A review by foggy_rosamund
Bodies of Light by Sarah Moss

4.0

An evocative historical novel about sisters Ally, who becomes one of the first women doctors, and May, a nurse. Ally and May come from a home characterised by acute psychological terrors: their mother, Elizabeth, believes in self-control and has an exacting moral standard for her children. Though she works towards alleviating the suffering of working-class women, particularly sex workers, she has no sympathy for her own daughters, and metes out cruel and strange punishments should they fail to meet her standards. Ally is particularly terrorised by her mother, though she is the more morally scrupulous and academic of the two. She finds some escape in rigorous study. The novel covers Ally's childhood and early youth, describing her struggles at home, and her work as a doctor. Over time, she begins to develop self-confidence and insight into her own family. A novel full of pyschological depth, and a well-realised historical setting. My only caveat was the the other theme in the novel -- art, particularly the paintings of Ally's father -- didn't fit into the rest of the narrative, and felt underexplored and examined. It was also very hard to believe that the father would have married Elizabeth. Otherwise, I found this book engaging and moving.