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The Popish Midwife: A novel based on the incredible true story of Elizabeth Cellier
In seventeenth-century London, thirteen years after the plague and twelve years after the Great Fire, the restoration of King Charles II has dulled the memory of Cromwell's puritan rule, yet fear and suspicion are rife. Religious turmoil is rarely far from tipping the scales into hysteria.
Elizabeth Cellier, a bold and outspoken midwife, regularly visits Newgate Prison to distribute alms to victims of religious persecution. There she falls in with the charming Captain Willoughby, a debtor, whom she enlists to gather information about crimes against prisoners, so she might involve herself in petitioning the king in their name.
"Tis a plot, Madam, of the direst sort.'
With these whispered words Willoughby draws Elizabeth unwittingly into the infamous Popish Plot and soon not even the fearful warnings of her husband, Pierre, can loosen her bond with it.
This is the incredible true story of one woman ahead of her time and her fight against prejudice and injustice.
Elizabeth Cellier, a bold and outspoken midwife, regularly visits Newgate Prison to distribute alms to victims of religious persecution. There she falls in with the charming Captain Willoughby, a debtor, whom she enlists to gather information about crimes against prisoners, so she might involve herself in petitioning the king in their name.
"Tis a plot, Madam, of the direst sort.'
With these whispered words Willoughby draws Elizabeth unwittingly into the infamous Popish Plot and soon not even the fearful warnings of her husband, Pierre, can loosen her bond with it.
This is the incredible true story of one woman ahead of her time and her fight against prejudice and injustice.
420 pages, Kindle Edition
First published July 1, 2016
903 people are currently reading
1361 people want to read
About the author
Annelisa Christensen
9 books59 followersBorn to a Danish mother and French father (who I discovered to be French, English and Scottish when I did our family tree), I've always considered myself European, though my heart remains in England. Every time I fly back from a holiday, my breath catches when I see the miles and miles of patchwork quilt of green fields and forests. It isn't until we land, I remember the green comes from so much rain. Still, I love it.
I first remember sitting as an eight-year-old writer at our dining room table on a rainy Sunday. My dad's old reel-to-reel tapes played crackly post war songs and classical music, the perfect background to my writing mood. I had recently read Heidi, and was obsessed with goats - drawing them, writing about them and giggled as I had Clarabelle, a mischievous, escaped goat butt a middle aged woman pegging out the washing through a sheet.
Since then, I've written hundreds of stories, or parts of stories, never finished them until I did the NaNoWriMo thing. A month of writing every day, of putting aside everything else to finish a book. I knew exactly what story I wanted to tell. It was based on a recurring dream I'd had over the years and needed to get out of my head. It was the first of my magical realism series The University of Lights . Since then, I wrote, or part-wrote, another six novels in the series, holding onto them, because I want the backstory to be the same in all of them. They are as yet unpublished. Writing that first one, though, was an eye-opener: Not only could I finish a book, but I remembered how I loved writing and wanted to do more of it.
So, then, a few years ago, I was indulging a passion of mine - old books. I became caught with the idea of buying a piece of a 300 year old book of trial transcripts I had spotted on Ebay. I couldn't afford the whole of one. If I had known how much it would change my life, I would have paid so much more. But, at that time, I only wanted to hold pages of such an old book. I won the auction.
The pages arrived in special acid-free cellophane, inside a card-backed envelope, which I opened as fast as I could, and with as much respect for its frailty as it deserved. With awe, I pulled it from the cellophane and tentatively held the edges. The pages had survived over 330 years. I dreaded I would be the one to tear or destroy them. I read the first page. It was the trial of Elizabeth Cellier, a seventeenth century Catholic midwife - charged with libel by king and country - who was denying having written and published the book.
It wasn't long before, still mindful of the delicate nature of the paper, I was turning pages one after the other, dying to know what would happen next. I was hooked. This woman was amazing. I loved how she spoke out against the court, and refused to be bushwhacked into admitting she wrote the book, determined to prove her innocence. She was bold, seemingly fearless. And she seemed to be ably defending herself against the charges, perhaps with knowledge of the law.
Once I was caught in Cellier's world, I found she was the subject of other research, but in three different fields of interest: as having involved herself in the Popish Plot of 1678-81, as the author of a book/pamphlets and as a midwife and the proposer of the first midwife college in Britain. My book, The Popish Midwife is the culmination of years of research and writing. It is an exciting story. I had to write it.
While researching The Popish Midwife, I discovered a group of women of the seventeenth century, who seemed to have stood out as forerunners of modern women. They had strength and wisdom that beg me to write about them too. So, I continue to write the se
I first remember sitting as an eight-year-old writer at our dining room table on a rainy Sunday. My dad's old reel-to-reel tapes played crackly post war songs and classical music, the perfect background to my writing mood. I had recently read Heidi, and was obsessed with goats - drawing them, writing about them and giggled as I had Clarabelle, a mischievous, escaped goat butt a middle aged woman pegging out the washing through a sheet.
