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 fatherβs farm and carrying a guilty secret
with them. Amid the carnage, the sistersβ tenuous bond
strengthens as they bravely face extreme danger and
hostilityβsometimes 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 independenceβ 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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