(12/16/2021)
Suzanne Feldman takes us on an adventure with more downs than ups, but dowsed in wartime reality. Many times I felt the chill and the mud of Ypres as our characters worked. This historical fiction is immersive in WWI, and also in the lives of these two sisters. I commend Feldman for her research and prose. The differences between WWII and "the Great War" are worth reading about, especially if you love all the wonderful Kristin Harmel, now Lisa Scottoline, and other talented authors who unveil the stories of WWII so eloquently. If you read some of the medical breakthroughs in Civil War stories, you'll learn differences in those conflicts, too. Give Ruth and Elise Duncan a try. I enjoyed their feminism and bravery. I will continue to imagine the injured soldiers using their new medals as Christmas tree ornaments. A memorable work of historical fiction that would give any book club a lot to discuss.