Book Blurb:
Based on the true story of an astonishingly brave woman who saved hundreds of mothers and their children during the Spanish Civil War and World War II.
Elisabeth Eidenbenz left Switzerland in 1937 to aid children orphaned during the Spanish Civil War. Now, her work has led her to France, where she’s determined to provide expectant mothers and their unborn children a refuge amid one of the worst humanitarian crises of the twentieth century.
Desperate to escape the invasion of Franco’s Fascist troops, Isabel Dueñas becomes one of many Spanish patriots fleeing their country. She leaves behind her husband as he fights for democracy, and she seeks asylum in a refugee camp across the border in France. Without adequate shelter, clean drinking water, or medical care, Isabel’s future looks bleak—until she meets Elisabeth.
When Germany invades Poland, an avalanche of humanity sweeps into France. In the cascade of crises that follow, Isabel and Elisabeth learn the cost and the unexpected joy of sacrifice.
Based on the true stories of refugees and the woman who risked everything to save them, The Swiss Nurse shares a message of love and strength amid one of history’s often overlooked conflicts.
My Review:
Okay, I confess. I chose this audiobook solely because I was looking for more narrated by Saskia Maarleveld. The author though is a new one for me.
Seems I’ve gotten into amazing women who were largely unsung heroes of the first or second world war, narrated by the Maarleveld, as she is fluent in various languages. They beautifully roll off her tongue adding nuance and spice to the narrative.
The plot line closely chronicles the heroic efforts of Elisabeth Eidenbenz in both the Spanish Civil War and World War Two to create a maternity hospital for the many refugees pouring into France.
The storyline is told in alternating POVs, one of whom is main character Eidenbenz who left Spain with a group of children and is desperately seeking a location to house them in France. Internment camps had been set up but in filthy conditions with overflows of women and children living on the beaches, no clean water, shelter, or sanity conditions. Her odyssey with the children extends into hiding and helping Jewish women to birth their babies safely as the conflict widens. She is constantly fighting for a safe setting and donations for expenses.
Isabel Duenas fled Barcelona leaving her husband, Peter Davis, an American, still helping with the fight. They planned to meet in France. From the time he left Spain to join her in France, however, they confronted one obstacle only to confront the next as he continued to try and get him and Isabel home to America while facing the escalating war in the European theatre and looking like their escape would be impossible.
The Germans’ invasion of France made the conditions ever more treacherous, for both Isabel and Peter. In the meatime, Elizabeth and her hubby (a doctor) have managed to reconnect and begin working together.
In the meantime, they meet numerous support characters who serve to paint the desperate picture of wartime France with contributions; the refugees, conditions, and death and each lose friends to starvation, disease, or violence.
It’s much the same story I’ve read and/or listened to before each penned with drama, sympathy, and heartbreaking history. Even with Ms Maarleveld’s narration, I did not find this quite as engulfing or blistering as some she has narrated before. While it was not slow per se, I just didn’t seem to engage quite as completely with the characters as expected. There was repetition of conditions, brutality, senseless death as if to drive the point home, but instead seemed to dull the pace somewhat.
With all the struggles, few triumphs or wins, the conclusion proved satisfying and pulled any loose strings together. As many times as we have proven “war is hell,” it still manages to find a new avenue to exploit.
I downloaded a copy of this audiobook from my local well-stocked library. These are my honest thoughts.
Book Details:
Genre: WWII Historical Fiction, War & Military Fiction, Biographical Fiction
Publisher: Harper Muse
ASIN: B0B6238TZ7
Listening Length: 7 hrs 55 mins
Narrator: Saskia Maarleveld
Publication Date: April 18, 2023
Source: Local Library (Audiobook Selections)
Title Link: The Swiss Nurse [Amazon]
Barnes & Noble
Kobo
Rosepoint Publishing: Four stars 
The Author: Mario Escobar has a master’s degree in modern history and has written numerous books and articles that delve into the depths of church history, the struggle of sectarian groups, and the discovery and colonization of the Americas. Escobar, who makes his home in Madrid, Spain, is passionate about history and its mysteries.
The Narrator: Saskia Maarleveld is an experienced audiobook narrator and voice-over actress based in New York City. Raised in New Zealand and France, she is highly skilled with accents and dialects, and many of her books have been narrated entirely in accents other than her own. In addition to audiobooks, Saskia’s voice can be heard in animation, video games, and commercials. She attributes her love and understanding of reading books aloud to coming from a large family where audiobooks were the only way to get through car rides without fighting! Visit saskiamaarleveld.com to learn more.
©2023 V Williams
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