating a high level of interest.
Katarina is a woman of incredible strength, her endurance is beyond comprehension. Her fight to survive is compelling, her anguish over her choices leaves you emotionally raw. Her predicament leaves you cringing and touched. She is quite a heroine among many others surrounding her. Courage and strength seemed necessary for every day survival during this intense violent time.
This is much more than a wartime love story, it’s a story of family, choices, survival, hopelessness and devastation. A novel encompassing so much during a horrific time demanding so much from so many caught in crossfire.
The momentum builds as the love story forms before it is fractured by war. In the trenches an ongoing reminder of the cruelty and reality of combat. Doon paints a setting clearly depicting the destructiveness of war and its unmistakable impact on many.
As the story progresses, you understand as battle rages on, people’s lives came to a virtual standstill. Promises broken, expectations unmeant, dreams postponed, hopes extinguished, faith questioned, a time leaving all in limbo. The agony, suffering, loss and small samplings of joy were described wonderfully by Doon. She manages to capture the sacrifices and difficult choices faced, truly an affecting moment in history.
Doon cleverly tells the story from two very interesting and unique perspectives, a German family, and a German war nurse in the battlefield. Unique due to the fact you experience what a German family faced by Americans complete with internment camps. This original perspective added depth and dimension to the entire story, creating a high level of interest.
Katarina is a woman of incredible strength, her endurance is beyond comprehension. Her fight to survive is compelling, her anguish over her choices leaves you emotionally raw. Her predicament leaves you cringing and touched. She is quite a heroine among many others surrounding her. Courage and strength seemed necessary for every day survival during this intense violent time.
This is much more than a wartime love story, it’s a story of family, choices, survival, hopelessness and devastation. A novel encompassing so much during a horrific time demanding so much from so many caught in crossfire.
March 23, 2024
A WW11 Family Saga
Katarina Stahl is an American Red Cross nurse stationed in the Philippines working with her husband Jack Gallagher, a surgeon. Once their medical mission over they set on their way home to the States when they witnessed bombs falling out of planes....now trapped they needed all their wits to survive.... This drama is an epic war stories of two families the Stahl and the Gallagher. One will depict Manilla in all its horrors and the other will brings us to the U.S.A with the internment of German resident aliens and German- American citizens.
My thoughts in a few words:
I have mixed feeling about this story it starts very slow and seems not to take wings even dwindles at one point. I join those saying the story is a bit contrived and style lack spunk, its narrative is somewhat choppy but I overcame this after a while and went with the flow. At one point and finally the story became very interesting and then it had all of my attention. I enjoyed being taken away from the European conflict which I am an avid reader of and step out of my comfort zone to read a story on the other side of the world.
There is a lot of movement In “The War Nurse”, each chapter alternates from Katarina’s story in the Philippine with the Stahl family in the U.S.A. Multiple characters show up for us to track of it is a bit challenging to place everyone and follow them but eventually all will come into place.
This is another glimpse of what war does to people and highlights the remarkable survival instinct human have....
This story may not have been my favourite nevertheless it left me satisfied.
Katarina Stahl is an American Red Cross nurse stationed in the Philippines working with her husband Jack Gallagher, a surgeon. Once their medical mission over they set on their way home to the States when they witnessed bombs falling out of planes....now trapped they needed all their wits to survive.... This drama is an epic war stories of two families the Stahl and the Gallagher. One will depict Manilla in all its horrors and the other will brings us to the U.S.A with the internment of German resident aliens and German- American citizens.
My thoughts in a few words:
I have mixed feeling about this story it starts very slow and seems not to take wings even dwindles at one point. I join those saying the story is a bit contrived and style lack spunk, its narrative is somewhat choppy but I overcame this after a while and went with the flow. At one point and finally the story became very interesting and then it had all of my attention. I enjoyed being taken away from the European conflict which I am an avid reader of and step out of my comfort zone to read a story on the other side of the world.
There is a lot of movement In “The War Nurse”, each chapter alternates from Katarina’s story in the Philippine with the Stahl family in the U.S.A. Multiple characters show up for us to track of it is a bit challenging to place everyone and follow them but eventually all will come into place.
This is another glimpse of what war does to people and highlights the remarkable survival instinct human have....
This story may not have been my favourite nevertheless it left me satisfied.
July 10, 2018
Excellent book. An eye opening lesson on WWII history that I was pretty much unaware of, or at least very naïve about. I'm glad I read it and I would recommend it to my friends who like WWII stories.
