This is one of the Edith Pargeter's earlier books, originally published in 1942. (I know her better by her pseudonym of Ellis Peters.) It is the story of a twenty-seven year old woman who joins the WRNS as a teleprinter operator in 1940. The book is written in epistolary format, as a series of letters to a very close friend who is a disabled WWI veteran.

In the beginning, the book feels like a lightweight romance, with Catherine joining up on a whim. As she reveals more of her thoughts and feelings, and as she experiences more of the war, the the book develops greater depth and intensity. Catherine's letters are articulate and introspective. The book is less about things happening, and more about Catherine's reactions to events, and the growth of her social conscience. Pargeter was rather bluntly pushing some social/political messages which may not have been very popular at the time. The war itself is a main feature of the story, not merely the background.

She Goes to War was not what I expected, but I still enjoyed it. While it certainly is not a happy book, there is a core of optimism that runs through. I liked Catherine, and her descriptions of life in the Wrens, and was intrigued by the glimpses at her rather mysterious correspondent. I found the climatic chapter poignant, especially when reading it on Remembrance Day. ( )