Nightingale in Aussie Readers

Jul 28, 2014 Brenda rated it it was amazing

Shelves: own-read, historical-fiction, arc, net-galley, aussie-authors, uncorrected-proof, 2014-release

May 1915 and Nurse Claire Nightingale was deeply involved in the heartbreaking work in the theatre on the British hospital ship Gascon in the waters off Gallipoli. She was aware that although it seemed longer, she had been on the Gascon for only a month, as they moved through the waters off Turkey, Greece and Egypt helping and taking badly wounded soldiers back to hospitals better equipped than their ship. But the tragedy was that there were more terribly injured than they had room for – the les May 1915 and Nurse Claire Nightingale was deeply involved in the heartbreaking work in the theatre on the British hospital ship Gascon in the waters off Gallipoli. She was aware that although it seemed longer, she had been on the Gascon for only a month, as they moved through the waters off Turkey, Greece and Egypt helping and taking badly wounded soldiers back to hospitals better equipped than their ship. But the tragedy was that there were more terribly injured than they had room for – the less critically wounded had to stay behind along with the dead.

The day Australian Light Horseman Jamie Wren, wounded himself, struggled desperately down the slope while dodging sniper bullets and carrying his best mate Spud across his shoulders, would be a day that would change Jamie’s life, and also the life of Nurse Claire Nightingale. For Claire just happened to be on the beach that day, triaging patients before ferrying them back to the ship; when she saw the handsome young soldier with his burden trying to make it to the medical tent, she rushed across to help – the ensuing events and the impact on them both was astounding.

With the horrors of war all around him, Jamie found the few hours of armistice while the dead were removed by both sides a comforting time – and for Jamie the meeting of young Turkish soldier Açar Shahin as they shared a cigarette and a few words was deeply profound. In the carnage of war he felt a brotherly bond with Açar despite that they were enemies – but what would their futures be?

As the years moved on through the complexities and bloodshed of war, Claire and Jamie lost complete contact with one another. So when peace was finally declared, Claire wasn’t sure where to start looking for Jamie. Was he dead? Surely she would feel it in her heart if he was gone, wouldn’t she?

What an absolutely brilliant historical fiction novel by the amazing Fiona McIntosh! I was totally absorbed in this compelling story, unable to put it down, needing to find out what was going to happen. The characters felt so incredibly real to me – the descriptions of war torn Gallipoli and the horrors surrounding the soldiers have been so well researched, it was like I was reading a non-fiction book. I have no hesitation in recommending this novel highly.

With thanks to TRR, NetGalley and Penguin Australia for my copy to read and review.
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Aug 04, 2014 Shelleyrae at Book'd Out rated it really liked it

Shelves: arc-are, aussie-author, provided-by-publisher

As Australian Light Horseman Jamie Wren collapses under the weight of his badly injured mate slung over his shoulders onto the sands of Gallipoli, he imagines it is an angel he sees on the beach amongst the carnage of war. Claire Nightingale, briefly permitted on shore to assist with triaging patients, is stunned by the sight of the muddy and bloody man who, ignoring sniper fire and his own wounds, carried his friend down the treacherous escarpment in search of medical help. For the young South ...more

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Oct 23, 2014 Kathryn rated it really liked it

Shelves: australian-authors, reading-list-2015, 4-5-stars, fiction

I enjoyed reading this - it reminded me of the ABC’s ANZAC Girls series, which I’ve watched twice.

I felt at times that this was a little over-sweet - I found myself rolling my eyes at a couple of points, but overall, it was a thoroughly enjoyable read - 4.5★. I had tears in my eyes at one point, so that’s worth an extra half a star!

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Jun 05, 2025 Belinda rated it it was ok

Shelves: war, i-own-this

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. I tried to keep my WWI historian hat off for this book, but that was easier said than done. It was a fun read, very quick, but it just didn't hit the spot. Giving 2 stars seems overly harsh, but 3 feels a bit high, so I'd give it a solid 2.5. I wasn't looking for high literature or anything, but it could have been done better. McIntosh clearly did some research, but I found that it was difficult not to notice the vast number of historical inaccuracies. I demolished it in one night, and it was en I tried to keep my WWI historian hat off for this book, but that was easier said than done. It was a fun read, very quick, but it just didn't hit the spot. Giving 2 stars seems overly harsh, but 3 feels a bit high, so I'd give it a solid 2.5. I wasn't looking for high literature or anything, but it could have been done better. McIntosh clearly did some research, but I found that it was difficult not to notice the vast number of historical inaccuracies. I demolished it in one night, and it was entertaining enough to keep my interest.