December 10, 2017
I am an avid reader of WW11 books, this was a great one. We know little of the nurses of that time and what they endured at the hands of the Japanese. Also we know more about the treatment of the people of Japanese origin than we of the Germans who either came from Germany legally or illegally before the war. This was an excellent insight into that. Thanks for the insight into both areas. Sad but good book.
January 6, 2018
Hidden truths
Initially took a while to get into the book, but once got going couldn't put it down. The flip between the character's take on events and their situations during the war keeps you engaged and eager to read more. The character's truth behind the hard times of what they were faced with is both saddening and inspiring.
Initially took a while to get into the book, but once got going couldn't put it down. The flip between the character's take on events and their situations during the war keeps you engaged and eager to read more. The character's truth behind the hard times of what they were faced with is both saddening and inspiring.
February 26, 2018
Ejoyable, but
I got sick of Jack calling Katarina "baby" all of the time. Maybe it's just me, but it began to sound shallow or condescending. I just wanted him to call her by a different endearment or maybe her name?!? The story was good, although stretching reality that a couple in war would meet up so often in different places. Nice story though.
I got sick of Jack calling Katarina "baby" all of the time. Maybe it's just me, but it began to sound shallow or condescending. I just wanted him to call her by a different endearment or maybe her name?!? The story was good, although stretching reality that a couple in war would meet up so often in different places. Nice story though.
September 2, 2018
War Nurse
I liked this story very much. Some of the characters were well developed and the storyline was well thought out. The twin was a loose end that didn't belong in the story. I also felt the character Dr van Wettin wasn't right although he did have a place in the plot. Katarina was very well done and was a true heroine. I look forward to reading more by Doon.
I liked this story very much. Some of the characters were well developed and the storyline was well thought out. The twin was a loose end that didn't belong in the story. I also felt the character Dr van Wettin wasn't right although he did have a place in the plot. Katarina was very well done and was a true heroine. I look forward to reading more by Doon.
July 13, 2018
War in the Philippines
This book was not was to read. It is graphic with the horrors of war and how humans become inhuman and inhuman. But t is also a story of love and hope, and strength of the human spirit against all odds. Disturbing and intense.
This book was not was to read. It is graphic with the horrors of war and how humans become inhuman and inhuman. But t is also a story of love and hope, and strength of the human spirit against all odds. Disturbing and intense.
February 29, 2020
Heartholdin
A heartholding book because you never knew which way your heart was going to be taken. Whether you were in the Pacific or in the US. The cruelties of war and people in general. Would read more of this author books.
A heartholding book because you never knew which way your heart was going to be taken. Whether you were in the Pacific or in the US. The cruelties of war and people in general. Would read more of this author books.
November 13, 2023
My Musings
Oh,my, goodness. This one is non stop heart wrenching drama. I had a difficult time reading parts of the graphic details. I didn't like how it ended with so many unanswered questions. An unsatisfied reader.
Oh,my, goodness. This one is non stop heart wrenching drama. I had a difficult time reading parts of the graphic details. I didn't like how it ended with so many unanswered questions. An unsatisfied reader.
December 27, 2017
Fantastic!
A must read for anyone that enjoys historical drama. The story is from a perspective we seldom see from this era.
A must read for anyone that enjoys historical drama. The story is from a perspective we seldom see from this era.
January 4, 2018
Perfect read!
A wonderfully written read! Loved every minute of it. Curl up with a blanket, your critters and a glass of wine. Treat yourself to this read!
A wonderfully written read! Loved every minute of it. Curl up with a blanket, your critters and a glass of wine. Treat yourself to this read!
July 22, 2020
Just couldn't get into it. Maybe I just wasn't in the mood? It didn't hold my attention.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 16, 2018
I have started my personal journey of learning more about the Japanese part of WWII, which is the topic of this book. This novel puts you right in the action and describes very well the situations occurring, yet in terms that do not chase away the reader. Many aspects of WWII in America are brought to light. It was a fearful time for all. Who was on What side and How could you be sure? The levels of desperation were reflected in honest, truthful ways. I gave this historical novel 5 Stars. I am glad I was able to read this book!
November 30, 2014
This took me a while to finish, because it was dark. Very, very dark. Yes, there is romance between Katarina and Jack, but that is a small light in the mist of darkness surrounding not only her but her family back in the US. While she is being a nurse on the front lines against the Japanese, her family is dealing with the government thinking they are German spies and arresting them thanks to one letter from good ol' Doctor von Wettin and because Josep and his wife never became citizens.
