The Daughters of Mars by Thomas Keneally

Certainly a very ambitious undertaking, The Daughters of Mars is the story of two Australian sisters who become nurses and volunteer to serve on the battlefields of World War I.  Keneally used the diaries of actual WWI nurses as resource material for his story and it rings true.

The incredible loss of human life, the ghastly weaponry, mustard gas, shell shock, the absolutely ravaged bodies of the survivors are all masterfully described by Keneally, also the author of Schindler's List.  

All of this is described through the eyes of Sally and Naomi Durance, sisters from Australia's dairyland, and very, very different from one another.  The author gives us an interesting backstory on the sisters that carries through the entire novel, shedding light at times on their actions and reactions to what they are witnessing.

Definitely an encompassing look at an already well-documented world-changing event, and engaging as well on a personal level thanks to the author's thoroughly fleshed out Durance sisters.

Not a page-turner, but a story worth your time.

Rating ** 1/2