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The War Nurse
She asked dozens of young women to lay their lives on the line during the Great War. Can she protect them?
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.
Based on a true story, The War Nurse is a sweeping historical novel by international bestselling author Tracey Enerson Wood that takes readers on an unforgettable journey through WWI France.
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.
Based on a true story, The War Nurse is a sweeping historical novel by international bestselling author Tracey Enerson Wood that takes readers on an unforgettable journey through WWI France.
304 pages, Hardcover
First published July 6, 2021
436 people are currently reading
13256 people want to read
About the author
Tracey Enerson Wood
6 books447 followersTracey Enerson Wood has always had a writing bug. While working as a Registered Nurse, starting an interior design company, raising two children, and bouncing around the world as a military wife, she indulged in her passion as a playwright, screenwriter and short story writer. She has authored magazine columns and other non-fiction, written and directed plays of all lengths, including Grits, Fleas and Carrots, Rocks and Other Hard Places, Alone, and Fog. Her screenplays include Strike Three and Roebling's Bridge. The Engineer's Wife is her first published novel.
Other passions include food and cooking, and honoring military heroes. Her co-authored anthology/cookbook Homefront Cooking, American Veterans share Recipes, Wit, and Wisdom, was released in May, 2018, and all authors' profits will be donated to organizations that support veterans.
A New Jersey native, she now lives with her family in Germany and Florida, and loves to travel, so be careful giving out casual invitations, she will show up anywhere.
(source: Amazon)
Other passions include food and cooking, and honoring military heroes. Her co-authored anthology/cookbook Homefront Cooking, American Veterans share Recipes, Wit, and Wisdom, was released in May, 2018, and all authors' profits will be donated to organizations that support veterans.
A New Jersey native, she now lives with her family in Germany and Florida, and loves to travel, so be careful giving out casual invitations, she will show up anywhere.
(source: Amazon)
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 378 reviews
August 27, 2021
Having loved the gem, The Engineer’s Wife, I was super excited to read The War Nurse, and it did not disappoint.
Set during World War One in France, The War Nurse is inspired by true events. The British are battle-weary, and Julia Stimson is tasked with recruiting a number of nurses to relieve them. The nurses are young and inexperienced and will aid those right on the front lines.
When she and the nurses arrive, the British Base Hospital is a disaster. Disorganized, outdated, and unkempt, while the wounds the soldiers arrive with need their best acute care.
Then, soldiers begin arriving in large numbers due to an unknown respiratory illness, which completely overwhelms the already straining hospital. The nurses begin getting sick, too.
What an inspiring story of the sacrifices medical professionals make and their compassionate care. It also addresses other important topics around medicine and (pioneering) women in healthcare. I’d not read a book focused on the flu and its impact during the war; that had been more in the background of the stories I have read. I was completely absorbed in this story and its characters and highly recommend it to fans of historical fiction.
I received a gifted copy.
Many of my reviews can also be found on my blog: www.jennifertarheelreader.com and instagram: www.instagram.com/tarheelreader
Set during World War One in France, The War Nurse is inspired by true events. The British are battle-weary, and Julia Stimson is tasked with recruiting a number of nurses to relieve them. The nurses are young and inexperienced and will aid those right on the front lines.
When she and the nurses arrive, the British Base Hospital is a disaster. Disorganized, outdated, and unkempt, while the wounds the soldiers arrive with need their best acute care.
Then, soldiers begin arriving in large numbers due to an unknown respiratory illness, which completely overwhelms the already straining hospital. The nurses begin getting sick, too.
What an inspiring story of the sacrifices medical professionals make and their compassionate care. It also addresses other important topics around medicine and (pioneering) women in healthcare. I’d not read a book focused on the flu and its impact during the war; that had been more in the background of the stories I have read. I was completely absorbed in this story and its characters and highly recommend it to fans of historical fiction.
I received a gifted copy.
Many of my reviews can also be found on my blog: www.jennifertarheelreader.com and instagram: www.instagram.com/tarheelreader
April 19, 2021
St. Louis, 1917. Julia Stimson is a Superintendent of Nurses at the School of Medicine. The school “was identified by the Red Cross as a base hospital, to be activated in the event of an emergency.” That emergency has arrived. Julia has to recruit “enough qualified nurses willing to give up their lives and embark on an unknowable journey.” Unnecessarily worried, she is overwhelmed with the response of so many young women willing to take that journey. The Great War throws “together people from different backgrounds and cultures like never before.”
Once in Rouen, France, her skills are put into a true test. The hospital her team is assigned to is supposed to be “staffed for five hundred patients, not thirteen hundred.” She needs to figure out how to be efficient in the best possible way, by scheduling skillfully nurses, “setting up a system of a day shift and a night shift, with leaders for each, (…) based on their experience, strength, and compatibilities.”
Beginning of the year 1918, there are more and more patients appearing with questionable symptoms. Some guess it’s “respiratory distress of undisclosed nature.” As more of those uninjured soldiers with flu symptoms appear, the heroine’s skills and creativity come into play again.
This story is concentrated on the work of the nurses and with detailed descriptions it gives a good sense of what it means to be a nurse during WWI and at the time when nursing is not a career path yet. It is textured with historical facts and people that add interesting depth to the story. For example, Rouen is known for production of wool and cotton which the heroine uses to make protective masks when influenza strikes; or appearance of Marie Curie and heroine consulting with the expert on X-rays.
This novel brings a strong female heroine who dreamed of becoming a physician, like her uncle, but that was not to be for a woman of her time. With someone’s guidance, she takes the path of becoming a nurse, which fits her personality and where she finds fulfillment and enjoyment. She comes from a privileged family, but was always encouraged to make a difference, to accomplish something important in life. She sets high standards for herself and for the nurses she is responsible for. With her strong will and perseverance she forges ahead with her own way of doing things, figuring out regular routines. And when a crises strikes, she is equipped with knowledge and experience to figure some ways how to handle it.
Written with great depth of knowledge and woven with attention-grabbing facts and figures, thus creating a fascinating story about a woman known as one of the pioneers forging nursing as a profession.
P.S. Highly recommend the author’s debut novel The Engineer’s Wife.
Source: ARC was provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Review originally posted at mysteryandsuspense.com
Once in Rouen, France, her skills are put into a true test. The hospital her team is assigned to is supposed to be “staffed for five hundred patients, not thirteen hundred.” She needs to figure out how to be efficient in the best possible way, by scheduling skillfully nurses, “setting up a system of a day shift and a night shift, with leaders for each, (…) based on their experience, strength, and compatibilities.”