Claire felt like she lacked substance, despite most of the book being from her perspective. She was such a typical Mary Sue. She's perfect, beautiful, smart, everyone loves her, she's got an amazing body, the best nurse everywhere she goes, all the men fall in love with her instantly... it got old after a while. The other characters weren't much better, but it was particularly noticeable with her. She lacked any defined personality, which made it very difficult to connect with her. The whole "romance" in Turkey felt really weird. I don't understand how the reader is meant to believe that there's even a vague spark of attraction during the first meeting, since there's barely a full conversation between them. Plus, you're also meant to believe that she had a similar magical connection to Jamie. I feel like it cheapens both of the romantic story arcs considerably.

A lot of the plot points simply don't make sense if looked at within it's historical context. There's one major point in the book — the inability for Claire and Jamie to contact each other in any way — just doesn't work. The missing ID, moving hospitals, repatriation, evacuation, and the injuries Jamie received would not have been so problematic, neither of them could find the other for several years. That's not the way the AIF and nursing services communications were run during the war. I could suspend disbelief enough to accept that could have happened after his *final* injuries, but not before that. They should have been able to find one another quite easily, since they knew which units they were part of. Weeks, absolutely. Months, definitely possible. But years? No.

It doesn't even seem like they even tried very hard to find each other! They're just like "Oh no, the (supposedly) love of my life has left Egypt! Well, I guess I'll just turn up at a hotel on an arbitrary date at the end of the war, and hopefully they'll be alive. I shall pine for them every day, but letters seem a bit difficult."

There was also some glaring (to me) anachronisms. Mostly smaller things, but some larger. It almost fell into some unfortunate stereotypes, especially when Claire is in the Middle East and Turkey. It felt like that section either needed to be shorter, or it needed to be longer, and have some more action. It kind of bogged the plot down for a while.

But the thing that got me rolling my eyes the most was how *convenient* everything was. Everything lands into place far too perfectly. The idea of fate is heavily involved in this novel, but even fate doesn't make everything run like clockwork. By the time she starts searching for the prayer book, everything oh so perfectly falls into her lap. It made the Mary Sue issue more noticeable to me.

I think if I wasn't so deeply engaged in WWI, both as a historian and an avid reader of all things relating to that war, (especially the nursing/medical side of the war) some of these issues might not have been so jarring. I thought the earlier chapters at Gallipoli were well done, and I admit to getting a bit teary there, but the story fell a bit flat after that point. If the book had stayed on that level, I would have given it a much higher rating.

2.5/5 ...more

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Nov 29, 2014 Bree T rated it really liked it

Shelves: arc, historical-fiction, war, aww2014

British nurse Claire Nightingale is stationed aboard a hospital ship just off the coast of Gallipoli during the first World War. There she meets Australian Light Horseman Jamie Wren when Jamie carries his dying mate to the beach in an attempt to get him on board the ship and to safety. Despite the violence of their surroundings and the fact they will be separated with no assurance of ever seeing each other again, they fall in love.

When they are torn apart, Jamie and Claire make a pact – they wil British nurse Claire Nightingale is stationed aboard a hospital ship just off the coast of Gallipoli during the first World War. There she meets Australian Light Horseman Jamie Wren when Jamie carries his dying mate to the beach in an attempt to get him on board the ship and to safety. Despite the violence of their surroundings and the fact they will be separated with no assurance of ever seeing each other again, they fall in love.

When they are torn apart, Jamie and Claire make a pact – they will meet at a certain spot on the first April Fools Day after the end of the war. If both of them are still physically able, they will be there. Even when Claire is told that Jamie has been killed after a terrible injury, she refuses to believe it. After the end of the war, she searches for him, her only clue being a prayer book Jamie was given by a Turkish soldier during a ceasefire. Jamie had made a promise to return it to the soldier’s father and Claire decides to honour that promise while she waits for April and to see whether or not Jamie will make it to their meeting place.

In Turkey, Claire is surprised with the connection she feels with the father of that Turk soldier. He’s a courteous, cultured man and Claire feels that perhaps, in another lifetime, she could have made the choice to stay with him, despite their age differences and the divides in their culture. But Jamie still holds her heart and she owes it to him and that love to journey back to England for April the 1st, to wait and see if he is able to come to her. Is Jamie still alive? And if so, will he be waiting for her on that afternoon or is she doomed to face heartbreak once again?

Not long ago, I made a bit of a resolution to read more about Gallipoli, both in fiction and also with non-fiction as I realised I’d read hardly anything set there. And with the 100th anniversary of the landing coming next year it seems a good time to really get into books that feature Gallipoli in any way. This book opens with Gallipoli – Jamie is with the Light Horseman Brigade, without a horse but instead having been deployed as a ground soldier, taking turns behind the sniper rifle. Claire is a nurse, stationed on a ship just off the coast. They evacuate the seriously injured soldiers to Egypt and the Allied hospitals set up in that area.

