Couldn't read after 7 p.m. because I had some nightmares--that's how graphic the descriptions of war are. Pretty quick read, given the content. I've read a ton of WWII books about the European Theatre, but not many about the Pacific, so this was a nice way to fill in some of my WWII gaps. Love that it told the story of WWII from the perspective of women who served; I think we sometimes forget how many women were active duty. I wish I had asked my grandma about her time serving in the Navy during WWII but based on this book, I'm guessing she wouldn't have said much. ( )

I liked so many things about this book - the story of a lesser known piece of the war in the Pacific, the discussion of PTSD, turning anxiety into a purpose, and how the pain of traumatic events can follow generations - but I just didn't love it (and I feel a little bad about that). Overall, this was a pretty good book and I would recommend it to anyone who enjoys WWII historical fiction. ( )

Marjie Bauer joins the Army Nurse Corps in 1941 and is sent to Manila. Her idealism life on a paradise island is abruptly interrupted when the Japanese invade the Bataan Island. She nurses wounded with few supplies and is eventually capture and held prisoner for three years. The story is based on actual events but the story is told rather than letting the read feel the horror of the time. ( )

On December 8, 1941, Margie Bauer's world unravels when the Japanese invade the Philippines. The US Army evacuates to the Bataan Peninsula, where she cares for the wounded, in a field hospital, in the catacomb tunnels of Corregidor Island. An epic tale of a nation at war and the deeply personal story of one woman's journey. Her sacrifices are moving, descriptions vivid, characters well-developed, and the plot compelling. Perfect ingredients for a great read. ( )

Margie Bauer attends nursing school after high school graduation and because there is not much need for nurses, signs up for the Army nurse Reserve program. In 1941, she's called to active duty and is sent to the Philippines, where she learns to love the beauty of the islands. All that changes when the Japanese begin bombing the Philippines after the December 1941 attack on Pearl Harbor.

On the run from the Japanese, the Army moves first to the Bataan jungle and the medical staff operates in an open air hospital. They later move to Corregidor, managing hospital care in an underground tunnel system. When they are overrun by the enemy, Margie and her friends are imprisoned in Santo Tomas Internment Camp. Their story is one of courage and friendship but the hardest part is yet to come - Margie deals with what is now known as PTSD and struggles to overcome the horrors she endured. ( )