Poor Katarina...poor Josep and the rest of the Stahl clan. The book truly shows that each side of the war had "evil" sides. War is bloody, nasty, and people suffer. The Japanese were cruel to their POWs and America were cruel to the people who just so happened was of Japanese or German descent. No side of the war had clean hands throughout World War II.
Right from the beginning drama was underway; there was not a boring/slow part. The book kept you on your toes. However, there was a lot of characters and it was hard sometimes to keep track on who was who. Also, the ending wasn't very satisfying. There were a few loose ends and it was a little cliff-hanger-ish. Is there going to be a second book? Or maybe a short story? I hope so, because I would love to see Katarina reunited with her family who was sent back to Germany.
Overall, this was pretty good. A lot going on with a lot of characters running about. This book shows the true horrors that some people had to face during WWII and the book shows the truth that each side of the war had their hands bloodied with some sort of cruelty. It annoys me how everyone thinks just the Japanese and Germans where "evil" or did "evil things", so did the US and England and France. War is a horrible thing and makes people do terrible things. There was a light, though, that made me hopeful - the love between Jack and Katarina. The ending left me with some questions and I wanted more. Maybe there will be another book? I'm not sure. I recommend this to those that like historical fiction set during WWII. It is a little dark, but it was good. Out of five stars, I stamp this with 3 stars.
Favorite Character(s): Katarina, Josep, and Jack
Not-so Favorite Character(s): Von Wettin
Poor Katarina...poor Josep and the rest of the Stahl clan. The book truly shows that each side of the war had "evil" sides. War is bloody, nasty, and people suffer. The Japanese were cruel to their POWs and America were cruel to the people who just so happened was of Japanese or German descent. No side of the war had clean hands throughout World War II.
Right from the beginning drama was underway; there was not a boring/slow part. The book kept you on your toes. However, there was a lot of characters and it was hard sometimes to keep track on who was who. Also, the ending wasn't very satisfying. There were a few loose ends and it was a little cliff-hanger-ish. Is there going to be a second book? Or maybe a short story? I hope so, because I would love to see Katarina reunited with her family who was sent back to Germany.
Overall, this was pretty good. A lot going on with a lot of characters running about. This book shows the true horrors that some people had to face during WWII and the book shows the truth that each side of the war had their hands bloodied with some sort of cruelty. It annoys me how everyone thinks just the Japanese and Germans where "evil" or did "evil things", so did the US and England and France. War is a horrible thing and makes people do terrible things. There was a light, though, that made me hopeful - the love between Jack and Katarina. The ending left me with some questions and I wanted more. Maybe there will be another book? I'm not sure. I recommend this to those that like historical fiction set during WWII. It is a little dark, but it was good. Out of five stars, I stamp this with 3 stars.
Favorite Character(s): Katarina, Josep, and Jack
Not-so Favorite Character(s): Von Wettin
February 21, 2014
I was really looking forward to reading this novel as I love history intertwined with a beautiful love story. But this book definitely surprised me as it's not the usual fairytale approach to a love story; it comes from a much darker, grittier place.
Although there are many occasions where R.V. Doon focuses on the love between Katarina and Jack, it is always interrupted by the horror of the war which is surrounding them. It is a stark reminder that it was a really difficult time, filled with destruction on so many levels.
Aside from the love story running through the book, it explores the fact that people had to give up their dreams because of the war. Whether it was dreams of a particular career, of love, marriage and a family, everything was brought to a halt when the war loomed. I found this particularly sad to read about as we now live in a world where chasing your dreams is such an important journey to take. The emotional sacrifice that the characters have to make in the book are dreadful, and it is so difficult to really appreciate the pain and suffering they went through, but R.V. Doon portrays the tragedy very effectively within her novel.
I found it particularly interesting that the book focuses on the conditions that German people faced at the hands of the Americans. So many stories that are based around the war follow the horror that the German army enforced upon their prisoners. It was really intriguing to read about the war from another angle.
The only thing I found a bit difficult was the amount of characters in the story. So early in the novel you are introduced to so many different characters that I found it could be a little difficult to remember who some of them were and how they were connected to Katarina - so it was one I had to pay that little bit more attention to; you definitely had to be concentrating!
