The War Nurse, Tracey Enerson Wood’s new historical fiction novel based on a true story set during World War I, reads like a memoir with the protagonist as the narrator. Early in her life, Julia Stimson encounters prejudice that will follow her intermittently as long as she lives. Family expectations for her brothers include prestigious careers while they would not support her dream of becoming a physician. It is assumed nursing will be the pinnacle for her. Even in the early stages, her drive and independence should have brought an alert that important things are ahead for her.
In time, she becomes the superintendent of nurses, responsible for recruiting sixty-five American nurses to help the British Base Hospital 12 in Rouen, France with its personnel already suffering from battle fatigue. She develops a warm relationship with her nurses, always keeping her role as leader rather than becoming one of them. Regular problems include primitive working conditions, horrible battle wounds, and doctors who question her ability and decisions. Then the day comes when groups of soldiers arrive carrying a mysterious respiratory disease that is killing many of them and threatens the lives of her nurses. More than once, she must face a decision whether to save a life when it requires her to go beyond what she is authorized to do
The author lightens the tension with dashes of humor, the transfer of Julia’s brother to her area, and a bit of romance while keeping an authentic feel for the life Julia leads. The author’s note at the end adds information about the real people who are part of her novel and a bit of what happened afterward. This would make an excellent book club selection.