Book Review: A Nurse’s Tale by Ola Awonubi

“Inspired by a true story… Born Nigerian royalty, Princess Adenrele Ademola trained as a nurse at Guy’s Hospital in London and stepped up to serve the people of Britain when war broke out – facing both the devastation of the Blitz and the prejudice of some of the people she was trying to help.”

Goodreads blurb for A Nurse’s Tale

Review:

Royalty and war are always interesting mixes in a book, particularly when it’s based on a true story. Typically in World War II fiction, the royal focus is on the British Royal Family. In A Nurse’s Tale, our hero is a Nigerian Princess.

Princess Adenrele Ademola trains in London to become a nurse. When the war breaks out, she stays behind and eventually goes on to become a midwife. Eighty years later, Ade’s great-niece, Yemi, goes to England and meets a doctor who is trying to trace his roots having been born in an orphanage. The two of them start to realize the connections they have.

I thoroughly enjoyed learning more about Nigerian culture and history, especially where the characters are based on real people. This was my biggest takeaway. I didn’t find myself engaged with the story as a whole. Even still, I applaud what a standout it is. 

Likes & Dislikes:

What I liked:

• Stands out from other WWII novels.
• Charming characters.

What I didn’t like:

• The duel timeline felt unnecessary.

Afterthoughts:

Once again, I apologize for being so behind on these ARC reviews.

Where to buy the book: