In the Shadow of the Lamp

March 15, 2011

Wrongfully dismissed from her job as a parlor maid, 17-year-old Molly Fraser desperately needs work to help support her impoverished family, but though she's intelligent and hard-working, an illiterate servant girl fired for stealing has little hope of finding respectable employment in 1854 London. Learning that Florence Nightingale is assembling experienced nurses to care for soldiers wounded fighting the Crimean War in Turkey, Molly relies on quick wits, true grit and funds borrowed from her admirer, Will, to join them. There, following Nightingale's impassioned, prickly but brilliant example, Molly discovers her own passion for nursing and acquires suitors: Will, now in the army, and a dedicated young doctor. Molly's exceptionally authentic and appealing character powers this well-crafted novel. While her lack of education is never minimized, her gifts—emotional intelligence, sense of justice and empathy—are both entirely plausible and essential to her task. Puzzlingly, several scenes proclaim that Molly also possesses a supernatural gift for healing; these undermine a story that is otherwise as deeply grounded in reality as the new profession it celebrates. Nightingale's vision of nursing care didn't turn on a supernatural knack for "healing" but on her determination to treat patients—the healing and dying alike—as human beings entitled to decent food, shelter and compassionate care on their difficult, frightening journey. Overall, an honorable homage and an absorbing read. (author's note) (Historical fiction. 12 & up)

(COPYRIGHT (2011) KIRKUS REVIEWS/NIELSEN BUSINESS MEDIA, INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.)

June 1, 2011

Gr 7-10-Dunlap masterfully employs the history of Florence Nightingale's courageous mission on the front lines during the Crimean War in 1854 as the setting for a compelling story. Unjustly dismissed as a maid in London, 16-year-old Molly Fraser jumps at the chance to become a nurse with Florence Nightingale. When rejected as unqualified for the position, she sneaks into the group of young women who have been chosen and makes the journey. Molly is a gritty, intelligent character whose inner strength enables her to stay focused on her goal. Dunlap's well-drawn characters and graphic prose hook readers from the outset. Vivid descriptions of the filthy conditions of the medical facilities, including incredible stench, rats, and lice, and the horror of ministering to severely wounded and maimed soldiers form the backdrop for this story of a teen trying to make her way in a world in which women are second-class citizens. The nurses must abide by a strict code of behavior, and any fraternization with the soldiers or male staff is forbidden. Nightingale's strictness, however, results in innovative and life-saving nursing practices. Though Molly is determined to succeed, she cannot stop herself from falling in love with a doctor and with Will, who helped her after she lost her job in London. This appealing selection is well-researched historical fiction, a keen look at the status of women at the time, and an enjoyable romance.-Renee Steinberg, formerly at Fieldstone Middle School, Montvale, NJ

Copyright 2011 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.