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Wednesday, August 31, 2011

In The Shadow of the Lamp by Susanne Dunlap

It's 1854 and sixteen-year-old Molly would give anything to change her circumstances as a lowly servant in a posh London house. So when she hears of an opportunity to join the nurses who will be traveling with Florence Nightingale to the Crimea, she jumps at the chance. The work is grueling, the hospital conditions deplorable, and Miss Nightingale a demanding teacher. Before long, the plight of British soldiers becomes more than just a mission of mercy as Molly finds that she's falling in love with both a dashing young doctor and a soldier who has joined the army to be near her. But with the battle raging ever nearer, can Molly keep the two men she cares for from harm? A love story to savor, and a fascinating behind-the-scenes imagining of the woman who became known as "the lady with the lamp".

I knew nothing at all about Florence Nightingale, for some reason it just sounded like a made up name and not a real person. I pictured someone mysterious and almost supernatural like (don't ask why, I just did). So when I discovered this book I knew I had to read it (thank goodness for mr. kindle, I didn't even have to leave the house).

It's 1854 in London, Molly has been unjustly dismissed from her job, what can she do when supporting a mom but lie and worm her way over to Turkey with Florence Nightingale. I learned alot about this war (that I never heard of before), the author has a real talent with words and I could picture the hospitals, the journey, the war and even the rats. Some things were predictable, the ending I liked. Definitely YA, but a good YA novel.


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