The Pull of the Stars

A Novel

By: Emma Donoghue

Narrated by: Emma Lowe

Length: 9 hrs and 6 mins

Publisher's summary

In Dublin, 1918, a maternity ward at the height of the Great Flu is a small world of work, risk, death, and unlooked-for love, in "Donoghue's best novel since Room" (Kirkus Reviews).

In an Ireland doubly ravaged by war and disease, Nurse Julia Power works at an understaffed hospital in the city center, where expectant mothers who have come down with the terrible new flu are quarantined together. Into Julia's regimented world step two outsiders - Doctor Kathleen Lynn, a rumored Rebel on the run from the police, and a young volunteer helper, Bridie Sweeney.

In the darkness and intensity of this tiny ward, over three days, these women change each other's lives in unexpected ways. They lose patients to this baffling pandemic, but they also shepherd new life into a fearful world. With tireless tenderness and humanity, carers and mothers alike somehow do their impossible work.

In The Pull of the Stars, Emma Donoghue once again finds the light in the darkness in this new classic of hope and survival against all odds.

©2020 Emma Donoghue, Ltd. (P)2020 Hachette Audio

Not the story I expected, but the story I needed.

I read this through in one day. It wasn't what I thought it would be, but it is beautiful and poignant. I see several reviews talking about the relationship between two women and readers annoyance with this "strange turn." This isn't "about homosexuality" or a ploy to "add some of this and that" - it's a story about love. A story about sacrifice and unadulterated fear. The way that your world shrinks down to the immediate surroundings and, if that's a hospital, ceases to make sense amid flagrant (and harsh) moral judgements and stark naked Death. Although it wasn't written to be a story about THIS pandemic, it ended up working out as something that "fits" in our world today.
The narrator is average and at 1.5x speed kept my attention throughout. I really enjoy audiobooks where the female voice actors have an accent. Irish sounds so whimsical to me. That fit wonderfully with this story.
At times I was outraged (and yelled aloud more than once) by the complete hypocrisy and injustice of it all. Other times, my heart was buoyed by the human spirit of kindness and giving. And then...I was crying at the heart break and loss that seemed never-ending.
I think the story is great. It's a quick read and leaves you thinking long after you've finished. Much of the book examines duty - duty to others, duty to society (in this case King and country) and the duty of the masses to ensure the care and safety of the invisible. As a pediatric mental health provider, I have several clients at any given time that are living as wards of the state. Either in a group placement or a foster home. Sadly, their stories are not much different than those in this book (minus the bit about going to work). The drawback of this story I guess, is that it's not that happy. It's not one with a happy ending and it just reminds me that 100 years doesn't mean much.

Disappointed

This was more of a novelette, no real story. Rather it seems a few very artificial characters were constructed to demonstrate the points the author had researched.

Heartbreakingly Relevant

3.75/5: I love historical fiction and I loved Donoghue's book, Room, so I was interested to read more of her work. I listened to this book and enjoyed the Irish accent of the narrator. This was an interesting read given it set in Ireland during the Spanish Flu epidemic of 1918; all of which greatly parallels Covid and our current times. The story takes place over a few days in a maternity fever ward and chronicles Julia, a nurse and main character, as she cares for and tries to save the lives of the moms and babies born (both complicated by the flu). Julia is joined by a young orphan woman, Bridie, and a new doctor who is running from the police for being an antigovernmental resistor. There are many heartbreaking scenes in this story but also a sense of hope as Julia adapts and works around all the unknowns of the flu. There is also the societal elements of how society views and handles unwed mothers and their children, as well as orphans or surrendered children, such as Bridie (cruel treatment, neglect, deprivation, and hard work). Typically I would be annoyed by inserting a romantic subplot, but in this story it actually brings a new level of tenderness and love. The ending that Donoghue creates is the perfect mix of restorative justice and hope for the future. I gave this the rating I did because I felt there was just something absent that would have taken this the extra distance although I can't quite put my finger on the exactness of that.

Great Story

This was a great story about a maternity ward during the Influenza pandemic of 1918. It is limited in characters and does have a dry start but pressing on, a person can find the value in it.

The tory is good, but the editing style is off.

There is no punctuation to any dialog in this book. No "" or who said what comment. So, it's easy to miss some of the finer points of the story. I feel the editing style detracted from a good story.

Timely story!

It was unreal that Emma Donoghue wrote a story about the great influenza epidemic of 1918 and was able to get it published at the time of COVID 19. The story of the hospital in Ireland and nurse Julia was interesting and captivating. The author also added part of the real story of a female doctor who was wanted by the police and eventually arrested. The character of the volunteer was based on true stories of children who were raised in orphanages. Great historical fiction!

So relevant and compelling! Narrator was exceptional

I chose to get this book on Audible because I had a credit. Once I started the story, I couldn’t “put it down,” and I did all my Thanksgiving cooking and cleaning as well as my daily walks consuming this story. Each character was so developed that I felt like an observer to the story right from inside the room. For me, the narrator made the experience of listening to the story especially powerful. Her voice is exquisite and the accents add so much texture to the setting. I will be recommending it to all my book loving friends!

Harrowing, graphic, depressing - but timely

i had to force myself through the last half. Quite depressing, but I’m afraid it’s mostly accurate historically.

Wonderful and moving story

This is a wonderful and moving story. Subject is timely, as it feels like history repeating itself. Great narration.

Best Book

this is the best book I've read in a while. I highly recommend it.