The Pull of the Stars

“The influenza pandemic of 1918 killed more people than the First World War—an estimated 3 to 6 per cent of the human race.”

This probably wasn't the best choice of book to read while I was nursing one of my dogs who's been quite ill over the last week. The story follows nurse Power and her inexperienced volunteer helper Birdie as they work on a maternity ward in an understaffed Dublin hospital during the flu pandemic of 1918 with WW1 raging on the continent.

Equal amounts of joyous uplifting and graphically harrowing moments. I had to stop reading on a couple of occasions, it really is that traumatic, then again I do tear up regularly while watching Call The Midwife. The ending really got me in the feels, I did see it coming, but still.