Claire is frustrated, partially at the futility of her task and the war and also at the system or lack thereof in terms of being able to triage the injured soldiers on the battleground and trying to prioritise those that need their assistance on the ship the most. She begs leave from the Matron to go to the beach and attempt to set up a system and it’s there she meets Jamie, who has carried the body of his dying friend over his shoulder down the cliffs to the beach. They spend a little time together, especially when Jamie makes his way to the ship and namedrops Claire to get ahead of the queue. She is able to fix up his injuries and during those small interactions, the two of them fall deeply in love.

I think I could well understand the temptation of an instant love, during such a time and place. Jamie and Claire both see horrible things all day, every day. The desire to see a little beauty, experience a little goodness, would be powerful. They’re alone really – Claire doesn’t have any family left and Jamie has left his on the other side of the world to go and fight in the war. Claire has a tendency towards the melancholy, or negative. She laments before she meets Jamie that if something were to happen to her in the war, there’s no one to inform – no one would care. Jamie has a large family who love him and would grieve him but he was unsatisfied there. He didn’t love his girl at home the way that he falls in love with Claire. For both of them, it’s an immediate and powerful force, something that becomes their driving motivation. Even after Claire is told that Jamie has been lost, there are people that convince her she’s not to give up – in a war of this size, nothing is certain unless you see it yourself. And so she continues to hope, throughout the rest of the war and then in the fragile peace afterwards, before their deadline of April 1st.

I did really enjoy this book, I liked both Jamie and Claire. Claire was strong and very capable and Jamie was fun and an easy going laidback kind of country Aussie guy. I loved their scenes together and the strong connection that the two formed in such an unlikely place. I also enjoyed Claire’s trip to Turkey and her learning of the customs, especially the relationship she cultivated with several of the women there. I’m not sure the strange bond between her and the father of the fallen Turk soldier really worked for me, it felt like it was taking too much away from Jamie and the fact that her deadline to meet him was drawing closer. I will say however that the tension was built extremely well toward the end of the novel, where Claire is arriving at their meeting place.

Another very engrossing read from Fiona McIntosh, I keep meaning to get to those books by her that I haven’t yet read. She always provides a very solid and entertaining story, something that keeps the reader hooked from beginning until end. ...more

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Jan 18, 2015 Amira rated it really liked it

Shelves: love-story, historical-fiction, australia, war-stories, humanity, relationships, family-drama, medical-forensic, romance

Claire Nightingale, is an aptly named nurse working during the bloody Gallipoli campaign and WWI, where she meets handsome Aussie soldier Jamie Wren. They have an instant connection, fall in love and make a promise to find each other on the first April Fool's Day after the war ends. Over the next couple of years, war, injury and doubt keeps them separated. In the interim, Claire continues nursing and reunites a precious prayer book to a Turkish father Rifki Shahin, which belonged to his soldier Claire Nightingale, is an aptly named nurse working during the bloody Gallipoli campaign and WWI, where she meets handsome Aussie soldier Jamie Wren. They have an instant connection, fall in love and make a promise to find each other on the first April Fool's Day after the war ends. Over the next couple of years, war, injury and doubt keeps them separated. In the interim, Claire continues nursing and reunites a precious prayer book to a Turkish father Rifki Shahin, which belonged to his soldier son who Jamie made a connection with during a brief armistice. Claire experiences Turkish culture and develops a connection with the father, before realising that she must keep her promise to Jamie. She returns to England to keep her April Fool's Date, but Jamie is late, and Rifki is literally waiting in the wings for his chance with Claire. In the end, its a race to see if Jamie can catch up with Claire so they can have their happily ever after.

This is the first Fiona McIntosh book I have read and I really enjoyed it. The writing style flows and is engaging and easy to read. I connected with Claire's character as a strong, professional but approachable women, floating through the world without any ties, until discovering love wakes her up.
Things I like: The concept of the romantic date and the promise to reunite there! I also enjoyed the focus on Gallipoli and getting that alternative focus of Australia's involvement in WWI. Although a little too long, I did like the insight into Turkish traditions of birth celebrations and bathing rituals which Claire experiences in Istanbul. Claire's hard work and strength as a nurse and even the romantic connection she shares with Rifki (that opposite cultures attract concept) but I'm glad it was resolved.
There are a few aspects I found problematic: The story did need strengthening and the ending also needed more impact. Claire needed to be more frantic about finding Jamie, or at least put more efforts into contacting him after they became separate, she was too complacent to let the April 1st date roll around to discover if he was still alive. Her attitude was not passionate enough for someone separated from their one true love. Her constant questioning of Jamie's existence was frustrating, each time having to be given a pep talk by her older mentor/friend Eugenie Lester to get her to hope.
Apart from that its a good read. I would definitely recommend it for someone looking for a well written war time romance, especially anyone wanting an Aussie POV. ...more

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