Nurse Kitty: After the War
It is 1950 and Kitty Longthorne is now a Sister at Manchester's Park Hospital, and as busy as ever. With dizzying numbers of children with polio being admitted to the children's ward, a sharp uptick of major trauma from road accidents and growing political and racial conflict affecting her patients and staff, there's no shortage of drama at the hospital. But Kitty is determined that everyone is treated with respect.
Outside of the hospital, Kitty is finally ready to marry her fiancé, Dr James Williams. But with the growing Cold War tensions, Kitty and James come under scrutiny because of two people close to their hearts. With any suspicious activity grounds for treason, their happily ever after is suddenly on shaky ground... will they ever be able to set a date for the wedding?
Inspired by the brave nurses and doctors from the first NHS hospital, the Trafford General, which opened after the end of World War II. Perfect for fans of Call the Midwife and The Nightingale Girls.
Review
What a charming novel filled with oft-ignored history! The wars were so dramatic and life-altering that they are the usual focus of historical fiction. I enjoyed reading about the after-effects of a world tipped on its head. From increased global awareness to shifting gender roles, the years after the war revealed a traumatized world struggling to find peace once the fighting ended. Ms. Campbell explores the tumult through the eyes of the affable and hard-working Nurse Kitty at the newly-minted National Health Service.
The World Wars were times of medical innovation that were quickly taken for granted. We learned more about the human body, created new medications, and finally understood the vital role nurses play in healing. The National Health Service promised to bring those lessons to everyone. Although Nurse Kitty is a lovely character, the historical stories within the novel were the most compelling for me. I loved seeing how the NHS tried to bring war-time practice into a more gentle sphere and how doctors and nurses were working to figure out scope of practice. There was unease at every side - from immigrant nurses called in to create the NHS to the doctors who feared losing their place in healthcare to women who wanted to maintain professional skills despite marriage and family.
Another interesting aspect of this book comes as fallout from Hiroshima. Nurse Kitty and her fiance are questioned about possible espionage. The Cold War roared to life as soon as the bombs dropped on Hiroshima. This book shows how closely linked it became to fears of communism. With spies reported in every corner and giant bombs set to fly that could decimate a population, friends became suspicious of friends, coworkers and family members. The same is true of Nurse Kitty and her merry crew. There are plenty of suspicions and fears to fuel the plot. The history was fascinating. The characters felt secondary to history, but maybe that’s the reality of living in changing times.
Overall, this was an enjoyable Saturday afternoon read. I found myself diving into historical context research, especially the history of the NHS and nurse recruitment efforts. I would recommend this for fans of Call the Midwife and other World War II era works of fiction.
Purchase Links
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Nurse-Kitty-After-Maggie-Campbell-ebook/dp/B0CDDP7KBY
https://www.amazon.com/Nurse-Kitty-After-Maggie-Campbell-ebook/dp/B0CDDP7KBY
Author Bio – Margaret Campbell grew up in Manchester at a time when the city was still on its knees, post-war. She can just about remember the end of rationing! After decades of working as a seamstress in factories, once her children had grown up, Margaret retrained to be a midwife - a career she adored. She now lives in a cottage that overlooks the rolling Pennines where she writes, grows rare dahlias and keeps chickens.
