Book Review: Under the Cover of Mercy by Rebecca Connolly

Book Description:

November 1914

The Great War has come to Brussels, and Edith Cavell, Head Nurse at Berkendael Medical Institute, faces an impossible situation. She has sworn an oath to help any who are wounded, under whatever flag they are found. But Governor von Lüttwitz, the ranking German officer, has ordered her and her nurses to also stand guard over the wounded Allied prisoners of war and prevent them from escaping.

Edith feels that God called her to be a healer, not a jailer. How can she heal these broken boys, only to see them returned to the hands of their oppressors to be beaten again?

So when members of the Belgian resistance, desperate for help, bring two wounded British soldiers to her hospital in secret, she decides she will heal the soldiers, and then help smuggle them out of the hospital to freedom.

With her loyal friend and fellow nurse, Lizzie, by her side, Edith establishes her hospital as a safe house for the resistance, laboring tirelessly to save as many soldiers as she can. Working under the watchful eyes of the German army, Edith faces challenging odds as she fights to bring hope to her small corner of a war-torn world.

Based on a true story, Under the Cover of Mercy is the remarkable account of one woman who defied an entire nation in order to heal those who needed her help the most.

Rorie’s Review:

I enjoy learning about historical figures, and it's even better if I've never heard their story before. That was the case with Edith Cavell. I don't know a whole lot about WWI, and had never heard about Ms. Cavell or what she did that made her famous. I'm glad I had the opportunity to read this book and learn about her though, because her story is so inspiring. I can't even imagine how difficult it would have been to help Allied soldiers escape, especially with all of the German soldiers constantly poking around. 

I recommend having a tissue or two nearby while reading this book. Edith's unwavering faith and ability to stand up for what was right, no matter what are inspiring. I think all of us could learn a lot from her quiet example.

Andrea’s Review:

I don’t recall having heard about Edith Cavell before and found her courage and faith inspiring. She was a wonderful example of living a life of service even before the German invasion of Brussels with her career as a nurse and teacher to nursing students. Many people probably would have chosen to flee and return to their homelands as the war spread, but she was so dedicated to healing and helping anyone in need. This wasn’t a fast read for me, but I learned a lot.

Title: Under the Cover of Mercy
Author: Rebecca Connolly
Publisher: Shadow Mountain Publishing
Published: February 2023
ISBN: 1639931058
Source: I received a review copy from the publisher. All opinions expressed are my own.

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