I don’t know why I thought this was a non-fiction title, but I was wrong. I must state that the copy I had had some printing issues making it a little tough to read it smoothly. This might have impacted my reading experience in some way that I’m not accounting for.

The book is based in the 1920s – a little before and a little after. It’s Australia and a large part of the treatment is still for men, young and old who are traumatized by a war. Our central protagonist is Anna, a woman running from the law in another country and trying to advance her own medical practice. She is a nurse but had bigger dreams. The story follows the slow progression of her dreams along with all the other hurdles she has to jump past to move forward.

Although I got a feel for what lives in the time in Australia might have been like, I felt like there were too many tangents for the central premise to have much of a hold on me. I kept almost forgetting what the end goal was. It’s a hard life and the writer brought it to the forefront well. It was just that I was not interested in the content as I hoped to be.

I would definitely recommend the author to other readers and would read other books by her.

I received an ARC thanks to Netgalley and the publishers but the review is entirely based on my own reading experience.

It was fun to read. Loved the characters too. Enjoyed till the end. Thanks to Netgalley for providing me a free e-book.

This was a good book. I enjoyed it and was very intrigued by Anna's story. I liked the story and the historical accuracy. I liked this and enjoyed it.
I just reviewed A Hospital in the Clouds by Mhairead MacLeod. #AHospitalintheClouds #NetGalley
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I couldn't empathize with the story, but I really liked the way the author wrote it. The plot is very well organized and the characters are captivating.
#ahospitalintheclouds, #MhaireadMacLeod. #netgalley

It Just was not a book for me. Thank you to netgalley for letting me read this e arc in exchange for an honest opinion

Anna Sinclair struggles to establish a hospital for survivors of PTSD following WWII. A good premise for a book but a bit under written in my opinion. Character development was lacking and the pacing was slow and ponderous (only my opinion).

A Hospital in the Clouds by Mhairead MacLeod was heavily centered around themes including feminism, healing from trauma, and what it means to care for others. Anna, our protagonist, is a nurse, suffragist, mother, and widow in early 1920s Australia, and it is her dream to form and own a hospital. In pursuing this goal, Anna meets a wounded soldier, Tom, and she must learn how to cope with both his trauma as well as her own. Overall, I liked the novel but I struggled to feel a deep connection with the characters. While MacLeod's writing was sound and I loved the imagery of the hospital in the clouds and what that metaphor embodies, I felt that the novel considered a lot of different plot points that were not expanded upon enough to make them feel all that meaningful.

For starters, Anna's past and the reason she left Edinburgh for Australia are a mystery throughout the majority of the novel. However, the way that this plot point is resolved towards the end of the book felt rushed, understating the importance of this background information in regards to Anna's present experience of trauma. Anna's relationship with her daughter, Evie, was also underdeveloped in my opinion, though it had the potential to add a sense of profound insight into the novel. In general, I found a pattern in this novel of many plot points being introduced, touched upon, but not being deepened to a point of major impact.

While I did find issues with how some storylines were resolved, I did love the representation of Anna's desire to give care. Every medical decision she made (on her own will) felt intentional and designed to heal her patients. Her dedication to creating a hospital was also inspirational, and I appreciated her ability to overcome the systemic obstacles formed against her. This goal created the foundation of the novel, and I found that it was the aspect of the novel I appreciated most.

This novel was an overall solid read, and I enjoyed MacLeod's writing. Anna's character showcased a vivd portrait of dedication and care, though I wish I could have connected more with the rest of the cast and other plot lines. Thank you so much to NetGalley and Shawline Publishing Group for the opportunity to read this digital advanced reader copy.