When We Had Wings by Ariel Lawhon, Kristina McMorris, Susan Meisner
When We Had Wings is a page-turning, well-researched historical fiction story about the “Angels of Bataan” during WW11.
Genre/Categories/Setting: Historical Fiction, WW11, Philippines, Nurses/Nursing, the “Angels of Bataan”
*This post contains Amazon affiliate links.
My Summary of When We Had Wings:
Thanks #NetGalley #HarperMuse @HarperMuseBooks for a complimentary e ARC of #WhenWeHadWings upon my request. All opinions are my own.
Set in the Philippines during WW11, When We Had Wings is a story of friendship and survival. Eleanor (Navy), Penny (Army), and Lita (Filipina) meet and become friends at the Army/Navy Club in Manila. As war breaks out, they serve as nurses under combat conditions but soon find themselves in captivity and among the first female prisoners of war. Their fictionalized stories are representative of the Angels of Bataan.
My Thoughts:
Multiple Perspectives
When We Had Wings is told from three perspectives and the story moves frequently between perspectives and jumps from location to location. At times, this slowed my reading as I had to stop and think about which nurse I was reading about, her circumstances, and where she was located.
Characters
All three nurses have a backstory and are admirable, brave, and realistically drawn. I think more time could have been devoted to developing their friendship at the beginning, adding credibility to the bond they felt throughout the story. Selecting a representative nurse from the Army and Navy, and one locally added a layer of complexity, interest, and depth. Despite their wartime hardships and harrowing circumstances, these characters enjoy a realistic ending written for them at story’s end.
Themes
Even though the women were separated during their service and for much of their captivity, friendship is one of the strongest themes in When We Had Wings. Other themes include endurance, survival, wartime hardships, resourcefulness, overcoming obstacles, the hope of rescue, and small sides of romance that do not overshadow the plot.
Content Considerations
War-related atrocities (physical and mental abuse), war injuries and medical circumstances, captivity, and horrific conditions.
Recommending When We Had Wings
If you’re able to read about conditions in captivity, I’m recommending When We Had Wings for fans of page-turning and well-researched historical fiction and for readers who would appreciate reading about nursing during WW11. Book clubs will find rich discussion possibilities.
You might be interested in a few anachronisms that Lisa @ Hopewell’s Public Library of Life spotted.
Related: Other solo works I’ve reviewed by these authors include The Nature of Fragile Things (Meissner), As Bright As Heaven (Meisner), A Fall of Marigolds (Meissner), I Was Anastasia (Lawhon), Code Name Helene (Lawhon), and Sold on a Monday (McMorris)
My Rating: 4 Stars
Meet the Authors of When We Had Wings, Ariel Lawhon, Kristina McMorris, and Susan Meissner
QOTD:
Is this page-turning histfic on your TBR or have you read it?
Happy Reading Book Buddies!
“Ah, how good it is to be among people who are reading.”
~Rainer Maria Rilke
“I love the world of words, where life and literature connect.”
~Denise J Hughes
“Reading good books ruins you for enjoying bad ones.”
~Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society
“I read because books are a form of transportation, of teaching, and of connection! Books take us to places we’ve never been, they teach us about our world, and they help us to understand human experience.”
~Madeleine Riley, Top Shelf Text
Let’s Get Social!
Thank you for visiting and reading today! I’d be honored and thrilled if you choose to enjoy and follow along (see subscribe or follow option), promote, and/or share my blog. Every share helps us grow.
Find me at:
Twitter
Instagram
Goodreads
Pinterest
***Blog posts may contain affiliate links. This means that at no extra cost to you, I can earn a small percentage of your purchase price.
I purchase or borrow from the library all books I review unless explicitly stated that the book is free (arc)
Amazon or an author’s (or publisher’s) website receives all credit for book covers and author photos.
© ReadingLadies.com
Thanks for sharing your thoughts. Historical inaccuracies are a problem given the authors are fairly well established.
I like that this is a WWII story, but shows a different story than most books.
I enjoyed the perspective! Although it was difficult to read about their captivity.
Excellent review Carol. Admirable, brave and realistic characters are a definite drawcard for me. I’m looking forward to reading this.❤📚
Thanks Sandy! Enjoy! 🙌
I just started reading this today, and while Lawhon is one of my favorite authors (I’ve read both the ones you mentioned, as well as her other two, “The Wife, the Maid, and the Mistress” and “Flight of Dreams” – all amazing). I don’t know the other two authors, but… already, I’m seeing some inconsistencies here. Still, I’ll read on! I enjoyed Elise Hooper’s novel about these nurses.
I didn’t read the Hooper one. I hope this is a good read for you!
This one is waiting for me to pick up from the library. The only author I have read before is Meissner and have loved everything I have read by her. I’m looking forward to reading this!
I hope you enjoy it Gretchen!
I found another anachronism in this book. Before the Japanese take over, Lita says she was busy taking samples to the lab… um… nope, there weren’t any labs in that area at that time.
You and Lisa are brilliant at finding these!
[…] Midwife ReviewThat Summer in Berlin ReviewGodmersham Park Book ReviewNovellas in November TBRWhen We Had Wings ReviewChristmas at the Borrow a Bookshop ReviewThe Story of Arthur Truluv ReviewA Brilliant Night of Stars […]
Great review, Carol. I found it hard to review this one, but I do recommend it, if that makes sense.
Yes, that makes sense! The unrelenting captivity is difficult to read and may not be for everyone, but it was interesting at the same time! So many different angles to WW11 stories!
World War 11?!?! ;’D Please, dear heavens, don’t let us have more than 2. (I think you use capital “I”s). I totally agree with your thoughts on this book. I did think it was weird they shared such a bond after working together for like a week. I would have enjoyed more of that part, too. And I did love the book other than that. And it was nice to have a story that wasn’t the typical WWII setting of Germany, England, or a concentration camp. The war was so far-reaching that it’s good to have stories set elsewhere. I also liked the book Salt to the Sea for similar reasons.
I love WW11 stories from varied perspectives! And I loved Salt to the Sea as well!
[…] When We Had Wings by Ariel Lawhon, Kristina McMorris, and Susan Meissner […]