This book is one of the finest I've read in quite some time. From the-on line summaries I expected just another pandemic tale but this is much more. While the 1918 flu is a driving force in the story it is also a stark realistic snapshot of conditions in Dublin, Ireland in a time of grinding poverty and wide-spread illness. The descriptions of the living conditions of the people and their lack of basic knowledge of simple medical concepts is eye-opening. Since the setting for the story is a maternity ward for women with the flu the descriptions of labor and child-birth make "Call the Midwife" seem tame. Also the appalling working conditions for nurses at the time are described in sometimes gory and gritty detail. It provides a new appreciation for the dedication and compassion of health care workers both in the early 20th Century and today. Also the growing relationship between the two main characters is poignant and believable. The only reason I didn't give this a five-star rating is the author's decision to not use quotation marks when the characters are speaking. It takes a number of pages to become comfortable with this rather irritating literary affectation but eventually you adapt and don't let it get in the way of enjoying an excellent story. I highly recommend this book. In fact, I just received another of Donoghue's novels from a book club member and look forward to starting it shortly.