Since then, I've written hundreds of stories, or parts of stories, never finished them until I did the NaNoWriMo thing. A month of writing every day, of putting aside everything else to finish a book. I knew exactly what story I wanted to tell. It was based on a recurring dream I'd had over the years and needed to get out of my head. It was the first of my magical realism series The University of Lights . Since then, I wrote, or part-wrote, another six novels in the series, holding onto them, because I want the backstory to be the same in all of them. They are as yet unpublished. Writing that first one, though, was an eye-opener: Not only could I finish a book, but I remembered how I loved writing and wanted to do more of it.
So, then, a few years ago, I was indulging a passion of mine - old books. I became caught with the idea of buying a piece of a 300 year old book of trial transcripts I had spotted on Ebay. I couldn't afford the whole of one. If I had known how much it would change my life, I would have paid so much more. But, at that time, I only wanted to hold pages of such an old book. I won the auction.
The pages arrived in special acid-free cellophane, inside a card-backed envelope, which I opened as fast as I could, and with as much respect for its frailty as it deserved. With awe, I pulled it from the cellophane and tentatively held the edges. The pages had survived over 330 years. I dreaded I would be the one to tear or destroy them. I read the first page. It was the trial of Elizabeth Cellier, a seventeenth century Catholic midwife - charged with libel by king and country - who was denying having written and published the book.
It wasn't long before, still mindful of the delicate nature of the paper, I was turning pages one after the other, dying to know what would happen next. I was hooked. This woman was amazing. I loved how she spoke out against the court, and refused to be bushwhacked into admitting she wrote the book, determined to prove her innocence. She was bold, seemingly fearless. And she seemed to be ably defending herself against the charges, perhaps with knowledge of the law.
Once I was caught in Cellier's world, I found she was the subject of other research, but in three different fields of interest: as having involved herself in the Popish Plot of 1678-81, as the author of a book/pamphlets and as a midwife and the proposer of the first midwife college in Britain. My book, The Popish Midwife is the culmination of years of research and writing. It is an exciting story. I had to write it.
While researching The Popish Midwife, I discovered a group of women of the seventeenth century, who seemed to have stood out as forerunners of modern women. They had strength and wisdom that beg me to write about them too. So, I continue to write the se
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 70 reviews
August 9, 2016
Elizabeth Cellier, the Caped Crusader.
With judicious historical authenticity, Annelisa Christensen presents us with a remarkable tale of mistrust, falsehoods and betrayal, based on real-life events that occurred in 17th century England.
Cape-wearing Elizabeth Cellier, erstwhile exponent of Catholic girl power and righter of wrongs, is fraudulently implicated in a Popish plot to kill King Charles II, of England.
This is a deeply humane book, and I suspect that if you were to ask the author, it was also a labour of love.
Christensen perfectly depicts an era in which Catholics were zealously persecuted, and birthing mothers were gynaecologically butchered by untrained midwives who would have been better-employed in an abattoir.
In this epoch of English history, if you were a Popist (Catholic), treading the filth-ridden streets of London, you were most definitely in the wrong neighbourhood. Back then, you ran the risk of a severe beating, or being murdered, just for following a different religion. Sadly, in certain parts of our world, such extreme intolerance is still pervasive.
Cellier’s story is beautifully-written; her indefatigable heroism and the dialogue of the period are perfectly realised by the author.
And there are sparkling moments of humour too:
Elizabeth is granted an audience with the King and warns him of the assassination plot. His Majesty, who doesn’t go a day without hearing of some plot or another, finds the whole thing hilarious. “I am verily the most murdered King of England!” He jests.
Overall, despite some grammatical inconsistencies, and a frugality of character imagery (I have no idea what Elizabeth Cellier looks like), this was a splendid read that had me rooting for the Popish Midwife from start to finish.
A praiseworthy début by English author, Annelisa Christensen.
November 20, 2016
Such a beautifully written historical tale of courage, love, and struggle. I was caught up in the prose. the beauty of the language spoke to me and completely brought me back in history. It was a rarity to see such detail in a book written in the present.
The words that Ms. Christensen used touched me in such a profound way. I loved every aspect of this story. You could project yourself back in time with her scenes. The courtroom scenes were dynamic and riveting. This is one of those books that you are just thankful to have found and enjoyed. It is a must read for anyone that loves a good historical tale.
The words that Ms. Christensen used touched me in such a profound way. I loved every aspect of this story. You could project yourself back in time with her scenes. The courtroom scenes were dynamic and riveting. This is one of those books that you are just thankful to have found and enjoyed. It is a must read for anyone that loves a good historical tale.
Read
November 20, 2019…
High treason, prejudice, torture, and betrayal . . .
None of the above attributes fit in the parameters of the things I look for in a good fictional book. I appreciate inspiration, joy, and the promotion of healing.
I gave this book a good attempt but was unable to continue on. I know there are other books out there that will be able to uplift my spirit or provide a good romantic courtship that will end on a positive note. That is more my cup of tea. So I shall head on over to my TBR shelf and hope for a better fit next time.
..
High treason, prejudice, torture, and betrayal . . .
None of the above attributes fit in the parameters of the things I look for in a good fictional book. I appreciate inspiration, joy, and the promotion of healing.
