The Woman at the Front

Description

A daring young woman risks everything to pursue a career as a doctor on the front lines in France during World War I, and learns the true meaning of hope, love, and resilience in the darkest of times.

When Eleanor Atherton graduates from medical school near the top of her class in 1917, she dreams of going overseas to help the wounded, but her ambition is thwarted at every turn. Eleanor’s parents insist she must give up medicine, marry a respectable man, and assume her proper place. While women might serve as ambulance drivers or nurses at the front, they cannot be physicians—that work is too dangerous and frightening.

Nevertheless, Eleanor is determined to make more of a contribution than sitting at home knitting for the troops. When an unexpected twist of fate sends Eleanor to the battlefields of France as the private doctor of a British peer, she seizes the opportunity for what it is—the chance to finally prove herself.

But there’s a war on, and a casualty clearing station close to the front lines is an unforgiving place. Facing skeptical commanders who question her skills, scores of wounded men needing care, underhanded efforts by her family to bring her back home, and a blossoming romance, Eleanor must decide if she’s brave enough to break the rules, face her darkest fears, and take the chance to win the career—and the love—she’s always wanted.”An adventurous woman ahead of her time…a fascinating historical novel.”—Natasha Lester, New York Times bestselling author
 
“A uniquely female perspective of World War I…a beautiful, touching, romantic women’s fiction novel that is sure to delight fans of Outlander and Downton Abbey.”—Lori Nelson Spielman, New York Times bestselling author
 
“Realistic and emotionally engaging, you’ll believe every word.”—Toronto Star

“An absorbing and immersive portrait of a woman whose courage, determination, and resolve would be exceptional in any age—but forged in the crucible of the Great War, tested again and again by a society riven by change, Dr. Eleanor Atherton is a heroine I will not soon forget….”—Jennifer Robson, USA Today bestselling author

“A riveting tale of medicine, courage, and grace under fire during the Great War…Compulsively readable!”—Stephanie Marie Thornton, USA Today bestselling author

“Cornwall’s realistic depiction of the battlefield horrors is enhanced by her magnetic, multidimensional characters. This emotionally charged novel delivers the goods.”—Publishers Weekly

“Meticulously researched and deeply emotional—Cornwall has a gift for bringing history to life.”—Christine Wells, author of Sisters of the Resistance

“Cornwall’s book is a spellbinding read. The gritty descriptions of the makeshift hospitals in the midst of battle ring true, and the dialog is pitch-perfect.”—Historical Novels ReviewLecia Cornwall, acclaimed author of numerous historical romance novels, lives and writes in the beautiful foothills of the Canadian Rockies with four cats and a wild and crazy ninety-pound chocolate Lab named Andy. She has two grown children and one very patient husband. When she is not writing, Lecia is a dedicated volunteer at the Museum of the Highwood in High River, Alberta. The Woman at the Front is her first novel of historical women’s fiction.Reader’s Guide
The Woman at the Front by Lecia Cornwall
Discussion Questions:

1.   Eleanor has a difficult relationship with her father. He tries to dissuade her from practicing medicine. Is his behavior toward his daughter meant to strengthen Eleanor for the challenges of her chosen career, or is his attitude truly just Victorian scorn for smart women who don’t know their place?

2.   Eleanor’s brother sees the war as a chance to rise in society. Is he cold and self-serving, or part of a necessary change in the social order that allowed people of talent to take higher roles?

3.   Louis Chastaine strives to be a hero in his own right, taking dangerous chances to prove himself. In the end, he must bow to the strong female influences in his life to succeed, including his mother, Eleanor, and Lady Frances. Is this emasculating?

4.   The book discusses various types of allies and enemies. How do these elements drive identity and create conflict in the story?

5.   The colonel represents the old tradition of men as the stronger sex caring for women as the weaker. The war challenges this belief for him. What factors allow the colonel to accept the new paradigm of strong women when other men, like Eleanor’s father, refuse to embrace it?

6.   In this era, men had authority. How does Eleanor deal effectively with masculine authority?

7.   Each class of society in this time period lived by certain expectations. Are the upper classes truly freer than the classes below them, or are the rules actually more restrictive?

8.   Although some medical women practiced in war zones without the sanction of the British government, the army refused to allow women to serve as doctors on the front lines. Was it right to protect them from the horrors of war even though there was a shortage of qualified male doctors?

9.   World War I saw many women taking jobs outside the home for the first time. Did the necessity for women to step up and become breadwinners and essential workers further or impede the argument for suffrage?

10. Women gained many advantages within society because of the war. Was this out of necessity or a matter of seizing opportunities previously denied to them?

11.  How culpable was Eleanor in the unexpected outcome of the medical school exam? Was she truly naive, or is it likely she must have somehow known the truth?

12. Could Eleanor have returned home at the end of the war? What would she have had to sacrifice to do so?

13. Fraser finds his own way of coping with the horrors of war by refusing to consider the past or the future. How do his feelings for Eleanor challenge this strategy?US

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