The Pull of the Stars is a novel set over three days during 1918 in an Irish maternity ward for flu patients, following the nurse there and the struggle with life and death. Nurse Julia Power finds herself leading the tiny three-bed ward for maternity patients with the flu, with only a new volunteer Bridie Sweeney for help, and a new doctor, Kathleen Lynn, who is on the run from the police. With Ireland under pressure from war and disease as well as divisions and inequality, the small ward sees a microcosm of the situation as birth and death go on, and Julia finds new connections with the newcomers.

It is impossible to read this book right now without thinking of the current situation, especially with all of the government warnings Julia sees and questions of who is wearing face masks and who is still going out to the cinema occurring in the background. What is impressive, however, is that it draws you into the world of the tiny ward and away from these comparisons, bringing the focus that Julia must have to care for these patients without thinking about the wider situation. There are a lot of issues raised in the novel, from the mental trauma of war to the treatment of unmarried mothers and unwanted children in Ireland, but the focus on a few characters, mostly female, gives it a human centre. The relationship between Julia and Bridie, developed over only a few days, is a highlight of the novel, showing that sparks of light can come out of dark situations, albeit briefly.

Due to the subject matter and detailed medical descriptions, some people will find this novel very difficult or not feel able to read it, but it is a gripping and touching look at a tiny example of fighting in a pandemic (and a war) from a single ward, and a wider look at Ireland in 1918. It isn't a happy novel really, but it shows the hope and strength people have to find and use during difficult times, and also women proving their skills and expertise in these circumstances. It's not the kind of novel I would've picked up if it wasn't by Emma Donoghue, but it was definitely worth reading.

Really enjoyed this book. Emma is an exceptional writer and i have always looked forward to new books. It was especially fantastic given the times we are in today and it was so relatable.

No doubt this book was underway long before any of us had heard of Covid-19 but wow, what remarkable timing.

Set in Dublin during the Great Flu of 1918, it tells the story of Nurse Julia Power, working flat out in an understaffed maternity ward, and the cast of characters she interacts with during that time.

While of course much has changed in the intervening 102 years, there are some really striking echoes with our current crisis. The insufficient supplies and the issues with sanitation and hygiene. Closure of schools and public spaces. Most of all the exhausted and overworked front line medical staff and volunteers risking their own lives to tend to the ill and dying, and the care and compassion with which they carry out this horrendously difficult work.

The book delves into many of the other social issues that Ireland faced at that time and in the years to follow. The power and oppression of the Catholic Church. The so called “Mother and baby homes” and other state run institutions, the true horrors of which have only been fully aired in recent years. Barbaric medical practices such as symphysiotomy. The aftermath of the First World War and the continuing Irish struggle for independence.

These are important parts of our social history in Ireland and are dealt with in a well researched and sensitive way, however I felt at times that the characters and plot got sidelined in places by author’s desire to highlight these and other social and cultural issues. There was a sense that the events portrayed and choices made by the characters were constructed in a particular way so as to allow certain issues to be aired, which I felt sometimes got in the way of the natural flow of the story. I personally would have liked a little more character and plot development for its own sake - I never really got lost in the story itself or felt strongly for a particular character or relationship.

Having said that I do recommend the book and it’s certainly a very timely read.

The Pull of the Stars by Emma Donoghue is a novel about childbirth, poverty, the aftermath of war, nursing and love.