Synopsis
Can one nurse on a mission of mercy and rebellion turn the tide of WWI?
November 1914
The Great War has come to Brussels, and Edith Cavell, Head Nurse at Berkendael Medical Institute, faces an impossible situation. She has sworn an oath to help any who are wounded, under whatever flag they are found. But Governor von Lüttwitz, the ranking German officer, has ordered her and her nurses to also stand guard over the wounded Allied prisoners of war and prevent them from escaping.
Edith feels that God called her to be a healer, not a jailer. How can she heal these broken boys, only to see them returned to the hands of their oppressors to be beaten again?
So when members of the Belgian resistance, desperate for help, bring two wounded British soldiers to her hospital in secret, she decides she will heal the soldiers, and then help smuggle them out of the hospital to freedom.
With her loyal friend and fellow nurse, Lizzie, by her side, Edith establishes her hospital as a safe house for the resistance, laboring tirelessly to save as many soldiers as she can. Working under the watchful eyes of the German army, Edith faces challenging odds as she fights to bring hope to her small corner of a war-torn world.
Based on a true story, Under the Cover of Mercy is the remarkable account of one woman who defied an entire nation in order to heal those who needed her help the most.
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Review
I enjoy reading books that are based somewhat on reality, even if all the facts are not known. That is the case with this book. We learn about Edith Cavell, a nurse during WWI in Belgium that ended up giving up her life while helping soldiers escape the Germans. My heart broke for Edith when she was convicted of treason, but I admired her pluck in standing up for what was right.
This story is told from two points of view – Edith, and her Assistant Matron, Lizzie. At times it took me a minute to figure out whose POV was being told at that moment. I would have liked a clearer delineation of whose perspective we were seeing at that moment. Both of these women were to be admired for the lengths they went to to ensure that the soldiers were not caught by the Germans.
The story contains a lot of dialogue, whether between characters or internally. I was disappointed that there weren’t more descriptions of the women, men, or the hospital. We did see some descriptive narrative when they were walking about town and the shops they would pass, and towards the end when Edith was imprisoned and at trial, but not much more than that.
These women and the hospital were part of the Red Cross. I have to admit that I don’t know much about how they operate during war or if they are protected from attack, but that was my impression in this book. I would hope that since this is a neutral organization that wants to provide aid to everyone, no matter their heritage, that they are protected by common decency. It did give me the desire to research the Red Cross and its mission.
This is an intriguing tale about Edith Cavell and her mission in life, especially during the war. I appreciated the author’s notes at the end that shared more of Edith’s history so we could understand her better. Overall, we give it 3 paws up.
About the Author
I was born once upon a time, and I started making up stories right away. Eventually, I started writing them down, and never stopped! I have a day job, which gets in the way of my writing, but it pays the bills so I CAN write, so I guess that’s okay! I am a bookworm, which I think is key to being a writer, and I am always looking for inspiration! I live in Indiana, am obsessed with hot chocolate, and I am on track to be the best aunt in the world.