I gave this book a good attempt but was unable to continue on. I know there are other books out there that will be able to uplift my spirit or provide a good romantic courtship that will end on a positive note. That is more my cup of tea. So I shall head on over to my TBR shelf and hope for a better fit next time.
..
October 27, 2016
Author Christensen has written a beautiful and poignant true-life story of Elizabeth Cellier, a remarkable woman and midwife, who lived in 17th century London. Cellier was a feisty and courageous woman, who, despite great risk to herself and her family, stayed true to her Catholic faith and her belief in justice. She fought against all odds to expose the truth of deplorable prison conditions and lies against Catholics, believed to be plotting against the King.
I was immediately pulled into 17th century England, the culture, politics, and everyday life in an unstable time of religious prejudice, fear, and lack of education. With Christensen’s vivid writing I could picture and feel every scene, from the elegance of the royal palace to the filth and brutality of Newgate Prison, to what it would feel like to lose your freedom in an unjust political system.
Cellier was charitable to those who suffered unjustly, often simply for being debtors or practicing the Catholic faith in a time of Protestant dominance. Author Christensen wrote that Cellier was “true to herself and to truth itself.” Indeed, her faith in God and truth was constant to the point of being willing to die for it.
As a lawyer and litigator, I loved the drama of the two trial scenes when Cellier stood accused, first for treason, then for libel. Brilliant and clever, Cellier learned the laws and courtroom procedures, pulled together required proofs, then used the justice system with spunk and wit against witnesses and lawyers alike. With her quick assessment of jurors, witnesses, and the mood of the “Beast” (the ignorant, blood thirsty mob) she modified her behavior and defense accordingly.
Cellier deplored the poor training of midwives and lack of education for all women. Seeing the brutal effects of ignorance, she chose to do something, not just through charity, but with a grand design for a self-funded midwifery school and home for poor children. She was a woman of strong belief and action, a powerful combination.
There were wonderful descriptions of Cellier’s torn loyalties, to her conscience and moral duty even when it conflicted with her beloved husband Pierre’s wishes, her love of family and her own freedom. The domestic scenes with Pierre and then with her young children were touching, evocative, and among the best in the book.
Author Christensen didn’t fail to show Cellier’s minor flaws, especially when she fell prey to a villainous, betraying rogue, enjoying his youthful good looks and attention to her. Yet this was always balanced with her strong love and respect for her Pierre, her bastion of honor and strength. Pierre, in turn, relied on his beloved Lizzie, needing her love and presence as much as the air he breathed. A beautiful, touching love story!
Author Christensen pulled together voluminous research about Cellier and the era, and has done so brilliantly with a story that is poignant and universal in appeal. I highly recommend this book for the beautiful writing and compelling story, and I look forward to more from Author Christensen.
I was immediately pulled into 17th century England, the culture, politics, and everyday life in an unstable time of religious prejudice, fear, and lack of education. With Christensen’s vivid writing I could picture and feel every scene, from the elegance of the royal palace to the filth and brutality of Newgate Prison, to what it would feel like to lose your freedom in an unjust political system.
Cellier was charitable to those who suffered unjustly, often simply for being debtors or practicing the Catholic faith in a time of Protestant dominance. Author Christensen wrote that Cellier was “true to herself and to truth itself.” Indeed, her faith in God and truth was constant to the point of being willing to die for it.
As a lawyer and litigator, I loved the drama of the two trial scenes when Cellier stood accused, first for treason, then for libel. Brilliant and clever, Cellier learned the laws and courtroom procedures, pulled together required proofs, then used the justice system with spunk and wit against witnesses and lawyers alike. With her quick assessment of jurors, witnesses, and the mood of the “Beast” (the ignorant, blood thirsty mob) she modified her behavior and defense accordingly.
Cellier deplored the poor training of midwives and lack of education for all women. Seeing the brutal effects of ignorance, she chose to do something, not just through charity, but with a grand design for a self-funded midwifery school and home for poor children. She was a woman of strong belief and action, a powerful combination.
There were wonderful descriptions of Cellier’s torn loyalties, to her conscience and moral duty even when it conflicted with her beloved husband Pierre’s wishes, her love of family and her own freedom. The domestic scenes with Pierre and then with her young children were touching, evocative, and among the best in the book.
Author Christensen didn’t fail to show Cellier’s minor flaws, especially when she fell prey to a villainous, betraying rogue, enjoying his youthful good looks and attention to her. Yet this was always balanced with her strong love and respect for her Pierre, her bastion of honor and strength. Pierre, in turn, relied on his beloved Lizzie, needing her love and presence as much as the air he breathed. A beautiful, touching love story!
Author Christensen pulled together voluminous research about Cellier and the era, and has done so brilliantly with a story that is poignant and universal in appeal. I highly recommend this book for the beautiful writing and compelling story, and I look forward to more from Author Christensen.
November 11, 2016
I had thought I was well versed in English History, it was all about wives, wars, and monarchs needing a male heir. Right? Turns out I was wrong. Mine were just superficial sound bytes, learned at school. The Popish Midwife offered me a view of everyday life in the seventeenth century, a window into the knife-edge that was existence. A real sense of the persecution that came with the flip-flopping of a Nation between religions.
