Night Watch
By Jayne Anne Phillips
Knopf, 9780451493330, September2023, 304 pp.

The Short of It:

Brutal and honest.

The Rest of It:

“In 1874, in the wake of the War, erasure, trauma, and namelessness haunt civilians and veterans, renegades and wanderers, freedmen and runaways. Twelve-year-old ConaLee, the adult in her family for as long as she can remember, finds herself on a buckboard journey with her mother, Eliza, who hasn’t spoken in more than a year. They arrive at the Trans-Allegheny Lunatic Asylum in West Virginia, delivered to the hospital’s entrance by a war veteran who has forced himself into their world. There, far from family, a beloved neighbor, and the mountain home they knew, they try to reclaim their lives.” ~ the publisher

I am not a fan of war stories. I find them to be incredibly tedious. This book, although set during war, was a bit different in its approach. I was immediately pulled into this story. A very brutal act, takes place fairly early on and from that moment, I was riveted. As ConaLee and her mother, the non-speaking, completely lost Eliza make their way to a “hospital”, really an asylum for the mentally ill, I couldn’t help but want the best for them. But at every turn you are made to question the motives of others. Doctors, nurses, etc.

ConaLee and Eliza leave children behind. Eliza, left her son and a set of twins behind, not able to care for them. She was drained physically and mentally from the ordeal that she survived while her husband was away at war.

ConaLee, just 12 years of age is old enough to know that something terrible happened and is old enough to feel the loss of her siblings. The closeness that she has to her mother is what propels her forward. So when she is forced to play the role of Eliza’s nursemaid, she does so out of desperation so they can remain together at the hospital. In the midst of all this is their dear friend Dearbhla, who is a healer and can see the future. She continues to look out for them as they make their journey to the hospital.

What ensues is a story of survival. Eliza’s health, at first very fragile begins to show the effects of good food, quality care, and the safety that the hospital provides. ConaLee sees the change in her mother but she also notices a closeness between her mother and Dr. Story, the man who seems to be turning her life around for the better.

Old characters return from the past. Some dearly missed, and some absolutely evil. The last few chapters are delivered as a whirlwind of action. So much happens. So much is revealed. What an interesting story. And if you are wondering about the title, Night Watch is a position held at the hospital and plays a critical role in the story.

My book club chose this book for March. We meet to discuss it tonight. I think there will be plenty to discuss.

Source: Borrowed
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