Kit Markham grew up until the age of fourteen believing that the parents who raised her were actually her parents. The truth came out because of the man she’d loved since the age of six, Jack. Now, Kit knows she could never be with Jack because he is, in fact, her half-brother. She is so deeply hurt she wants to leave everything behind and move on. So, she leaves Melbourne at 16 and moves to England. In England, she volunteers as a nurse to attend to the wounded returning to England after the Crimean War, but her experience with a young Canadian compels her to train as a doctor and she moves to America. She learns to be tough in a world dominated by men and at a time when women are looked upon as mere housewives. After marrying Ned, she accompanies him to the front during the American Civil War. Follow her adventures and an eventual encounter with Jack, the love of her life and half-brother, which will make her search her heart deeper. But will she follow her heart’s desire or the conventions of the time?

With an international setting in Melbourne, England and America, this is a beautiful and compelling story with great historical references. Kit is a character that is well-developed, a brave woman who faces the challenges of the world unflinchingly. Journey into Darkness by Dr Dell Elizabeth Brand features powerful social and historical commentaries, giving readers a clear idea of what life was like between 1855 and 1862. The use of the epistolary style enriches the plot and deepens character as well as conflict. Dr Dell Elizabeth Brand’s handling of character and plot is exceptional and readers can’t help but be absorbed by the perspective of the protagonist, rendered more eloquent by the first person narrative voice. Journey into Darkness is a tantalizing novel that transports readers into a turbulent era in history and follows the adventures of one brave woman trying to run from herself, but can she?

Journey Into Darkness is a fascinating historical fiction novel by Dr. Dell Elizabeth Brand. Covering eight years in the life of a young Australian woman who travels to England, the Crimea, and the United States during periods of terrible war, it presents an enlightening account of the times through the eyes of Catherine “Kit” Markham and those close to her. On one level, the story is of Kit’s personal life: her family struggles and the men she comes to love. On another level, it’s about her growing interest in medicine and the struggle of women to become physicians, when many people don’t yet accept them in that role. On the broadest level, it’s a sweeping history of the times: the geo-political and social conflicts; the changing technologies in medicine, invention, warfare, and travel; and a clear picture of the brutality of war.

Journey Into Darkness begins a bit slowly, where its focus is on Kit’s emotional and romantic conflicts as a teenager in Australia. But, it isn’t long before Kit is at sea and embarking on the adventures which increasingly engage the reader’s interest as the narrative unfolds. Dr. Brand’s masterful skills as a storyteller and historian shine through here. While the story is about Kit’s experiences as a young woman between 1855 and 1863, and heavily focused on the American Civil War, the point of view changes between characters. Large swaths of the story are told through epistolary narrative, which adds the voices of other characters as well, and famous historical characters are woven into the fictional account. On the whole, I found Journey Into Darkness to be an engaging, entertaining, and educational read.

The year is 1855 and Kit is sixteen and preparing to move to England to forget Jack, her true love (unfortunately also her half brother). It is the end of the Crimean War and Kit finds herself offering volunteer nursing skills to the wounded coming home. This is the first step that will change Kit’s life forever. She realizes that she very much wants to be a doctor, something that is frowned upon for women in the 1850s. John is one of Kit’s patients and slowly the two fall in love. Kit once again is forced to face pain as her plan to marry John disappears. Kit’s next plan is to go to America and study medicine. Kit works hard and long and finally becomes the doctor that she so badly desired.

She next meets and works with a wonderful doctor, Ned, who patiently trains her and, finally being over her love for Jack and her unfortunate loss of John, Kit falls deeply in love with Ned and his young son, Charlie. Together Kit and Ned work tirelessly as the Civil War battles rage on, taking care of the wounded and sick. This too ends badly and when Jack comes to America from Australia to take her home, Kit once again has many decisions to make.

As I read Journey into Darkness by Dr Dell Elizabeth Brand, I became a partner in Kit’s life and felt as though I was traveling in her shoes and sharing all of her experiences. Journey into Darkness brought the Civil War to life, turning Kit, Jack, John and Ned into real live friends that I wanted to spend time with, and creating a story that has all the elements of an 'impossible to put down' book. The history was accurate and the fiction was perfect. Dr Dell Elizabeth Brand is a gifted author!

Journey into Darkness by Dr. Dell Elizabeth Brand is the fictional story of a tenacious woman named Kit Markham. At the age of sixteen, Kit believed she knew exactly the direction her life would take. She was young, in love, and envisioned a future that was wholly secure. This all gets ripped apart when she receives the devastating news that she is adopted, and that her intended husband is actually her half-brother. Kit does all she can to put distance between herself and Jack, but embarks on a journey to England when it becomes clear that there isn't a corner of Australia that's far enough to alter the course of her feelings. In England, she works to support war efforts as a ship's nurse, with a shift of allegiance in the form of a unique opportunity that takes her to the shores of the United States...and straight into the front of its Civil War.

Journey into Darkness is a fantastic piece of historical fiction, and Dr. Dell Elizabeth Brand takes her readers across continents in a tale of female strength and empowerment in a time when both were virtually impossible. Kit is a well developed and worthy heroine that is easy to root for. The writing is clean and tight, with exceptional descriptions and thoroughly researched details - particularly as they pertain to some of the heaviest field battles of the Civil War. "I was sent to help at Spangler farm and there I found rows of men lying against a building, steady rain from dripping eaves soaking them through. All were patiently awaiting their turn on the operating table." For readers who enjoy books like Gone with the Wind and Cold Mountain - with a dash of Little Women thrown in for good measure - this book is sure to please.