So my book recommendation for the winter break was Cicero's On the Good Life, and recently, I reviewed Machiavelli's The Prince. That makes a lot of philosophy. If that's not your style and you're just looking for a novel to plunge into alongside a warm fire, here's one to add to your list of endless possibilities: Daniel Mason's The Winter Soldier. It is a hidden treasure whose beautiful cover art and fascinating aesthetic lives up to the deep, complicated story which is richly detailed inside.
Not only is Daniel Mason accomplished in both the scientific and literary realm, but he has managed to bring his knowledge of both into one all-encompassing book that stands out among many other realistic-fiction works that take place during WWI/WWII. The main character of The Winter Soldier is a young medical student names Lucius who finds himself shocked by the deplorable conditions of the field hospital he is assigned to during the Great War. With little experience beyond small operations in his medical school, he is initially not prepared to take on the flood of injured soldiers from the tide of battle.
From the start of the book, the reader becomes immersed in Lucius's medical studies and the textbooks which he pores over in order to develop his expertise. Anatomical terms are flung at the reader in quick succession, and you really feel as if you are a part of the gruesome scientific world of the 1910s, where few discoveries had been made regarding diseases and technologies were limited. Before Lucius even makes it to the hospital, you will be amazed at how elaborately researched this work is. Mason has crafted a character who could have existed without any doubt— details about his family line, the news that he hears around him, the various locations and famous figures that are skillfully referenced.
Once on the frontier of war, the novel starts to slowly shift away from science, which might seem surprising at first. Lucius learns the tricks of the trade through a young nurse named Margarete, who becomes a central figure throughout the book since he falls in love with her. And as patients keep rolling in, one in particular causes a life-changing journey to ensue for Lucius.
As you read, you will find yourself bouncing between all different kinds of emotions: disgust, love, fear, apprehension, and satisfaction, just to name a few. Cliffhangers abound in this novel and you will not want to stop reading once you start— each section of the journey builds on the other in a smooth though sometimes unexpected way.
In the title of this post, I do not mean to say that students interested in science should read this book since it is definitely more tilted towards being a novel. However, I think that this book will illicit pleasure and wonder from a wide variety of readers, including those who typically don't find themselves absorbed in a fiction story. It requires some guts to get through the first part, with some scenes that might remain in your memory forever, but once you cross that barrier, the rest unfolds in a truly special way.
I would absolutely recommend Daniel Mason's The Winter Soldier for those of you looking for a dynamic twist on the classic wartime fictional plot.
1/5/21