Beginning of the year 1918, there are more and more patients appearing with questionable symptoms. Some guess it’s “respiratory distress of undisclosed nature.” As more of those uninjured soldiers with flu symptoms appear, the heroine’s skills and creativity come into play again.
This story is concentrated on the work of the nurses and with detailed descriptions it gives a good sense of what it means to be a nurse during WWI and at the time when nursing is not a career path yet. It is textured with historical facts and people that add interesting depth to the story. For example, Rouen is known for production of wool and cotton which the heroine uses to make protective masks when influenza strikes; or appearance of Marie Curie and heroine consulting with the expert on X-rays.
This novel brings a strong female heroine who dreamed of becoming a physician, like her uncle, but that was not to be for a woman of her time. With someone’s guidance, she takes the path of becoming a nurse, which fits her personality and where she finds fulfillment and enjoyment. She comes from a privileged family, but was always encouraged to make a difference, to accomplish something important in life. She sets high standards for herself and for the nurses she is responsible for. With her strong will and perseverance she forges ahead with her own way of doing things, figuring out regular routines. And when a crises strikes, she is equipped with knowledge and experience to figure some ways how to handle it.
Written with great depth of knowledge and woven with attention-grabbing facts and figures, thus creating a fascinating story about a woman known as one of the pioneers forging nursing as a profession.
P.S. Highly recommend the author’s debut novel The Engineer’s Wife.
Source: ARC was provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Review originally posted at mysteryandsuspense.com
June 24, 2021
Julia Stimson is the Superintendent of Nurses, she’s in charge of procedures and instruction at Washington University Hospital. The American Red Cross Base Hospital is going to take over from the British Expeditionary Force Hospital in France and Julia is in charge of recruiting and training sixty five nurses needed to staff the new American hospital.
When the boat leaves New York six weeks later, Julia and her group of eager nurses have no idea what will be waiting for them in France and it’s a big shock. The hospital at Rouen has been set up in the grounds of an old racecourse, they can hear the sound of gunfire in the distance and the Great War becomes very real. The hospital was built to accommodate 500 patients, Matron Lipton informs Julia at times it can have up to 1,300 patients and she has no idea how they will cope? The English hospital isn’t up to Julia’s high standards, dirty wounded soldiers are put into clean beds, it’s unorganized and she’s horrified. Once the British medical staff leave, Julia starts making changes, she introduces two work shifts for her nurses, a day shift and a night shift and with an experienced nurse in charge of each group. Patients arrive at the hospital in a terrible state, many haven’t been properly assessed, with horrific wounds and die before being operated on. Due to it being so busy, huge numbers of wounded men arriving all at once, Julia isn’t sure what procedures her nurses can do without a doctor’s approval and all she has to go by is a very outdated nurse’s hand book. She concerned about her nurses being over worked, burning out and catching diseases from the patients. Julia’s interested in new treatments and procedures and when a new respiratory illness starts, it spreads quickly and she wants to introduce changes.
Julia has always had to deal with discrimination from male doctors, they find her a threat, it’s the same in France, during the Spanish flu outbreak in 1918 and will they listen to her ideas? Julia asked dozens of young women to lay their lives on the line during the Great War, she takes the responsibility very seriously and she’s a wonderful leader. The War Nurse is based on a true story, it’s well written, and I enjoyed reading about Julia’s bond with her nurses, hospital staff and patients. Her relationship/friendship with Doctor Fred Murphy added an interesting element to the plot of the story and at a time when nurses had to be single.
I received a copy of this book from Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review and five stars from me. https://karrenreadsbooks.blogspot.com/
When the boat leaves New York six weeks later, Julia and her group of eager nurses have no idea what will be waiting for them in France and it’s a big shock. The hospital at Rouen has been set up in the grounds of an old racecourse, they can hear the sound of gunfire in the distance and the Great War becomes very real. The hospital was built to accommodate 500 patients, Matron Lipton informs Julia at times it can have up to 1,300 patients and she has no idea how they will cope? The English hospital isn’t up to Julia’s high standards, dirty wounded soldiers are put into clean beds, it’s unorganized and she’s horrified. Once the British medical staff leave, Julia starts making changes, she introduces two work shifts for her nurses, a day shift and a night shift and with an experienced nurse in charge of each group. Patients arrive at the hospital in a terrible state, many haven’t been properly assessed, with horrific wounds and die before being operated on. Due to it being so busy, huge numbers of wounded men arriving all at once, Julia isn’t sure what procedures her nurses can do without a doctor’s approval and all she has to go by is a very outdated nurse’s hand book. She concerned about her nurses being over worked, burning out and catching diseases from the patients. Julia’s interested in new treatments and procedures and when a new respiratory illness starts, it spreads quickly and she wants to introduce changes.
Julia has always had to deal with discrimination from male doctors, they find her a threat, it’s the same in France, during the Spanish flu outbreak in 1918 and will they listen to her ideas? Julia asked dozens of young women to lay their lives on the line during the Great War, she takes the responsibility very seriously and she’s a wonderful leader. The War Nurse is based on a true story, it’s well written, and I enjoyed reading about Julia’s bond with her nurses, hospital staff and patients. Her relationship/friendship with Doctor Fred Murphy added an interesting element to the plot of the story and at a time when nurses had to be single.
I received a copy of this book from Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review and five stars from me. https://karrenreadsbooks.blogspot.com/
May 15, 2023
The War Nurse by Tracey Emerson Wood is a book that started in St Louis in 1917 at a training school for nurses. Once WW I hits Julia had to recruit enough nurses to arrive in France to assist the wounded in a hospital staffed for 500. Julia soon realizes 1500 patients and growing. 1918 more and more patients start entering with flu like symptoms. Enters the Influenza of 1918. The same author as The Engineers Wife. This book was written with a strong female role and good knowledge and research of it’s times. A little bit of romance woven in.
March 29, 2023
3.5 stars rounded up to 4 stars
July 25, 2021
The War Nurse
By: Tracey Enerson Wood
PUB DATE: July 6, 2021
THE WAR NURSE is simply an incredible read. I enjoyed every word of this exquisite and engaging story.
Only a Registered Nurse could pen this sweeping historical fiction story and do it justice - giving this historically accurate and timely story of one of the pioneers of healthcare and a true healthcare hero, the story it deserves.
At the heart of the story, THE WAR NURSE is inspired by the heroic acts of nursing matron and superintendent Julia Stimson, her nursing staff, and physician colleagues. Tracey Enerson Wood did not shy on the ethical questions that arose regarding the limitations of the roles of nurses, the discussion whether nursing is a profession or a vocation, the treatment of women, addressing advancements in technology, developing standards of practice, patient and caregiver safety, evidence based medicine, and emerging novel diseases.
