The first in a trilogy, Regeneration focuses entirely on Craiglockhart War Hospital in Scotland in 1917. Dr. Rivers oversees patients who have come from the frontlines traumatised and shell shocked. His goal is to get them fit enough to, ideally, return to the Front. 

The cast of characters encountered vary greatly in their issues and experiences in the hospital. One is there because he voiced negative opinions of the war, another is mute and athsmatic, while others are terrorised by nightmares. 

It is incredibly dialogue heavy between doctor and patient and patient to patient. But it's also profound. I think it's a really unique perspective of the war to focus entirely on a rehabilitation hospital in Scotland. The discussions of the war, how to overcome their trauma and how they feel about returning feel raw and very real. It's a page turner, but a slow one. Attention is necessary to absorb what's being said. 

What I didn't know, until the very end, was many of the characters were real people - which only makes this story all the more harrowing. I would definitely be keen to read the rest of trilogy. I appreciate the topic greatly and I like Barker's writing style. It captured the period very well! A good start to this challenge 😄