It is a story told through the eyes of the tenacious Elizabeth Cellier, in what was a truly terrifying time to be alive, a time in which persecution swung like a pendulum over one poor group or another, and a deep hatred and resentment festered amongst the population. The tale of Elizabeth Cellier is indeed one that needs to be told, I can understand why she appealed so much to the author. Her strength of character and resolve seems to have been truly remarkable, her intelligence, vision and sense of justice way ahead of her time. It is to people like Cellier that we owe our thanks for those basic rights that we take for granted in the modern world. Justice. Liberty. Equality.
This is a well written, incredibly well researched novel that will pique any reader's interest, and Christensen certainly has an ability to bring the story to life. She was able to place me right back into those filthy London streets, and I could feel the stress building in me at some of the situations with which Cellier was confronted.
The only problem for me was one that I assume is common with historical fiction, that sometimes the facts of what happened can be extremely frustrating. On occasion, Cellier made decisions which I felt exacerbated her problems and took the story somewhere that I didn't want it to go, a problem that I wouldn't normally come across in fiction.
Having said that, this is a very good read, and I would certainly recommend others read this book.
It is a story told through the eyes of the tenacious Elizabeth Cellier, in what was a truly terrifying time to be alive, a time in which persecution swung like a pendulum over one poor group or another, and a deep hatred and resentment festered amongst the population. The tale of Elizabeth Cellier is indeed one that needs to be told, I can understand why she appealed so much to the author. Her strength of character and resolve seems to have been truly remarkable, her intelligence, vision and sense of justice way ahead of her time. It is to people like Cellier that we owe our thanks for those basic rights that we take for granted in the modern world. Justice. Liberty. Equality.
This is a well written, incredibly well researched novel that will pique any reader's interest, and Christensen certainly has an ability to bring the story to life. She was able to place me right back into those filthy London streets, and I could feel the stress building in me at some of the situations with which Cellier was confronted.
The only problem for me was one that I assume is common with historical fiction, that sometimes the facts of what happened can be extremely frustrating. On occasion, Cellier made decisions which I felt exacerbated her problems and took the story somewhere that I didn't want it to go, a problem that I wouldn't normally come across in fiction.
Having said that, this is a very good read, and I would certainly recommend others read this book.
October 15, 2016
The Popish Midwife is that rare treat: a true story with all the drama of inspired fiction. The book starts with a quick preface that brings the reader up-to-date on 17th Century London. The Great Fire of 1666, disease, religious upheaval and more. These are dangerous times for anyone – let alone a Catholic (or ‘popish’) midwife like our heroine, Elizabeth Cellier.
The story moves into the first-person as we follow Elizabeth on her way to deliver a baby. As I read, I felt the world transform around me, as if I was suddenly being led down the streets of London myself. The description is fantastic. But I also think it’s because the author has the ability to write prose that feels true to the era, without being stiff or overly formal.
Another bonus is that Christensen doesn’t seem to lose sight of the fact that this is a novel – not a textbook. It’s an entertaining story with authentic dialogue, visceral descriptions and lots of action, especially since Elizabeth was charged with treason.
The book is reminiscent of Philippa Gregory’s work: a first-person historical narrative with a strong female voice. But where Gregory sometimes treads over territory that feels familiar to us (in part because of her own well-deserved success!), The Popish Midwife feels so fresh and original.
Intelligent, entertaining and wonderfully written, this is the debut of a first-rate historical novelist. I sincerely hope it’s not the last we hear from Ms. Christensen!
The story moves into the first-person as we follow Elizabeth on her way to deliver a baby. As I read, I felt the world transform around me, as if I was suddenly being led down the streets of London myself. The description is fantastic. But I also think it’s because the author has the ability to write prose that feels true to the era, without being stiff or overly formal.
Another bonus is that Christensen doesn’t seem to lose sight of the fact that this is a novel – not a textbook. It’s an entertaining story with authentic dialogue, visceral descriptions and lots of action, especially since Elizabeth was charged with treason.
The book is reminiscent of Philippa Gregory’s work: a first-person historical narrative with a strong female voice. But where Gregory sometimes treads over territory that feels familiar to us (in part because of her own well-deserved success!), The Popish Midwife feels so fresh and original.
Intelligent, entertaining and wonderfully written, this is the debut of a first-rate historical novelist. I sincerely hope it’s not the last we hear from Ms. Christensen!
November 25, 2016
We first encounter Elizabeth as she takes over from, who can only be described as a butcher midwife attending to an unfortunate woman in labour. This startling scene is a shocking and horrifying lead into the brutal, frightening times of 17th Century England. Being a midwife wasn't the respectable vocation it is today. The only qualification required was to have been present at other births, and then, not all midwives had the best interests of their charges at heart. They often had poor regard for hygiene standards and were more intent on receiving payment for their services in order to purchase their next drink. A trusted experienced midwife could make a decent living from midwifery with the written, or 'word of mouth', testimonials from women who had been birthed by them. These midwives would be given access to places many other women would not, as with Elizabeth Cellier and her prison visits to give alms to the suffering, or gain entrance to gentle women's residences to assist in their birthing hours. All midwives were however, open to abuse from misogynistic men, and to accusations of being whores and witches.
