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Mona Maclean, Medical Student: A Novel
This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it.
This work is in the public domain in the United States of America, and possibly other nations. Within the United States, you may freely copy and distribute this work, as no entity (individual or corporate) has a copyright on the body of the work.
Scholars believe, and we concur, that this work is important enough to be preserved, reproduced, and made generally available to the public. To ensure a quality reading experience, this work has been proofread and republished using a format that seamlessly blends the original graphical elements with text in an easy-to-read typeface.
We appreciate your support of the preservation process, and thank you for being an important part of keeping this knowledge alive and relevant.
This work is in the public domain in the United States of America, and possibly other nations. Within the United States, you may freely copy and distribute this work, as no entity (individual or corporate) has a copyright on the body of the work.
Scholars believe, and we concur, that this work is important enough to be preserved, reproduced, and made generally available to the public. To ensure a quality reading experience, this work has been proofread and republished using a format that seamlessly blends the original graphical elements with text in an easy-to-read typeface.
We appreciate your support of the preservation process, and thank you for being an important part of keeping this knowledge alive and relevant.
514 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1892
20 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
April 22, 2025
An interesting look into the life of women seeking university education--especially in medicine. I wish it had gone into more detail regarding that aspect of their lives, but most of it detailed the social lives of these privileged women, and it devolved into a love story with the obligatory happy ending.
October 6, 2025
A dreadful book (IMHO – opinions may vary!)
My WIP, the Leonora Buss mysteries are set in the 1880s and feature a young woman who wants to be a doctor. Therefore, described as ‘culturally significant’, Mona Maclean Medical Student seemed the ideal research, and yet it made me want to stick my fingers down my throat.
Before I start venting, there is a huge caveat: This book was written in 1892 by Graham Travers, (which was the pen name for Margaret Georgina Todd), and therefore reflects the social attitudes of the day.
• I hated that a woman had to use a male pen name to be taken seriously
• The ‘happy ending’ (ie Mona went back to her medical studies) was justified because she also found her soul mate and got married.
• Mona, having failed an examination, goes on a yearlong mope where she moves in with her cousin and the proceeds to belittle her rural relation.
• Terrible ageism:
“Twenty-three,” he repeated, “…a woman loses everything that makes womanhood fair and attractive.”
• Terrible misogyny
“…I would rather have a woman doctor as a man”
Sir Douglas threw back his head and laughed. “Well…when you come to say tha the skies will fall.”
• A turgid plot which features a protagonist who majors in moping, being a wet blanket, making cutting remarks, generally thinking herself superior, and believes falling in love completes her life.
OK, so there are reasons to defend this book, but that’s not as much fun!
My WIP, the Leonora Buss mysteries are set in the 1880s and feature a young woman who wants to be a doctor. Therefore, described as ‘culturally significant’, Mona Maclean Medical Student seemed the ideal research, and yet it made me want to stick my fingers down my throat.
Before I start venting, there is a huge caveat: This book was written in 1892 by Graham Travers, (which was the pen name for Margaret Georgina Todd), and therefore reflects the social attitudes of the day.
• I hated that a woman had to use a male pen name to be taken seriously
• The ‘happy ending’ (ie Mona went back to her medical studies) was justified because she also found her soul mate and got married.
• Mona, having failed an examination, goes on a yearlong mope where she moves in with her cousin and the proceeds to belittle her rural relation.
• Terrible ageism:
“Twenty-three,” he repeated, “…a woman loses everything that makes womanhood fair and attractive.”
• Terrible misogyny
“…I would rather have a woman doctor as a man”
Sir Douglas threw back his head and laughed. “Well…when you come to say tha the skies will fall.”
• A turgid plot which features a protagonist who majors in moping, being a wet blanket, making cutting remarks, generally thinking herself superior, and believes falling in love completes her life.
OK, so there are reasons to defend this book, but that’s not as much fun!
May 25, 2023
Enjoyable read and great insight into what it was like to be a female medical student at the end of the 19th century.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews