Earlier this month I reviewed Hidden Yellow Stars by Rebecca Connolly and celebrated it as being perfect for the “hopeful stories from WWII” category. When I finished, I went looking to see what else she had written and was delighted to see that she had a historical fiction novel that was released last year about Edith Cavell and WWI. I instantly grabbed it. My Greta loves Edith Cavell and here at Plumfield, we have been actively looking for more WWI novels that would be appropriate for teen readers. Under the Cover of Mercy absolutely fits the bill.
Please forgive my ignorance, but I continue to be shocked by writers like Madeline Martin, and now Rebecca Connolly, who have dozens of run-of-the-mill romance novels and who seem to be switching genres to historical fiction. Truly, it makes sense. Surely all of the research they do for their period novels probably inspires this shift. But, typically, I do not think of bodice-ripping novels as being quality literature. So, I am surprised when those authors turn their pen to something more substantial and do so with lovely writing, clean stories, and important themes. Disclaimer: I have not read their romance novels, so perhaps I am misjudging them. Regardless, I am loving these historical fiction novels which are so well-suited to the teen girl readers in my life.
While Hidden Yellow Stars was a hopeful read, Under the Cover of Mercy tells the story of English woman Edith Cavell’s work as a Red Cross nurse during WWI in German-occupied Belgium. Edith worked with the underground network to hide Allied soldiers to save them from German capture. She was arrested, tried, and executed for her “treason.” There is no way to tell this story without it being profoundly sad in some places. That said, Connolly did a brilliant job of recounting Edith’s final days, sharing with us such powerful messages of hope, faith, and courage. While I knew what was going to happen, I felt like I was walking with Edith, and I was blessed to witness her faith in God and her faith in the resurrection that made her departure from this world so impressive.
I hesitate to say any more about this one. It is clean, hopeful, rich with the story of Edith’s unwavering Christian faith, and has a powerful ending that leaves the reader both satisfied and encouraged. This is an excellent story for any young reader who is ready to walk with Edith to the firing squad. Find this excellent book, here.