Historical fiction fans and those that enjoy a beautiful story about humanity, compassion, and the pioneers of medicine will find this read more than entertaining but also insightful, inspirational, and engaging.
As a Registered Nurse, this book made me so proud of my chosen profession and calling. Thank you Tracey Enerson Wood for an outstanding story I will always be recommending.
By: Tracey Enerson Wood
PUB DATE: July 6, 2021
THE WAR NURSE is simply an incredible read. I enjoyed every word of this exquisite and engaging story.
Only a Registered Nurse could pen this sweeping historical fiction story and do it justice - giving this historically accurate and timely story of one of the pioneers of healthcare and a true healthcare hero, the story it deserves.
At the heart of the story, THE WAR NURSE is inspired by the heroic acts of nursing matron and superintendent Julia Stimson, her nursing staff, and physician colleagues. Tracey Enerson Wood did not shy on the ethical questions that arose regarding the limitations of the roles of nurses, the discussion whether nursing is a profession or a vocation, the treatment of women, addressing advancements in technology, developing standards of practice, patient and caregiver safety, evidence based medicine, and emerging novel diseases.
Historical fiction fans and those that enjoy a beautiful story about humanity, compassion, and the pioneers of medicine will find this read more than entertaining but also insightful, inspirational, and engaging.
As a Registered Nurse, this book made me so proud of my chosen profession and calling. Thank you Tracey Enerson Wood for an outstanding story I will always be recommending.
March 29, 2023
" Dear Lord, even in the midst of this terrible human tragedy, I feel your presence. I don't know why mankind continues to fight, or if we will ever learn to live in peace. Please grant me the courage, wisdom, and strength to continue this mission, on which I believe You have sent me. Amen."
A beautiful prayer Julia Stimson prayed that stayed with me as a testament to her faith in God who gives us the strength and courage to do what we are called to do🙏
I have never heard of Julia Catherine Stimson until I read this book. She is one of the many unsung heroes of WW1! She was a nurse who displayed so much courage, strength, wisdom and the ability to recruit and lead nurses in France during the war. Her job wasn't an easy one being in charge of all the nurses, meeting with doctors and making life and death decisions with bombs exploding all around the CCS where she was stationed. I admire her ability to handle everything!!
Dr. Fred Murphy knew Julia before the war and they were working together in the same unit during WW1. They struggled to maintain a professional relationship as well as a personal one. The feelings they had for each other are described in the story. Did they stay together after the war or not? That's a wonderful question and you'll discover the answer as you read this book.🤔
I was truly surprised to read about the role Madame Curie played in WW1!! I may be in the minority here, but I never connected her to WW1!! 😃Her use of x-ray machines and radon gas saved many lives during this war! Thanks be to God for her!! It was interesting to learn how she hid these things from the Germans because of her fear that if they got a hold of them, what would they do? I enjoyed reading about her friendship with Julia!! It's amazing how much of her personal life was shared between the two.
While not one of my favorites of this era, it's a wonderful book for the knowledge displaying how much we advanced medically since then. I enjoy reading books about people who are hidden in history. Well, Julia Stimson and everyone else in this book are hidden no more!! I really do recommend this book! Enjoy learning!! I did😃📖🍀
A beautiful prayer Julia Stimson prayed that stayed with me as a testament to her faith in God who gives us the strength and courage to do what we are called to do🙏
I have never heard of Julia Catherine Stimson until I read this book. She is one of the many unsung heroes of WW1! She was a nurse who displayed so much courage, strength, wisdom and the ability to recruit and lead nurses in France during the war. Her job wasn't an easy one being in charge of all the nurses, meeting with doctors and making life and death decisions with bombs exploding all around the CCS where she was stationed. I admire her ability to handle everything!!
Dr. Fred Murphy knew Julia before the war and they were working together in the same unit during WW1. They struggled to maintain a professional relationship as well as a personal one. The feelings they had for each other are described in the story. Did they stay together after the war or not? That's a wonderful question and you'll discover the answer as you read this book.🤔
I was truly surprised to read about the role Madame Curie played in WW1!! I may be in the minority here, but I never connected her to WW1!! 😃Her use of x-ray machines and radon gas saved many lives during this war! Thanks be to God for her!! It was interesting to learn how she hid these things from the Germans because of her fear that if they got a hold of them, what would they do? I enjoyed reading about her friendship with Julia!! It's amazing how much of her personal life was shared between the two.
While not one of my favorites of this era, it's a wonderful book for the knowledge displaying how much we advanced medically since then. I enjoy reading books about people who are hidden in history. Well, Julia Stimson and everyone else in this book are hidden no more!! I really do recommend this book! Enjoy learning!! I did😃📖🍀
August 3, 2021
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.
Thanks to Sourcebooks Landmark and NetGalley for the e-ARC
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.
Thanks to Sourcebooks Landmark and NetGalley for the e-ARC
June 28, 2021
The War Nurse by Tracey Enerson Wood sort of dragged on and I ended up having to put it down around 35% because it wasn't keeping my interest. The historical fiction elements of this are fascinating and seeing the courage of the war nurses is inspiring, but the character development was at a snail's pace and I didn't see it getting better. Sadly, I have set this one aside "for now." I may finish it letter.
Thank you NetGalley and Sourcebooks Landmark for an e-copy of this book for review.
Thank you NetGalley and Sourcebooks Landmark for an e-copy of this book for review.
July 19, 2021
Based on real people, a young doctor and nurse and 100 other medical personnel including nurses are sent to a hospital 100 miles from the front lines in Rouen, France, in 1917, shortly before the US entered the fray. Julia Stimson really did fulfill this position and the book is a fictionalized version of her incredible WWI story, where it was unheard of for a woman to do any such thing. I enjoyed the book most for being based on a real person as some of the storytelling was annoying. One of the rules for writers is to "show, don't tell." Tracey Wood mostly told; the book seems to be a series of vignettes that feel very choppy. The story is very interesting though and I appreciated the notes at the end that tell us what was and wasn't real.
February 17, 2021
THE WAR NURSE is a fascinating, intimate look at the true story of Julia Catherine Stimson and the incredible work she and her nurses did to save lives during World War I. Through careful research, this book shows the incredible bravery and compassion of women who find themselves in extraordinary situations.
July 26, 2021
4+ stars Thank you to BookBrowse, Edelweiss and Sourcebooks Landmark for the chance to read and review this book. Published July 6, 2021.