Elizabeth Cellier is a woman with an unwavering confidence and belief in herself to do what she believes is right and will defend those who have been unjustly accused. She is also a midwife, a Catholic, and married to a Frenchman, all of which mark her out as a target for ill wishers seeking potential benefit from her downfall in such superstitious, and political conspiratorial, religious times of upheaval. Highly intelligent and articulate, after witnessing a prejudiced courtroom hearing, she uses the experience of the proceedings to her advantage when she is herself charged with treason.
Told in first person narrative with authentic dialogue, Christensen has written a fascinating, brutally honest, above all entertaining debut novel. With characters so vividly drawn, and scenes rich in atmospheric historical detail, I could almost imagine being there smelling the fear, and decaying bodies of the poor sufferers, I wanted so much to reach out to the unfortunates from within Elizabeth's imagined body. Christensen came upon the 'real life' Elizabeth Cellier’s story by accident when she won some pages recording Elizabeth's trial in an auction. She felt that her story should be told and 'The Popish Midwife' is her story, and one which I highly recommend. She is currently working on an historical novel about Marie Desormeaux, another 17th Century midwife, who murdered her husband, cut him up and distributed the body parts around London. Definitely looking forward to another entertaining and gruesome, oh and educational tale from this author.
Disclaimer: I am extremely grateful to have been given an opportunity to receive an advanced digital copy of 'The Popish Midwife' by the author to review as part of HF Virtual Book Tours.
Elizabeth Cellier is a woman with an unwavering confidence and belief in herself to do what she believes is right and will defend those who have been unjustly accused. She is also a midwife, a Catholic, and married to a Frenchman, all of which mark her out as a target for ill wishers seeking potential benefit from her downfall in such superstitious, and political conspiratorial, religious times of upheaval. Highly intelligent and articulate, after witnessing a prejudiced courtroom hearing, she uses the experience of the proceedings to her advantage when she is herself charged with treason.
Told in first person narrative with authentic dialogue, Christensen has written a fascinating, brutally honest, above all entertaining debut novel. With characters so vividly drawn, and scenes rich in atmospheric historical detail, I could almost imagine being there smelling the fear, and decaying bodies of the poor sufferers, I wanted so much to reach out to the unfortunates from within Elizabeth's imagined body. Christensen came upon the 'real life' Elizabeth Cellier’s story by accident when she won some pages recording Elizabeth's trial in an auction. She felt that her story should be told and 'The Popish Midwife' is her story, and one which I highly recommend. She is currently working on an historical novel about Marie Desormeaux, another 17th Century midwife, who murdered her husband, cut him up and distributed the body parts around London. Definitely looking forward to another entertaining and gruesome, oh and educational tale from this author.
Disclaimer: I am extremely grateful to have been given an opportunity to receive an advanced digital copy of 'The Popish Midwife' by the author to review as part of HF Virtual Book Tours.
July 5, 2022
"The Popish Midwife" is a book I should have loved but didn't. The honest truth is that the writing is so abysmal that it makes this book dull and difficult to follow. I don't know how you can make the story of Elizabeth Collier boring, but this book managed to do that.
I reached the halfway mark of this novel and I found I didn't care about anything that was going on or any of the people in this book. Characters are flat and have zero inner life. I am not sure that Pierre and Elizabeth even like each other all that much even though the author assures me that they are deeply in love every ten pages.
I finished this novel and immediately went to the wikipedia entry to figure out what I had just read. It was far more helpful and informative.
I reached the halfway mark of this novel and I found I didn't care about anything that was going on or any of the people in this book. Characters are flat and have zero inner life. I am not sure that Pierre and Elizabeth even like each other all that much even though the author assures me that they are deeply in love every ten pages.
I finished this novel and immediately went to the wikipedia entry to figure out what I had just read. It was far more helpful and informative.
October 12, 2016
Based upon the life of a real woman, The Popish Midwife is a compelling narrative of intrigue and the quest for the truth. I feel as if I've walked the streets of 17th century London during this tale and absorbed every aspect of the era, especially the odours. The phrase 'no good deed goes unpunished' could be used to describe Mrs. Cellier's exploits and fortunes. Her resolve and moral compass is a wonderful example of what the human race could be. The world needs more people like her.
November 2, 2016
An Engaging story of High Treason, Courage, and Love
‘The Popish Midwife’ by Annelisa Christensen is a beautifully written historical fiction that captures the reader’s attention right from the start.
If you have ever thought that history is boring, take another look at it through the eyes of this talented writer. Christensen’s entertaining, enlightening and horrendous account of life in seventeenth Century England, and in particular in the life of Elizabeth Cellier, will definitely change your mind.
