THE WINTER SOLDIER by Daniel Mason

Note: I am not a paid reviewer, and I have purchased this title to read for my personal enjoyment.

Lucius lives a privileged life in Vienna as WW1 breaks out, studying medicine to the disappointment of his industry-titan parents. Lucius enlists, is sent to an overwhelmed and under-equipped battle front medical station in the Carpathian Mountains, and his eagerness to take on complex cases gives way to fear of exposure as an incompetent novice. He is trained in the practical realities of war wound care by Sister Margarete, an unforgettable quirky character with an intellectual curiosity that lends itself to indispensable medical problem-solving at the remote outpost. Mr. Mason’s prose is an unusual mix of technical, cringe-worthy descriptions of wounds and rudimentary medical procedures, and poetic narrative descriptions that bring to mind All The Light We Cannot See. We are immersed in the eastern front: lice infestations, soldiers trading stamps during a respite from fighting, foraging for nuts and mushrooms to feed the wounded, and a perplexing wave of soldiers in debilitated mental condition without corresponding physical injury. Lucius becomes fixated on one such case, and his medical interest in shell shock goes horribly awry when the conscription detail appears, seeking patients who are fit to fight. As the fighting ends, Lucius can’t leave the front behind, suffering hallucinations and obsessing over the fate of Margarete, leading to an epic twist of fate.