Based on true characters and factual accounts, this is a very good WWI novel. It was well researched and nicely written. The author's notes were a great addition. They told which characters were factual and mentioned accurate places pertinent to the story.
Julia Stimson was an RN in the early 1900's. Her ambition was to become a doctor, however everyone cautioned her against that. Her break came when she was offered the Head Supervision position of a group of nurses that would be working on front lines in France. That one move changed her life.
Tracey Enerson Wood developed a great novel. She not only took us into the private life of Julia Stimson, but also into her professional life. You get a taste of the medical arena as the nursing profession evolved and what it was like on the front lines in France during WWI. Stationed at an Army base there is a flavor of the officers side when Commander Murphy is introduced to the story, along with the military doctors who were adverse to trying new ideas and undermined Julia at every possible chance. Obviously the Spanish Flu pandemic came about during this time and it is also woven into the story, but it is not the main focus. This is one of the best fictional historical novels of WWI that I have ever read. Then knowing that it is based in truth, with well done research into real life characters, makes it all that much more appealing. It is well worth your time to read it.
Based on true characters and factual accounts, this is a very good WWI novel. It was well researched and nicely written. The author's notes were a great addition. They told which characters were factual and mentioned accurate places pertinent to the story.
Julia Stimson was an RN in the early 1900's. Her ambition was to become a doctor, however everyone cautioned her against that. Her break came when she was offered the Head Supervision position of a group of nurses that would be working on front lines in France. That one move changed her life.
Tracey Enerson Wood developed a great novel. She not only took us into the private life of Julia Stimson, but also into her professional life. You get a taste of the medical arena as the nursing profession evolved and what it was like on the front lines in France during WWI. Stationed at an Army base there is a flavor of the officers side when Commander Murphy is introduced to the story, along with the military doctors who were adverse to trying new ideas and undermined Julia at every possible chance. Obviously the Spanish Flu pandemic came about during this time and it is also woven into the story, but it is not the main focus. This is one of the best fictional historical novels of WWI that I have ever read. Then knowing that it is based in truth, with well done research into real life characters, makes it all that much more appealing. It is well worth your time to read it.
July 16, 2021
Hm...I liked this book...but I didn't love it. Julia Stimson, our protagonist, is a historical figure that the author wanted to bring to light, feeling that she was in need of discovering and placement alongside Clara Barton and the like. So it felt like a very researched, historical telling, while also having a lot of fictionalized bits. The thing is, at the end of the story I didn't really get the feeling that this individual had a a great impact on the institution of nursing, or the field of medicine. I think this is the author's fault, not the actual Julia Stimson's fault. Also, the focus on a possible romantic entanglement that is not documented in the historical records/letters/etc., and Stimson's fictionalized emotions around that were just meh. I mean...not necessary. Though probably some readers require a romance. Still, meh. And bringing Marie Curie into it to play counselor/matchmaker was just terrible. No one would've put Einstein in that roll, but since she's a woman, she's all about love and not logic and science? SUPER annoying.
I would've preferred knowing more about Stimson's impact on the world. She was probably an amazing human being well outside her romantic relationships.
I would've preferred knowing more about Stimson's impact on the world. She was probably an amazing human being well outside her romantic relationships.
April 24, 2021
THE WAR NURSE is a gripping historical fiction gem based on the true story of American Julia Stimson, Nurse Superintendent at an active WWI field hospital in France.
I was fascinated by how Julia and her staff saved lives near active battle grounds, innovating with new techniques to deal with wounds, infections, and the impact of the new Spanish Flu. How prescient the ties in the story between the Flu Pandemic then and COVID today.
I loved how the author’s meticulous research was woven throughout the fictive elements. Her descriptions ring with truth, and Julia is developed so fully that you care deeply about her, especially as she falls in love with surgeon Fred Murphy. Poignant and inspiring, this is a must-read for fans of WWI hist fic and brave women changing the world.
Pub Date 07 Jul 2021
#TheWarNurse #NetGalley
Thanks to the author, Sourcebooks Landmark, and NetGalley for the review copy. Opinions are mine.
I was fascinated by how Julia and her staff saved lives near active battle grounds, innovating with new techniques to deal with wounds, infections, and the impact of the new Spanish Flu. How prescient the ties in the story between the Flu Pandemic then and COVID today.
I loved how the author’s meticulous research was woven throughout the fictive elements. Her descriptions ring with truth, and Julia is developed so fully that you care deeply about her, especially as she falls in love with surgeon Fred Murphy. Poignant and inspiring, this is a must-read for fans of WWI hist fic and brave women changing the world.
Pub Date 07 Jul 2021
#TheWarNurse #NetGalley
Thanks to the author, Sourcebooks Landmark, and NetGalley for the review copy. Opinions are mine.
September 29, 2021
Sounded great. Parts were interesting. But it never really went anywhere. A nurse married to her work, seemingly to odd to love. An important army man who falls for her while she resists because her work…
The interesting parts were far and few between. Being a nurse I typically love learning about my nurse sisters from history. The was very blah. I don’t recommend.
The interesting parts were far and few between. Being a nurse I typically love learning about my nurse sisters from history. The was very blah. I don’t recommend.
July 8, 2021
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.
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.
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.
November 15, 2021
3.5/5. The War Nurse follows Julia Stimson, an American Superintendent of Nurses based in France during WWI, as she leads around a hundred nurses at a British Base Hospital, battling with limited resources, the authority to make important decisions and a budding romance.
I love how this author always infuses so much history into her novels, focusing on real people and events and extrapolating on actions that could have happened. As such, this book is very descriptive and factual, illuminating the medical advances and prominent diseases of the time, including the Spanish influenza. Marie Curie also makes a strong appearance in this novel, as she did visit hospitals during the war to provide radiological services.
However, sometimes this book is a bit too factual in that it reads like an ongoing list of information. This is also a slow-burn of novel, so it doesn’t have a particular climax.
Overall, this is an enlightening read with enjoyable characters in an interesting time period. Especially for those that enjoy historical fiction, keep an eye out for this book hitting the shelves in July.
Thank you to NetGalley and Sourcebooks for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.
I love how this author always infuses so much history into her novels, focusing on real people and events and extrapolating on actions that could have happened. As such, this book is very descriptive and factual, illuminating the medical advances and prominent diseases of the time, including the Spanish influenza. Marie Curie also makes a strong appearance in this novel, as she did visit hospitals during the war to provide radiological services.
However, sometimes this book is a bit too factual in that it reads like an ongoing list of information. This is also a slow-burn of novel, so it doesn’t have a particular climax.