As Christensen introduces the reader to the life of this unforgettable crusader, the reader is eloquently transported to seventeenth century England where just existing is a challenge. She tells of horrific living conditions where there is no sanitation; all human waste and garbage is thrown into the streets and is carried away with the rain and on the hems of the women’s dresses. The filth and odors bring forth rats that carry disease. The bubonic plague and a massive fire assaults London bringing death and strife. It is also a time of great political and religious upheaval where innocents are thrown in jail for their beliefs. The reader quickly recognizes and becomes privy to the unbelievable hardships that English families faced in the 1600s.
Those of you that know the story of Elizabeth Cellier from your English history will delight in the detail that Ms. Christensen creatively expounds on in her story. Elizabeth “Lizzie” Cellier was a brave and courageous woman. She was truly one of substance and importance, and one who acted boldly when faced with the mistreatment of Catholics. She was also a sensitive and caring midwife who desperately felt that it was her duty to help her fellow countrymen/women while sometimes jeopardizing her own life and family.
The comprehensive research that Ms. Christensen obviously completed in order to write ‘The Popish Midwife’ is mind-boggling. Ms. Christensen digs deep into historical facts to weave a truly captivating story for her readers.
This moving tale is not only a love story set in the seventeenth century between an English woman and her French husband. More importantly, it is a love story between a woman and her neighbors, and a woman and the ill treated. It is a tale of a caring woman whose heart ached for the injustices that abounded around her. This book is a timeless tale of endurance and hope.
I highly recommend this well-written book to history lovers as well as to readers looking for an engaging story of high treason, courage and love. “The Popish Midwife”, both the woman and the book, left this reader in awe of the gutsy and spirited Ms. Cellier, as well as of its author, Annelisa Christensen.
‘The Popish Midwife’ by Annelisa Christensen is a beautifully written historical fiction that captures the reader’s attention right from the start.
If you have ever thought that history is boring, take another look at it through the eyes of this talented writer. Christensen’s entertaining, enlightening and horrendous account of life in seventeenth Century England, and in particular in the life of Elizabeth Cellier, will definitely change your mind.
As Christensen introduces the reader to the life of this unforgettable crusader, the reader is eloquently transported to seventeenth century England where just existing is a challenge. She tells of horrific living conditions where there is no sanitation; all human waste and garbage is thrown into the streets and is carried away with the rain and on the hems of the women’s dresses. The filth and odors bring forth rats that carry disease. The bubonic plague and a massive fire assaults London bringing death and strife. It is also a time of great political and religious upheaval where innocents are thrown in jail for their beliefs. The reader quickly recognizes and becomes privy to the unbelievable hardships that English families faced in the 1600s.
Those of you that know the story of Elizabeth Cellier from your English history will delight in the detail that Ms. Christensen creatively expounds on in her story. Elizabeth “Lizzie” Cellier was a brave and courageous woman. She was truly one of substance and importance, and one who acted boldly when faced with the mistreatment of Catholics. She was also a sensitive and caring midwife who desperately felt that it was her duty to help her fellow countrymen/women while sometimes jeopardizing her own life and family.
The comprehensive research that Ms. Christensen obviously completed in order to write ‘The Popish Midwife’ is mind-boggling. Ms. Christensen digs deep into historical facts to weave a truly captivating story for her readers.
This moving tale is not only a love story set in the seventeenth century between an English woman and her French husband. More importantly, it is a love story between a woman and her neighbors, and a woman and the ill treated. It is a tale of a caring woman whose heart ached for the injustices that abounded around her. This book is a timeless tale of endurance and hope.
I highly recommend this well-written book to history lovers as well as to readers looking for an engaging story of high treason, courage and love. “The Popish Midwife”, both the woman and the book, left this reader in awe of the gutsy and spirited Ms. Cellier, as well as of its author, Annelisa Christensen.
December 1, 2019
I loved this book so I'm happy to give five stars. Written in the first person and in a way that seemed to invoke the times, I did feel as though I were in the seventeenth century.
All through the story I thought Elizabeth Cellier was a fictional character and at times I winced at her reckless actions that could have endangered her life. However, it seems she did exist and was a midwife who was something of a social reformer.
I admired her courage very much in a time when midwives were treated with suspicion and a Catholic midwife even more so. The author's descriptions of the terrible conditions at Newgate Prison were excellent and sometimes unbearable to read. The Popish Midwife is peppered with strong characters and portrays admirably Lizzie's life and the trials and tribulations she endured to put right the ills of her society.
I did wonder about women wearing knickers or drawers in that time as I believe that form of underwear did not become the vogue until the nineteenth century. Also I'm dubious about having dinner in the evening. Again, I believe dinner was served in the afternoon and wasn't the three courses we in the modern world understand, but more of a banquet with everything placed on the table at once.
Despite these anachronisms, I'm still happy to give five stars as I kept turning the pages long after I wanted to turn off the light and go to sleep.
One thing I understand is that the world is a much better place for the existence of women like Elizabeth Cellier. She can definitely take her place alongside the other brave women pioneers in history.
A wonderful story for those who like historical novels that transport them to a world they'd rather not live in.
Even so, I've now bought the next two books in the series.
All through the story I thought Elizabeth Cellier was a fictional character and at times I winced at her reckless actions that could have endangered her life. However, it seems she did exist and was a midwife who was something of a social reformer.
I admired her courage very much in a time when midwives were treated with suspicion and a Catholic midwife even more so. The author's descriptions of the terrible conditions at Newgate Prison were excellent and sometimes unbearable to read. The Popish Midwife is peppered with strong characters and portrays admirably Lizzie's life and the trials and tribulations she endured to put right the ills of her society.
I did wonder about women wearing knickers or drawers in that time as I believe that form of underwear did not become the vogue until the nineteenth century. Also I'm dubious about having dinner in the evening. Again, I believe dinner was served in the afternoon and wasn't the three courses we in the modern world understand, but more of a banquet with everything placed on the table at once.
Despite these anachronisms, I'm still happy to give five stars as I kept turning the pages long after I wanted to turn off the light and go to sleep.
One thing I understand is that the world is a much better place for the existence of women like Elizabeth Cellier. She can definitely take her place alongside the other brave women pioneers in history.
A wonderful story for those who like historical novels that transport them to a world they'd rather not live in.
Even so, I've now bought the next two books in the series.
December 16, 2016
Copy Received from Historical Fiction Virtual Book Tours for an honest review
"The Popish Midwife" by Annelisa Christensen is not a light read, it took me a while to get throught it. Two reasons: the format takes me longer to read and two it is a lengthy read at almost 500 pages. But it is well worth the read. Elizabeth Cellier is a very complex and interesting character. It's hard for me to say if she is a hero or a victim of her time, but she was anything but dull. Coupled with a very complex heroine is a very complex time period. Elizabeth faces many different obstacles, and Christensen doesn't hold back on the reality of the situation women-midwives- catholics faced during this time period. I highly recommend this reading and can definitely say that it is an immersion in 17th Century England with vivid details and an intense storyline.
"The Popish Midwife" by Annelisa Christensen is not a light read, it took me a while to get throught it. Two reasons: the format takes me longer to read and two it is a lengthy read at almost 500 pages. But it is well worth the read. Elizabeth Cellier is a very complex and interesting character. It's hard for me to say if she is a hero or a victim of her time, but she was anything but dull. Coupled with a very complex heroine is a very complex time period. Elizabeth faces many different obstacles, and Christensen doesn't hold back on the reality of the situation women-midwives- catholics faced during this time period. I highly recommend this reading and can definitely say that it is an immersion in 17th Century England with vivid details and an intense storyline.
December 18, 2016
This is the fascinating story of an amazing woman. The author has obviously done a great deal of research on the seventeenth century in general and Elizabeth Cellier in particular. Not knowing anything about Mrs. Cellier, I can't say how true-to-history the story is. It certainly seems plausible, if remarkable.
The story dragged in places for me, and some of it seemed repetitive. However, it kept me reading to the end to find out what happened. I don't read a lot of historical fiction, but this was well worth the read.
The story dragged in places for me, and some of it seemed repetitive. However, it kept me reading to the end to find out what happened. I don't read a lot of historical fiction, but this was well worth the read.
November 3, 2016
I haven't read much straight historical fiction in the past--mostly historical romance which, at times, can be a bit thin on facts! So The Popish Midwife was a new experience for me. I was sucked right into the period and the political intrigue of the time, and I quickly decided I was grateful I live when and where I do! Great job of conveying the people's prejudices of the time, told through the voice of one courageous and determined woman.
October 12, 2016
THE POPISH MIDWIFE
A tale of high treason, prejudice and betrayal
By Annelisa Christensen
5 stars
Cruelty during the middle ages
In seventeenth-century London, thirteen years after the plague and twelve years after the Great Fire, Charles II has been restored to the throne, but King Charles was Catholic and Cromwell was puritan rule and England is being torn apart as the majority of the people do not want to be ruled by Catholics again and there is mayhem everywhere. Elizabeth Cellier is brave, says it like it is, a midwife, a true one for so many midwives are not trained and babies and mothers die The symbol of Elizabeth’s calling is a red cape and her tools that she uses to bring babies into the world.
The Catholics suffer terrible torture by the puritans as the puritans attempt to force them to admit to actions, which they did not do and anyone who is within a block of the torture chamber can hear the men screaming. Elizabeth, along with a few other Catholic women, regularly visit Newgate Prison to bring a little food and water to help sustain these prisoners. Elizabeth never gets to see them then, but if they are ever released, she tries to nurse them back to health, although they are terribly crippled as a result of such torture instruments.
When she is a young woman, she is caught by some puritans and severely beaten so that some of her body never mended. Eventually, attempting to get the attention of the King and the people about these unfair and unjust conditions, writes a book about the situation, without the consent of the King. She is arrested and thrown into prison under the same conditions she had been attempting to alleviate, and although not tortured, suffers terribly from the cold, dampness, filth, lack of water and starvation. After about two years she is brought before the judges who find her guilty, continue her jail sentence and she is to be pilloried three times. The time in the jail under these conditions undermines her health and her body hurts all of the time.