This story is filled with so much - war, love, family, devastation and desperation.
Although there are many occasions where R.V. Doon focuses on the love between Katarina and Jack, it is always interrupted by the horror of the war which is surrounding them. It is a stark reminder that it was a really difficult time, filled with destruction on so many levels.
Aside from the love story running through the book, it explores the fact that people had to give up their dreams because of the war. Whether it was dreams of a particular career, of love, marriage and a family, everything was brought to a halt when the war loomed. I found this particularly sad to read about as we now live in a world where chasing your dreams is such an important journey to take. The emotional sacrifice that the characters have to make in the book are dreadful, and it is so difficult to really appreciate the pain and suffering they went through, but R.V. Doon portrays the tragedy very effectively within her novel.
I found it particularly interesting that the book focuses on the conditions that German people faced at the hands of the Americans. So many stories that are based around the war follow the horror that the German army enforced upon their prisoners. It was really intriguing to read about the war from another angle.
The only thing I found a bit difficult was the amount of characters in the story. So early in the novel you are introduced to so many different characters that I found it could be a little difficult to remember who some of them were and how they were connected to Katarina - so it was one I had to pay that little bit more attention to; you definitely had to be concentrating!
This story is filled with so much - war, love, family, devastation and desperation.
December 2, 2014
The War Nurse tells the story of the Stahl Family during WWII. It takes place on two fronts, the Philippines and the US. Katerina Stahl is a nurse for the American Red Cross, while her parents, brothers and sister are in the US. Katerina and her fiance Jack Gallagher are scheduled to go home as their duties are done, but this is the eve of WWII and Pearl Harbor has been bombed and they end up staying and taking care of the injured. Meanwhile Katerina's family is taken into custody because they are German and even though the children were born in the US, the parents never became citizens. This causes a host of problems for the family.
War rages on and as time goes by Katerina and Jack are prisoners of the Japanese who treat the prisoners very badly. Food and medical supplies becomes a rarity and the prisoners are starving to death and a lot of them do die. They say that survival is of the fittest and that is definitely true in war time. In order to keep on surviving, Katerina becomes a smuggler for food and ends up doing things that are against what she believes in. The Stahl's in the US end up in an military internment camp for questioning by the FBi, Ellis Island and then to a camp in Texas. They suffer segregation, they are ostracized and ultimately face repatriation back to Germany.
War is hell and this story is just a glimpse into what the ravages of war can bring to innocent people. The author knows the ins and outs of nursing, did a remarkable amount of research in my opinion, to be able to tell this story of survival in a believable way. Very believable and likeable, and some not so likeable characters. There are a lot of WWII novels out there lately, but I believe that this one is a must to read.
War rages on and as time goes by Katerina and Jack are prisoners of the Japanese who treat the prisoners very badly. Food and medical supplies becomes a rarity and the prisoners are starving to death and a lot of them do die. They say that survival is of the fittest and that is definitely true in war time. In order to keep on surviving, Katerina becomes a smuggler for food and ends up doing things that are against what she believes in. The Stahl's in the US end up in an military internment camp for questioning by the FBi, Ellis Island and then to a camp in Texas. They suffer segregation, they are ostracized and ultimately face repatriation back to Germany.
War is hell and this story is just a glimpse into what the ravages of war can bring to innocent people. The author knows the ins and outs of nursing, did a remarkable amount of research in my opinion, to be able to tell this story of survival in a believable way. Very believable and likeable, and some not so likeable characters. There are a lot of WWII novels out there lately, but I believe that this one is a must to read.
March 23, 2015
I was anxious to read “The War Nurse” by R.V. Doon because I am a huge fan of all stories about World War II. This book is a fictional account of the lives of Red Cross nurses who were caught in the Philippines during the Japanese invasion. They were taken into the Army and served until the end of the war. Some were evacuated from Bataan, but some were not able to leave and were subsequently taken prisoner by the Japanese and sent to Santo Tomas camp in Manila. This story is about Katarina Stahl and Jack Gallagher, she a nurse and he a surgeon, both trapped in the Philippines. It is also the story of Katarina’s German family, living in Queens, NY and their treatment by the government and their incarceration in a deportation camp. I was reticent to put this book down because it was so interesting. It also has some gruesome accounts of the depravity of the human spirit in time of war. Those parts were very hard to read because they were so vividly depicted. However, I would highly recommend this book to anyone interested in history and especially that of World War II.