Overall, this is an enlightening read with enjoyable characters in an interesting time period. Especially for those that enjoy historical fiction, keep an eye out for this book hitting the shelves in July.
Thank you to NetGalley and Sourcebooks for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.
April 15, 2021
THE WAR NURSE
BY TRACEY ENERSON WOOD
I was super excited to read, "THE WAR NURSE," because I really loved Tracey Enerson Wood's debut novel called, "THE ENGINEER"S WIFE." "The Engineer's Wife," was fascinating to me because before reading it I had no idea about the true story about Emily Roebling, who helped design and build one of today's lasting monument's-the Brooklyn Bridge. This is Tracey Enerson Wood's second historical fiction book based on a factual other strong female in our past but this time it takes place during World War I, in Rouen, France about the superintendent of nurses, Julia Stimson.
I am under the impression that Ms. Wood enjoys meticulously researching strong and capable female icons. I was struck how similar the setting was back then with the pandemic of the Spanish Influenza infecting and killing millions by first being for the purposes of the narrative being highly contagious and the wearing of masks. It is eery in the book how it has been for us with the Corona virus.
Julia Stimson wanted to be a physician and her father and Uncle who was a surgeon wouldn't hear of it. She truly loved the nurses that she had handpicked to travel to Rouen, France that worked under her. She was passionate about herself helping to relieve the British at the site where her and her nurses took their places when America entered the war. She treated the nurse's that she oversaw and directed as tenderly as she cared for the wounded in their makeshift hospitals that were tents.
The novel begins with her working as a nurse in St. Louis, Missouri in April, during the year 1917. She is thinking that perhaps God had made a mistake and wished her to be a man. She was taller than most women and had the wide shoulder's to carry the world's burdens but was blessed with the sensibilities, strengths and courage of a woman through and through. She was the chief of nurses at Barnes Hospital in St. Louis for three years before being promoted to superintendent of nurses and head of nursing training at the affiliated Washington University.
Her responsibilities were for every aspect of nursing at the university hospital where she directed recruitment and training to policies and procedures. She frequently coordinated with the heads of other departments and worked very hard on staying up to date on new treatments and practices. During which time she also was handling all of the duties of a dean for the nurse training program. Washington University had the finest doctor's on the cutting edge when dealing with cardiac and facial surgeries. Julia was thirty-six years old and had never been married and I was struck by how devoted to her job that she was.
Her School of Medicine was identified by the Red Cross as a base hospital to be activated in the case of an emergency. It was during this time that a telegram came from Washington DC. asking if her unit could travel to Europe and how soon could she be ready to go? The Red Cross's answer to the surgeon general was that the medical unit of the hospital would be ready to go in six week's time Central and up front was the importance of nurses arriving before the American troops. Julia Stimson needed to find sixty-five nurses and she accepted and handpicked sixty-four nurses by inviting qualified staff and by interviewing applicant's that responded from advertisements put in the newspaper and poster's both locally and nationally.
The nurses would need training for injuries they would have had less experience dealing with such as severe burns, amputations and shell shock. Ms. Julia Stimson managed to be up for the task and for six weeks she trained sixty-four nurses who she broke down to squadrons of eight sort of like the military. They traveled by train to Grand Central terminal and they boarded a ship that sailed from the port of New York City.
This book explores how the nurses relieved the tired and war famished British nurses in Rouen, Normandy, France. It doesn't get into anything graphic but the nurses cared for the wounded soldier's and Marie Curie makes a couple of visits to their encampment to assist with improving the X-ray's. By then she had been awarded her Nobel prize and her husband Pierre was deceased. Julia gets into a close relationship with one of the widowed doctor's named Dr. Murphy. He wants to take things to the next level but Julia always professional is afraid of gossip and she is so devoted to her work that although she falls in love the relationship stays as it is--just two people trying to get through the war until she gets a post in Paris. Her brother Philip gets wounded with shrapnel in his back and he helps out when the soldier's become sick from the Spanish influenza. He is a pediatrician who recovers in their station and he has a background in infectious diseases. Julia and Philip both get promotions to a new posting in Paris.
This was an interesting novel that I enjoyed but I think that I loved her debut novel better. It is not to say that her first book was better because that is not the case. Personally, for me I have probably read too many World War II books in the past couple of years. This being about the Great War was a welcome relief and respite but I found the Emily Roebling story taking place in New York and her helping to build and design a monument such as the Brooklyn Bridge to be a topic of more learning for me. Both Emily Roebling and Julia Stimson are both iconic women who strove to meet their individual challenges with a sense of honor and they both are strong and independent women. I think that this book will appeal to mostly an audience of women who enjoy historical fiction based on factual people. I would recommend this to women who like strong female protagonists who use their lives to helping others. I look forward to reading what Tracey Enerson Wood decides to write about next and wish her the best of luck. She has a fan that is me and I found this to be a quick and easy read that can be accomplished in one sitting.
Publication Date: July 7, 2021
My huge thanks to Net Galley, Tracey Enerson Wood and to SOURCEBOOKS Landmark for generously providing me with my ARC in exchange for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own.
#TheWarNurse #TraceyEnersonWood #SOURCEBOOKSLandmark #NetGalley
BY TRACEY ENERSON WOOD
I was super excited to read, "THE WAR NURSE," because I really loved Tracey Enerson Wood's debut novel called, "THE ENGINEER"S WIFE." "The Engineer's Wife," was fascinating to me because before reading it I had no idea about the true story about Emily Roebling, who helped design and build one of today's lasting monument's-the Brooklyn Bridge. This is Tracey Enerson Wood's second historical fiction book based on a factual other strong female in our past but this time it takes place during World War I, in Rouen, France about the superintendent of nurses, Julia Stimson.
I am under the impression that Ms. Wood enjoys meticulously researching strong and capable female icons. I was struck how similar the setting was back then with the pandemic of the Spanish Influenza infecting and killing millions by first being for the purposes of the narrative being highly contagious and the wearing of masks. It is eery in the book how it has been for us with the Corona virus.
Julia Stimson wanted to be a physician and her father and Uncle who was a surgeon wouldn't hear of it. She truly loved the nurses that she had handpicked to travel to Rouen, France that worked under her. She was passionate about herself helping to relieve the British at the site where her and her nurses took their places when America entered the war. She treated the nurse's that she oversaw and directed as tenderly as she cared for the wounded in their makeshift hospitals that were tents.
