Book Review: Mrs Boots Goes to War By Deborah Carr

A pleasant and well written new work in this wonderful series by Deborah Carr.

Mrs. Boots Goes to war is a historical fiction piece that invites us to explore the workings of WWI, The Spanish Flu, The Russian Revolution, Voting Rights for Women, The Treaty of Versailles, Suffragettes movement, and The Victory Party.

It's an extraordinary tale about the lives of the Boot Family with Florence at the helm followed by her husband James and children John and Margery. Each one played a vital and important role in the telling of this story. 

Florence was the 'Nightingale' helping all those in need including her own employees, those who fought on the front lines, and many women who found themselves in the line of battle unknowingly. 

Jesse helped set up shop in arming the men with artillery needed to fight the war including gas masks and sterilized water that truly helped them succeed in battle. While his son John enlisted to fight the battle in France. Meanwhile, Margery set up a canteen in the Northern territory of France to assist the men sent back to the United Kingdom after these battles.

I couldn't help but notice the similarities to the current times we find ourselves residing in today. All across the globe we have major life altering events concurring simultaneously and we find ourselves asking the much the same questions they did back during these harrowing times in history.

In fact, at the time of this writing Texas is now fighting against frigid temps, frozen water mains, starvation and hunger concerns for its people while doing so without electricity and or much needed basic supplies. 

The similarities to the United States becoming a Third World country is frightening. My own aunt and niece reside in Houston and luckily they have a backup generator but they now find themselves running low on gas and food while many local residents are having to send their children over for warmth and comfort raising Covid concerns.

Here, in Northeastern Pennsylvania, we have been dealing with crippling snow storms back to back some having resulted in over 2 feet of snow with no place to put it and frigid temps, broken water mains (I just drove past one the other day in front of King's College in Wilkes Barre) and numerous other issues related to lack of truckloads of supplies being delayed for shipment due to ongoing storms and a raging pandemic without proper vaccinations in place.
Everyday my three children are dealing with hybrid issues in teaching themselves at this point, not having internet access, zero chrome book accessibility (even though the private school promised they'd help us) and a dwindling supply of nerves for the parents and children alike.

'Where is all this going to end?' "She thought of her children and the impact this seemingly endless war must be having on them." 'I'm glad I'm no longer young and about to start a family with all this terror and uncertainty in the world. I feel for our children and the other young people just starting out.' - As quoted directly from this novel.

This statement above is exactly how as a single mom of three, in my current financial constraints, unable to secure an entry level position in my 'Valley with a Heart' makes me wonder. What should I tell my own kids if they want to follow in my path - obtain a Masters- and then be told their overqualified to work? or Underqualified if they decide to raise their family only to be forced into poverty with no way out? Is this the new norm? Is this America? Are we to just rack up student loan debt and fall to the waste side?

In fact, I'm one of the lucky who received undergraduate degree from a two year community college. Had it not been for that my 100k student loan debt would've been vastly higher. The sad prospect is jobs here pay poverty wages so you have a choice go to work, work like a dog as I did for $7.25hr doing repetitive movement factory work, resulting in numerous medical issues, or don't work and earn $6 hour more with all the benefits and paid services. You do the math as what's more economically feasible and financially duable for you when raising a family with one being medically disabled for which we lost his Social Security even though he's born with Vater Syndrome for life. Is this the idea of helping others by taking away their much needed life line to simply force them into a working environment to please the majority for feel everyone can and should work?

Not to be the bearer of bad news but: I just shoveled a few more inches of snow with more on the way so I apologize for the late entries and reviews this past month as it's been non stop action in making sure the pipes don't freeze, the car keeps running, the kids- if they do have school- get out safely as they're two days on and three off and I do all this in extreme poverty, bankrupt, without employment, while seeking work for the past 10 yrs. with a dual masters, and while continuing to perform non stop requests for reviews and blog tours (free of charge) - almost 300 more to go in ARC's alone. Plus ten more in audio ARC's via Netgalley.

So, with all this noted where does that leave us today?
Well, how about we address this from the book," I don't see why we can't be treated as equals, especially when so many millions of women have shown how they can do the same job as a man during this war. I shall certainly use my vote when the time comes, of that you can be sure."

Folks, the time is now. We can't continue to live in a -Man's only- world as women falter.

This is not America and it will not be the new norm.

Stand tall, stand proud, and continue the fight for equality and better prospects for our future!