You can find my review on my website at http://wp.me/p2pjIt-eJ.
You can find my review on my website at http://wp.me/p2pjIt-eJ.
April 28, 2016
The War Nurse
This is a riveting tale of the horrors and struggles during WWII. The characters are vivid and you feel the pain and suffering as well as the eventual joy they endured. This book is gritty and in many places raw with emotion and descriptions of the ordeal that they endured throughout the war.
This is the first novel I've read of R.V. Doon, but it won't be the last. The writing was so real and mesmerizing that I didn't want to stop reading when life interrupted. That is a sign of a great book!
I recommend this book to all who enjoy reading about the strong survivors of WWII. It always amazes me how strong the human spirit is and how many came through the war and still trusted humanity.
Great book, great writing.
This is a riveting tale of the horrors and struggles during WWII. The characters are vivid and you feel the pain and suffering as well as the eventual joy they endured. This book is gritty and in many places raw with emotion and descriptions of the ordeal that they endured throughout the war.
This is the first novel I've read of R.V. Doon, but it won't be the last. The writing was so real and mesmerizing that I didn't want to stop reading when life interrupted. That is a sign of a great book!
I recommend this book to all who enjoy reading about the strong survivors of WWII. It always amazes me how strong the human spirit is and how many came through the war and still trusted humanity.
Great book, great writing.
December 3, 2014
Copy received from Historical Fiction Virtual Book Tours for an honest review
I absolutely loved this book. I loved the time period, the characters, the plot and the dialogue. Katarina was a fantastic heroine. She really added to the story and I admired her courage. I really love all the different perspectives that the author provided about this time period. One of my favorite reads this year!
I absolutely loved this book. I loved the time period, the characters, the plot and the dialogue. Katarina was a fantastic heroine. She really added to the story and I admired her courage. I really love all the different perspectives that the author provided about this time period. One of my favorite reads this year!
May 9, 2016
"The War Nurse: A WWII Family Saga" by R.V. Doon was a challenging book to read. It started very slow, almost to the point that I thought about not completing it, but I very seldom quit on a book, if I start it, I finish it. The author deserves that. Once I really got into the mete of the book, it was disappointing for it to end...which it did all too abruptly. The abuse and atrocities of wartime still amazes me.
March 29, 2016
Good read!
I really couldn't put this book down from the very first chapter.... I just wish it wouldn't have ended. I hated the ending. There was so much of the story left to be told. It was so good, then BAM it was over with no real ending , I hope she is planning on another book to conclude the rest of this story!
I really couldn't put this book down from the very first chapter.... I just wish it wouldn't have ended. I hated the ending. There was so much of the story left to be told. It was so good, then BAM it was over with no real ending , I hope she is planning on another book to conclude the rest of this story!
April 24, 2016
Great War Story
Great characters and insight into the fear and abuses on all sides of the war. Full of bravery, the worst of cowardice, love and hate. It is great to know the U.S. was victorious in WWII, but this reminds us of the degree left discarded many citizens along the way. Well worth reading.
Great characters and insight into the fear and abuses on all sides of the war. Full of bravery, the worst of cowardice, love and hate. It is great to know the U.S. was victorious in WWII, but this reminds us of the degree left discarded many citizens along the way. Well worth reading.
April 4, 2018
I read the first three chapters and just couldn’t get any further. Like others, I found it very choppy and difficult to follow. I find myself choosing WWII novels lately and have enjoyed them. Sorry I couldn’t move forward on this one.
December 1, 2014
Great War Story
This book kept me in suspense the whole time. I just loved it and so will you! Reminds me of my husband's aunt that was Japan.
This book kept me in suspense the whole time. I just loved it and so will you! Reminds me of my husband's aunt that was Japan.
July 18, 2015
Santo Tomas,Prison
This book was very special to me,because my late father who passed away last year helped to liberate the prison.I am very proud to let you know this.
This book was very special to me,because my late father who passed away last year helped to liberate the prison.I am very proud to let you know this.
March 22, 2016
Frighteningly realistic.
A gripping story of the horrors of war and how it affected one family and their friends and loved ones .
A gripping story of the horrors of war and how it affected one family and their friends and loved ones .
April 1, 2016
Ebook
At times it was hard to read this story, the horror of war was painful to read. The story is well told and has a happy ending.
At times it was hard to read this story, the horror of war was painful to read. The story is well told and has a happy ending.
June 26, 2016
Very sad things happened.
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