The novel begins with her working as a nurse in St. Louis, Missouri in April, during the year 1917. She is thinking that perhaps God had made a mistake and wished her to be a man. She was taller than most women and had the wide shoulder's to carry the world's burdens but was blessed with the sensibilities, strengths and courage of a woman through and through. She was the chief of nurses at Barnes Hospital in St. Louis for three years before being promoted to superintendent of nurses and head of nursing training at the affiliated Washington University.
Her responsibilities were for every aspect of nursing at the university hospital where she directed recruitment and training to policies and procedures. She frequently coordinated with the heads of other departments and worked very hard on staying up to date on new treatments and practices. During which time she also was handling all of the duties of a dean for the nurse training program. Washington University had the finest doctor's on the cutting edge when dealing with cardiac and facial surgeries. Julia was thirty-six years old and had never been married and I was struck by how devoted to her job that she was.
Her School of Medicine was identified by the Red Cross as a base hospital to be activated in the case of an emergency. It was during this time that a telegram came from Washington DC. asking if her unit could travel to Europe and how soon could she be ready to go? The Red Cross's answer to the surgeon general was that the medical unit of the hospital would be ready to go in six week's time Central and up front was the importance of nurses arriving before the American troops. Julia Stimson needed to find sixty-five nurses and she accepted and handpicked sixty-four nurses by inviting qualified staff and by interviewing applicant's that responded from advertisements put in the newspaper and poster's both locally and nationally.
The nurses would need training for injuries they would have had less experience dealing with such as severe burns, amputations and shell shock. Ms. Julia Stimson managed to be up for the task and for six weeks she trained sixty-four nurses who she broke down to squadrons of eight sort of like the military. They traveled by train to Grand Central terminal and they boarded a ship that sailed from the port of New York City.
This book explores how the nurses relieved the tired and war famished British nurses in Rouen, Normandy, France. It doesn't get into anything graphic but the nurses cared for the wounded soldier's and Marie Curie makes a couple of visits to their encampment to assist with improving the X-ray's. By then she had been awarded her Nobel prize and her husband Pierre was deceased. Julia gets into a close relationship with one of the widowed doctor's named Dr. Murphy. He wants to take things to the next level but Julia always professional is afraid of gossip and she is so devoted to her work that although she falls in love the relationship stays as it is--just two people trying to get through the war until she gets a post in Paris. Her brother Philip gets wounded with shrapnel in his back and he helps out when the soldier's become sick from the Spanish influenza. He is a pediatrician who recovers in their station and he has a background in infectious diseases. Julia and Philip both get promotions to a new posting in Paris.
This was an interesting novel that I enjoyed but I think that I loved her debut novel better. It is not to say that her first book was better because that is not the case. Personally, for me I have probably read too many World War II books in the past couple of years. This being about the Great War was a welcome relief and respite but I found the Emily Roebling story taking place in New York and her helping to build and design a monument such as the Brooklyn Bridge to be a topic of more learning for me. Both Emily Roebling and Julia Stimson are both iconic women who strove to meet their individual challenges with a sense of honor and they both are strong and independent women. I think that this book will appeal to mostly an audience of women who enjoy historical fiction based on factual people. I would recommend this to women who like strong female protagonists who use their lives to helping others. I look forward to reading what Tracey Enerson Wood decides to write about next and wish her the best of luck. She has a fan that is me and I found this to be a quick and easy read that can be accomplished in one sitting.
Publication Date: July 7, 2021
My huge thanks to Net Galley, Tracey Enerson Wood and to SOURCEBOOKS Landmark for generously providing me with my ARC in exchange for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own.
#TheWarNurse #TraceyEnersonWood #SOURCEBOOKSLandmark #NetGalley
August 19, 2021
"In Flanders fields, the poppies blow, between the crosses, row on row, that mark our place, and in the sky, the larks, still bravely singing, fly, scarce heard amid the guns below"
- In Flanders Field by John McCrae (a Canadian physician)
To begin with, how refreshing it is to read a historical fiction novel set in WWI for a change, as I find the market to be absolutely dominated by WWII (I understand why of course, as there are so many stories/lessons from this horrendous time period).
This was my first read by author Tracey Enerson Wood, and I was instantly drawn into the story and setting.
1917, St Louis, Missouri. At first, we're introduced to Catherine (Julia) Stimson, a woman who had a lifelong dream of "being a physician", but after constantly being met with roadblocks from family not willing to support this, she became a nurse.
This novel tells the story of Nurse Stimson who is tasked with finding sixty four (64) nurses, and taking them to the war overseas in France (Rouen). Not only does this novel tell the story of this courageous woman, but also tells the story of her bravery, and her 'entrepreneurship' I guess you could say in ways.
What I mean by the above is that Julia Stimson in ways changed how practices were done during WWI to perhaps make things more streamlined. While reading this novel, what got me the most about this story was that this woman faced so many roadblocks such as dealing with patients that were attacked by the Germans with toxic gas, influenza, gender inequality, etc.
I enjoyed the mentioning of Marie Curie, who won a Nobel Prize for her work in radioactivity. Marie Curie was actually involved during WWI with the creation of x-rays, and how it works today.
All, in all, if you're wanting a change from WWII historical fiction novels, I recommend you to check out The War Nurse.
To end my review, I leave you with this quote, which I think sums up nurses:
"A nurse is a nurse in every fiber of her being, whether she comforts the mother of a baby with a fever or holds the hand of a dying neighbor. Some choose to make it their only career; some move on to other things. But nursing is in the heart forever".
- In Flanders Field by John McCrae (a Canadian physician)
To begin with, how refreshing it is to read a historical fiction novel set in WWI for a change, as I find the market to be absolutely dominated by WWII (I understand why of course, as there are so many stories/lessons from this horrendous time period).
This was my first read by author Tracey Enerson Wood, and I was instantly drawn into the story and setting.
1917, St Louis, Missouri. At first, we're introduced to Catherine (Julia) Stimson, a woman who had a lifelong dream of "being a physician", but after constantly being met with roadblocks from family not willing to support this, she became a nurse.
This novel tells the story of Nurse Stimson who is tasked with finding sixty four (64) nurses, and taking them to the war overseas in France (Rouen). Not only does this novel tell the story of this courageous woman, but also tells the story of her bravery, and her 'entrepreneurship' I guess you could say in ways.
What I mean by the above is that Julia Stimson in ways changed how practices were done during WWI to perhaps make things more streamlined. While reading this novel, what got me the most about this story was that this woman faced so many roadblocks such as dealing with patients that were attacked by the Germans with toxic gas, influenza, gender inequality, etc.
I enjoyed the mentioning of Marie Curie, who won a Nobel Prize for her work in radioactivity. Marie Curie was actually involved during WWI with the creation of x-rays, and how it works today.
