THE DAUGHTERS OF MARS is a sweeping tale of war, friendship,
and the sometimes tremulous bonds of sisterhood during the
Great War. Sally and Naomi Durance are sisters from a dairy
farm in the Australian bush, who both became nurses. While
Naomi went on to work in a large hospital in Sidney, Sally
remained in Macleay Valley. They had gotten along rather
well, even though Sally, the younger of the two, is somewhat
retiring, while Naomi is more gregarious, and worldly.
Naomi's behaviour in connection with their mother's death
provokes a certain unease in Sally, and the friction
between the two sisters increases. As Australia becomes
involved in the Great War, Naomi decides to join the war
effort; unbeknownst to her, Sally also applies, but is far
from certain of being recruited; she doesn't think her
credentials will suffice. Both wish to broaden their
horizons but mostly escape the uncomfortable family
situation, in hope their endeavour will provide some relief
from their somewhat bleak existence.
It turns out the Durance sisters are reunited and travel
together, first on to Melbourne, where their first
experience of war casualties is syphilis! They then board
the great hospital ship Archimedes and are on their way to
Egypt. Together, they will face the reality of war in all
its ugliness and despair, the disorientation of living
abroad, all the while struggling to adapt to dismal medical
facilities and working conditions in Egypt and Greece, and
finally a welcome stop to France. Naomi and Sally's
relationship undergoes several changes along the years; they
form long-lasting friendships, hone their nursing skills and
eventually find love.
THE DAUGHTERS OF MARS is a meticulously researched and
minutely detailed account of a time in history about which
little has been written. The author paints a nuanced
portrait of the local colours, smells, flora of the various
settings. THE DAUGHTERS OF MARS is a realistic but loving
tribute to the dedicated nurses' contribution to the Great
War, women who left their homeland and braved the unknown
to help win the war. Mr. Kenealy even dares conclude a book
of this magnitude with an ending that will surprise more
than one.
IN 1915, Naomi and Sally Durance, two spirited Australian
sisters, join the war effort as nurses, escaping the
confines of their father’s farm and carrying a guilty secret
with them. Amid the carnage, the sisters’ tenuous bond
strengthens as they bravely face extreme danger and
hostility—sometimes from their own side.
There is great humor and compassion, too, and the inspiring
example of the incredible women they serve alongside. In
France, each meets an exceptional man, the kind for whom she
might relinquish her newfound independence— if only they all
survive.
At once vast in scope and extraordinarily intimate, The
Daughters of Mars is a remarkable novel about suffering and
transcendence, despair and triumph, and the simple acts of
decency that make us human even in a world gone mad.
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