Posted: 16 Mar 2026, 08:47 by Emily Walmsley
[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of “Nostalgia” by Susannah Willey.]
Nostalgia by Susannah Willey was a well-written historical fiction book that takes place during the American Civil War and follows a war surgeon named Dr. Jim Banyon. As he observes the effects the Civil War is having, not just physically but psychologically, Dr. Banyon realizes that war ultimately leaves more wounds than the human eye can see. I rate this book 5 out of 5.
Something I enjoyed about Nostalgia was the imagery in the author’s writing. I felt like I was there, even during the horrifying recalling of battle scenes and the highly tense surgical scenes. Another positive I have about this book is how human and relatable it felt. The characters had so much depth and complexity to them; I felt like I was following real people, and I grew extremely invested in their lives. Dr. Jim Banyon had many difficult decisions to make a many conflicting thoughts throughout the book, and the author did a great job showing the doctor’s personality through these situations. Even to have emotions that seem trivial during the chaos of war, such as insecurity and worry, made the characters more relatable and human.
I have no criticisms about this book. I enjoyed reading it. I enjoyed the complex characters and the vivid details in the writing. No grammar or spelling mistakes were found; therefore, I gave this book a perfect rating.
Overall, Nostalgia by Susannah Willey was interesting and clearly had a lot of thought put into it. Anyone who enjoys history will enjoy this book! I wouldn’t recommend this book to children just because of the graphic nature, even though it’s accurate to real life, and in relation to that, I must say the content warning in the beginning was highly appreciated. I agreed with the content warning; the author handled every topic in this book with respect, making this a really enjoyable read.
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Nostalgia
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Susannah Willey Writes 