The Pull of the Stars By Emma Donoghue
The Pull of the Stars By Emma Donoghue Julia Power is a nurse in Ireland during the 1918 influenza pandemic and World War I. She works in the Maternity/Fever ward, tending to pregnant women who have the flu in an understaffed hospital. She is often the only nurse on duty, but during the short three-days when the book takes place Julia is aided by a volunteer named Bridie Sweeney from a charity house. During the three days Julia has to deal with the death of a newborn, the death of a new mother, training the eager Bridie, dealing with absent or new doctors and a smarmy nun working on the ward. She forms a close bond with Bridie and the two find themselves quickly falling for one another until tragedy strikes and Bridie suffers from a lie she told. Another outsider introduced into Julia's world is Dr. Lynn, who is a rebel on the run from the police. In her home life we get a small bit about, Julia lives with her Brother Tim who is recently back from the war and is unable or unwilli...