A Watch of Nightingales
A Watch of Nightingales opens in the early 20th century on the world of Beth Jones, a young woman with dreams that reach beyond the mountains of Cumbria. Beth, inspired by her hero, Florence Nightingale, applies and is accepted at St. Thomas’ Hospital as a student nurse. She leaves her family and friends, traveling to London to begin her training.
Emily Carr journeys from Canada to England to further her art studies, but an illness that begins on the crossing becomes more serious forcing Emily to seek treatment. Emily and Beth meet at the sanatorium where Emily is a patient. Together they become aware of misdeeds being committed against the patients and join efforts to uncover the culprit before more people are harmed.
Walker writes from a distant third-person omniscient which I feel creates a distance between the characters and the reader. Not only is the reader faced with an abundance of people to keep track of, but we also aren’t brought into the thinking of Beth, Emily or any of the side characters, which builds on the detachment. As a fan of Emily Carr’s art and writings, I was excited to read a fictionalized account of her time in England. However, I felt as if a true appreciation for her personality remained out of reach. Walker’s attention to detail is admirable but again feels more akin to a textbook than experiences by the characters. For those interested in the Nightingale nurse training, the descriptions and situations will be appreciated.