All, in all, if you're wanting a change from WWII historical fiction novels, I recommend you to check out The War Nurse.
To end my review, I leave you with this quote, which I think sums up nurses:
"A nurse is a nurse in every fiber of her being, whether she comforts the mother of a baby with a fever or holds the hand of a dying neighbor. Some choose to make it their only career; some move on to other things. But nursing is in the heart forever".
December 27, 2020
The War Nurse: A Novel by Tracey Enerson Wood is an excellent historical fiction novel set in WWI and focusses on one of modern nursing’s pioneers: Julia Catherine Stimson.
I have to admit I had not heard of Miss Stimson before this book, but as I fell in love with the author’s previous novel, The Engineer’s Wife, I knew I had to read this. I thoroughly enjoyed it.
During the year 1917, Julia was asked to help find a staff of nurses and travel with The Red Cross to France to help serve and care for wounded soldiers near Rouen, France. At the time she was in administration and teaching at Barnes Hospital/Washington University in St Louis, Missouri and it was fascinating to see not only the stigma associated with being a figure of authority at those institutions, but also near the battlefields. She had so many obstacles against her: she was 36 and unmarried (gasp!!!), nursing was not an established and regimental career path as of yet, and she was a woman. It was interesting to see that even though she traded continents and situations, those adversities were still universal. I was impressed with her intelligence, drive, ingenuity, gumption, and passion.
It was also fascinating to see firsthand how some of the fundamental mechanisms of triage, initial care, and treatment were established, tested, refined, and implemented in WWI. I also loved the inclusion of the 1918 Spanish Influenza into the narrative as well. It really added another layer of complexity to the story.
I loved the characters, the pace, the detail, the inclusion of so many true facts, events, and people (hello Marie Curie), and also enjoyed the enhancement of the romance/friendship with Dr. Murphy as well. It was all tastefully and artfully created.
I loved learning what was fiction vs nonfiction and the Author’s Note really added to the novel.
I truly enjoyed this book and highly recommend it. I am most definitely a fan of Ms. Wood.
5/5 stars
Thank you EW and Sourcebooks Landmark for this excellent arc and in return I am submitting my unbiased and voluntary review and opinion.
I am posting this review to my GR, Instagram, and Bookbub accounts immediately and will post it to my Amazon, Instagram, and B&N accounts upon publication on 7/6/21.
I have to admit I had not heard of Miss Stimson before this book, but as I fell in love with the author’s previous novel, The Engineer’s Wife, I knew I had to read this. I thoroughly enjoyed it.
During the year 1917, Julia was asked to help find a staff of nurses and travel with The Red Cross to France to help serve and care for wounded soldiers near Rouen, France. At the time she was in administration and teaching at Barnes Hospital/Washington University in St Louis, Missouri and it was fascinating to see not only the stigma associated with being a figure of authority at those institutions, but also near the battlefields. She had so many obstacles against her: she was 36 and unmarried (gasp!!!), nursing was not an established and regimental career path as of yet, and she was a woman. It was interesting to see that even though she traded continents and situations, those adversities were still universal. I was impressed with her intelligence, drive, ingenuity, gumption, and passion.
It was also fascinating to see firsthand how some of the fundamental mechanisms of triage, initial care, and treatment were established, tested, refined, and implemented in WWI. I also loved the inclusion of the 1918 Spanish Influenza into the narrative as well. It really added another layer of complexity to the story.
I loved the characters, the pace, the detail, the inclusion of so many true facts, events, and people (hello Marie Curie), and also enjoyed the enhancement of the romance/friendship with Dr. Murphy as well. It was all tastefully and artfully created.
I loved learning what was fiction vs nonfiction and the Author’s Note really added to the novel.
I truly enjoyed this book and highly recommend it. I am most definitely a fan of Ms. Wood.
5/5 stars
Thank you EW and Sourcebooks Landmark for this excellent arc and in return I am submitting my unbiased and voluntary review and opinion.
I am posting this review to my GR, Instagram, and Bookbub accounts immediately and will post it to my Amazon, Instagram, and B&N accounts upon publication on 7/6/21.
July 4, 2021
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
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
April 28, 2022
I liked the story of Julia Simpson, a woman who wanted to be a physician, but because she lived in the early twentieth century, settled for being a nurse. A natural leader, she recruited sixty-four nurses to go with her to Rouen, to help at a base hospital close to the fighting in The Great War.
I start a book assuming it is three stars. As I continue reading, I rate it higher or lower. Contrary to how I read twenty years ago, I'm not a huge fan of historical fiction. I think I would have enjoyed a biography better than this novel. But it was a good read.
I start a book assuming it is three stars. As I continue reading, I rate it higher or lower. Contrary to how I read twenty years ago, I'm not a huge fan of historical fiction. I think I would have enjoyed a biography better than this novel. But it was a good read.
July 6, 2021
Evocative, affecting, and incredibly absorbing!
The War Nurse is an immersive, fascinating tale set in German-Occupied France during WWI that takes you into the life of Julia Stimson, a young woman who recruits, trains, mentors, and guides sixty-four American nurses as they embark on a mission for the American Red Cross to take over the day-to-day duties of the Rouen base hospital from the departing British Expeditionary Force.
The prose is seamless and vivid. The characters are driven, courageous, and dependable. And the plot is an insightful, moving tale of life, loss, insecurities, self-discovery, heartbreak, determination, innovation, emerging medical practices, hope, loyalty, survival, and friendship.
Overall, The War Nurse is an alluring, rich, compelling novel by Tracey Enerson Wood that does a spectacular job of highlighting her incredible knowledge and research into this pioneering, historical figure whose remarkable life and contribution to the nursing field of medicine are often unknown, overlooked, or unfortunately long forgotten.
Thank you to Sourcebooks Landmark for providing me with a copy in exchange for an honest review.
The War Nurse is an immersive, fascinating tale set in German-Occupied France during WWI that takes you into the life of Julia Stimson, a young woman who recruits, trains, mentors, and guides sixty-four American nurses as they embark on a mission for the American Red Cross to take over the day-to-day duties of the Rouen base hospital from the departing British Expeditionary Force.
The prose is seamless and vivid. The characters are driven, courageous, and dependable. And the plot is an insightful, moving tale of life, loss, insecurities, self-discovery, heartbreak, determination, innovation, emerging medical practices, hope, loyalty, survival, and friendship.
