Reading TS Medic’s Battlefield Diary was an intense, almost visceral experience. This novel—true to its title—reads like a medic’s diary, with every chapter pulling you deeper into the horrors of war. Let me start with a warning: this story contains every imaginable trigger, from graphic violence to war crimes, including sexual assault. If you’re not prepared for heavy themes, it’s better to avoid it.
The story doesn’t hold back. By Chapter 51, the sheer number of deaths was staggering, and I was on edge, waiting for the female lead (FL) to step into her protagonist role. The wait was frustrating, especially with characters like Sylph and Bren driving the war forward as if they were the leads themselves. At one point, I couldn’t take the uncertainty and skipped to the last chapter to confirm if the FL would eventually rise as the protagonist. She does, thankfully, but the journey to that moment is nothing short of harrowing.
It’s written like a literal diary, with every event thrusting you into the grim reality of war. There’s a part where the FL devises a strategy to sacrifice everyone else so she can report back and give Austin’s side a fighting chance. That was emotionally devastating. It’s the second novel I’ve read that made me this uncomfortable—the first being a harem novel that depicted the behavior of a high-IQ transmigrator with brutal realism.
What stands out in this story is its raw portrayal of humanity. It exposes every facet of human nature: greed, kindness, desperation, madness, sickness, joy, and sorrow. While the story is told from the FL’s perspective, I couldn’t help but empathize with the other characters, understanding their circumstances and emotions. A scene involving the introduction of chemical weapons left me deeply unsettled, making me reflect on historical warfare and the real sacrifices that have shaped the world we live in.
The novel explores power and greed in a way that’s painfully relatable. Everyone wants peace until they gain power, and then they want more. This theme is hammered home as the FL learns from both Austin’s and Sabbath’s sides of the war. It’s chilling to see how easily powerful figures manipulate soldiers and civilians, shaping their perceptions of war and its purpose.
As for the ending, it left me conflicted. The story was phenomenal—gripping and engaging—but the resolution felt rushed and unsatisfying. A world war ending with a speech? It felt like a betrayal of everything the story had built up to that point. It reminded me of the last season of Game of Thrones, where all the complexity was wrapped up too quickly and unrealistically.
In conclusion, this novel is not for the faint of heart. It’s deeply engaging but mentally exhausting. If you’re a fan of authentic war-oriented stories and can handle its heavy themes, I highly recommend it—with precautions. The next volume is expected in 2025, but I’m unsure if I’ll have the emotional resilience to continue. For now, I’ll give it a full 5-star review for its brilliant storytelling and haunting depiction of war, but I doubt I’ll reread it. It’s just too much for my mental health.
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