Welcome to Litsy!

I‘m reading this with my online book club, https://thereadingloft.groups.io/g/main. The theme was a story set near water.

This story is set in Maine and was inspired by the diary of an actual midwife (Martha Ballard) who practiced in the late 1700's. I thought it did a wonderful job illustrating the lives of women at the time and their lack of autonomy, as well as how the local midwife knew everyone's secrets. The book deals with rape and murder and is about love, loss and one woman's fight for justice. I really enjoyed it, and it will stick with me. 5/5 stars

I know it was loosely based on Martha Ballard's life and diaries, but I still think it was refreshing to read about a strong woman capable of standing up to hateful men and her husband who is strong enough to love her. Especially in the late 1700s. Trigger Warning: rape is all through the book

I enjoyed this story of the life of a midwife in the 1700‘s. It definitely held my attention. The story includes details of experiences of delivering babies but primarily focuses on Martha Ballard‘s pursuit of justice through the newly created legal system for a woman who was raped as well as working to hold a murderer (and all around bad guy) accountable for his deeds. This story was inspired by the journal written by Martha during that time.

Loved this week‘s book.

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Was on my way with plants in hand to start my gardening when suddenly my ankle collapsed on me. I‘ve broken my ankles and wrists so many times. Thankfully, this is a bad sprain, not a break. So on this bright sunny day when I‘d rather be outside I‘m lying on the couch, leg elevated, starting this book. This event could have been so much worse so I‘m trying to be mature about it and not grumble too much.

I loved the strong sense of time and place in this novel - small town Maine in the late 1700s. The main character is a midwife - a strong woman with influence in her community, which she uses for good. Based on a real midwife, Martha Ballard, who kept a diary that has survived. Superb storytelling!

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:(

Visiting family always results in new books for me! 💖

This is one of those historical novels I‘m glad exists because it brought a historical figure to my notice. And I finished it because it‘s for book club. But there were no sentences than sang to me, and the characters didn‘t quite come to life as of their time. Not many anachronisms I could be sure of (notable exception- a counter in a kitchen, which would have had a table and perhaps other furniture, but nothing built in.) 👇🏻