Overall, The War Nurse is an alluring, rich, compelling novel by Tracey Enerson Wood that does a spectacular job of highlighting her incredible knowledge and research into this pioneering, historical figure whose remarkable life and contribution to the nursing field of medicine are often unknown, overlooked, or unfortunately long forgotten.
Thank you to Sourcebooks Landmark for providing me with a copy in exchange for an honest review.
April 20, 2021
The War Nurse covers the transition of a nurse manager from her St. Louis hospital all the way to serving as the Matron nurse in France during WWI. Julia, based on a real life nurse, is a smart, tall, and passionate woman who had a interest in medicine but as a woman was denied access to that profession. However, she found her own way into healthcare through nursing, and was able to use her wit and work ethic to make transformations that impacted both those she worked with, patients they care for, and the overall healthcare system provided during World War I.
As a nurse myself, I truly connected to this book on multiple levels. First of all, it reads in a voice and style that feels very true to a nurse. If it were from the point of view of a character that was a different profession, I might have felt like the style was kind of short or choppy, BUT as I read it I thought "Yes- this truly feels true to an academic nurse!" I was amazed at how many of Julia's struggles from the 1920s still exist in the profession today. Reading this was not only entertaining, but also helpful to think about how far nursing has come in some ways, but also how far the profession has to go in others. It also was exciting to read about such a strong nurse acting as an advocate, and thinking about where is that passion and dedication needed now, and what difference could that make.
As a nursing professor and someone who works in administration, I really enjoyed this fictionalized story based on people and events from WWI. It was refreshing to read a book that honored the women who served, and also to read about WWI as so much of historical fiction focuses on WWII. I definitely will recommend to others!
Thank you to Tracey Enerson Wood, #NetGalley, and Sourcebooks Landmark for the advanced copy of The War Nurse in exchange for an honest review.
As a nurse myself, I truly connected to this book on multiple levels. First of all, it reads in a voice and style that feels very true to a nurse. If it were from the point of view of a character that was a different profession, I might have felt like the style was kind of short or choppy, BUT as I read it I thought "Yes- this truly feels true to an academic nurse!" I was amazed at how many of Julia's struggles from the 1920s still exist in the profession today. Reading this was not only entertaining, but also helpful to think about how far nursing has come in some ways, but also how far the profession has to go in others. It also was exciting to read about such a strong nurse acting as an advocate, and thinking about where is that passion and dedication needed now, and what difference could that make.
As a nursing professor and someone who works in administration, I really enjoyed this fictionalized story based on people and events from WWI. It was refreshing to read a book that honored the women who served, and also to read about WWI as so much of historical fiction focuses on WWII. I definitely will recommend to others!
Thank you to Tracey Enerson Wood, #NetGalley, and Sourcebooks Landmark for the advanced copy of The War Nurse in exchange for an honest review.
March 11, 2022
I wanted to like this book, as I am a nurse and enjoy reading historical fiction. But alas, I cannot. First, it starts off incredibly slow and I put it down to read another book, prior to making myself pick this back up and finish it. The author has a very jumpy writing style and had difficulty completing a "scene", if you will, before moving on to the next "scene" in the book. The story did not flow well at all. Second, Julia's inability to communicate effectively with Fred was irritating, to say the least. And since their relationship is a significant part of the book, it made for an annoying read. Finally, the ending.... Have you ever turned the page of a book, only to realize that it was the end of the book? Well, expect that with this book. The only thing I could think was, "That's the end of the book?!?!" And not in a, "I don't want the story to end!" way, but a "Why would you end a book like that?!?" way. Surely there are better books on war nurses out there than this one. I would keep looking, instead of picking this one up.
April 18, 2022
Very dry. DNF.
May 16, 2022
Skimmed most of it. Just couldn't get interested.
March 9, 2022
The Story:
Set during The Great War, this story is based on the true story of Julia Stimson, an American Nurse who joined the Army Nurse Corps and became the chief nurse of Base Hospital 21. She and sixty-four nurses were sent to British Base Hospital 12 in Rouen, France to aid the allies before the American troops are ready to be deployed.
My thoughts: This was my first book by this author and I thoroughly enjoyed it! I have never binge-read a historical fiction before but I totally read this book in one sitting! The writing was so engaging!
It was really interesting and inspiring to learn about Julia and the many challenges she faced including the prejudices from male physicians who undermined the capabilities of female nurses. Julia was truly a remarkable woman and I liked reading the part where she met Marie Curie!
Overall, this was an inspiring, enjoyable and a well-researched historical fiction about the medical and nursing profession; a beautiful story about compassion and sacrifices in a time of war.
Pub. Date: March 8th, 2022
***Thank you Sourcebooks Landmark for this gifted review copy. All opinions expressed are my own.***
My thoughts: This was my first book by this author and I thoroughly enjoyed it! I have never binge-read a historical fiction before but I totally read this book in one sitting! The writing was so engaging!
It was really interesting and inspiring to learn about Julia and the many challenges she faced including the prejudices from male physicians who undermined the capabilities of female nurses. Julia was truly a remarkable woman and I liked reading the part where she met Marie Curie!
Overall, this was an inspiring, enjoyable and a well-researched historical fiction about the medical and nursing profession; a beautiful story about compassion and sacrifices in a time of war.
Pub. Date: March 8th, 2022
***Thank you Sourcebooks Landmark for this gifted review copy. All opinions expressed are my own.***
October 31, 2021
Excellent fictionalized account of the excellent field work done by Julia Stimson as a brilliant charge nurse in WW1 in the American field hospital in Northern France. This story particularly highlights the constant barricades put in place by society and in particular, male physicians in Julia's efforts to improve medical care of the wounded. The author brings in other notable personas involved in the rapidly changing area of medicine at the time such as Marie Curie and the dangers of radiation.
What was constantly on my mind as I read this book was how much women have gained in the field of medicine in the past 100 years and yet still males seek to be in control of what women should and shouldn't do. As I type this the supreme court has on their docket this very week to revisit Roe v Wade...
What was constantly on my mind as I read this book was how much women have gained in the field of medicine in the past 100 years and yet still males seek to be in control of what women should and shouldn't do. As I type this the supreme court has on their docket this very week to revisit Roe v Wade...
September 19, 2025
A great work of historical fiction by Tracey Enerson Wood! The book, based on a true story, follows Julia Stimson, Superintendent of Nurses during World War I in France. Julia has a heart for the nurses she supervises, as well as a heart for providing medical care to the soldiers fighting the war and is unwavering in her desire to lead by example! She faces difficulties and hardships, as one would expect, but she doesn’t let those change her commitment to serve and to serve well. A great tribute to a woman who was determined to make a difference in the war effort!
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