A review by shirleytupperfreeman
Band of Sisters by Lauren Willig

I enjoyed this fine piece of historical fiction from the WWI era. Lauren Willig learned about a group of women - all Smith College graduates - who formed a 'band of sisters' to do their bit to help women and children left behind in French villages devastated by the German army. The young women, most of whom didn't know each other previously, were recruited by an enterprising and charismatic alumna, to help however they could. Using fictional and composite characters, Willig tells the story of the Smith unit as they learn to live with each other in trying circumstances and learn to be jills of all trades as they try to help the villagers rebuild and then flee again. The women had to be mechanics, farmers, teachers, supply chain managers, hostesses, doctors, and social workers. Other than the two doctors, very few of the women had much useful training so they learned on the job. The story is told mostly through the eyes of Kate (a former scholarship student with great leadership skills and a chip on her shoulder), Emmie (a wealthy heiress with a heart of gold, wonderful social work skills and low self-confidence) and Julia (a brilliant doctor with some secrets in her past). This would be a good book club book.