She has a husband and children whom she worries about and her husband Pierre earns just enough to feed the family and get by, but he is like a lifesaver and helps her to try to stay alive. Every time Elizabeth manages to improve her life, it is like her feet are kicked out from under her and she is struggling to survive and put up with her body pain.
This is a story that is most depressing and yet at times the reader feels like “yeah”, she is on top again. From what the author says, most of this story is historically correct and we all know about the protestant-Catholic problems from the time of Henry VIII through his daughter, Queen Elizabeth. I recommend this book to anyone who seeks truth of the Middle Ages and likes to learn how it was.
I was given a complimentary e-book for an honest review.
A tale of high treason, prejudice and betrayal
By Annelisa Christensen
5 stars
Cruelty during the middle ages
In seventeenth-century London, thirteen years after the plague and twelve years after the Great Fire, Charles II has been restored to the throne, but King Charles was Catholic and Cromwell was puritan rule and England is being torn apart as the majority of the people do not want to be ruled by Catholics again and there is mayhem everywhere. Elizabeth Cellier is brave, says it like it is, a midwife, a true one for so many midwives are not trained and babies and mothers die The symbol of Elizabeth’s calling is a red cape and her tools that she uses to bring babies into the world.
The Catholics suffer terrible torture by the puritans as the puritans attempt to force them to admit to actions, which they did not do and anyone who is within a block of the torture chamber can hear the men screaming. Elizabeth, along with a few other Catholic women, regularly visit Newgate Prison to bring a little food and water to help sustain these prisoners. Elizabeth never gets to see them then, but if they are ever released, she tries to nurse them back to health, although they are terribly crippled as a result of such torture instruments.
When she is a young woman, she is caught by some puritans and severely beaten so that some of her body never mended. Eventually, attempting to get the attention of the King and the people about these unfair and unjust conditions, writes a book about the situation, without the consent of the King. She is arrested and thrown into prison under the same conditions she had been attempting to alleviate, and although not tortured, suffers terribly from the cold, dampness, filth, lack of water and starvation. After about two years she is brought before the judges who find her guilty, continue her jail sentence and she is to be pilloried three times. The time in the jail under these conditions undermines her health and her body hurts all of the time.
She has a husband and children whom she worries about and her husband Pierre earns just enough to feed the family and get by, but he is like a lifesaver and helps her to try to stay alive. Every time Elizabeth manages to improve her life, it is like her feet are kicked out from under her and she is struggling to survive and put up with her body pain.
This is a story that is most depressing and yet at times the reader feels like “yeah”, she is on top again. From what the author says, most of this story is historically correct and we all know about the protestant-Catholic problems from the time of Henry VIII through his daughter, Queen Elizabeth. I recommend this book to anyone who seeks truth of the Middle Ages and likes to learn how it was.
I was given a complimentary e-book for an honest review.
October 31, 2016
After the restoration of King Charles II, it was very uncomfortable to be a Catholic in England. This is the environment we are immersed in while following the story of midwife Elizabeth Cellier. She finds herself unable to stomach the abysmal conditions of political prisoners and decides to do something about it. She is already outside of polite society because of her profession, looked askance at by one and all—even those she tended, apparently. Her faith exposes her to sanctioned abuse. But once she launches herself on a one-woman campaign to expose the corruption in the system, she is committed to a path that will lead her straight into the jaws of the monster.
Honorable though her intentions are, Elizabeth’s judgment seems a bit flawed. Her first mistake is to champion a starving wretch who appeals to her womanly instincts; she arranges his release and even gives him a place to live, though his actions are questionable at times. Throughout the book, Elizabeth does whatever she wants, paying little attention to the wishes of her long-suffering husband whose first concern is about her well-being, and secondly the safety of their children. But, apparently carried away by her righteous mission, she blithely goes on to accuse everyone in power of corruption and cruelty. There is no doubt that she will be arrested and prosecuted, yet she seemed surprised when it finally happened; I was surprised it took so long, and that her family escaped persecution. It was interesting to see the author explore the fine line between “doing the right thing” and ignoring the needs of her family. Our real-life heroine lets nothing get in her way in an era when just being a woman was a significant hurdle. This novel does a wonderful job of revealing the everyday struggles of a time period we have little understanding of. It reads very well and held my interest throughout.
Honorable though her intentions are, Elizabeth’s judgment seems a bit flawed. Her first mistake is to champion a starving wretch who appeals to her womanly instincts; she arranges his release and even gives him a place to live, though his actions are questionable at times. Throughout the book, Elizabeth does whatever she wants, paying little attention to the wishes of her long-suffering husband whose first concern is about her well-being, and secondly the safety of their children. But, apparently carried away by her righteous mission, she blithely goes on to accuse everyone in power of corruption and cruelty. There is no doubt that she will be arrested and prosecuted, yet she seemed surprised when it finally happened; I was surprised it took so long, and that her family escaped persecution. It was interesting to see the author explore the fine line between “doing the right thing” and ignoring the needs of her family. Our real-life heroine lets nothing get in her way in an era when just being a woman was a significant hurdle. This novel does a wonderful job of revealing the everyday struggles of a time period we have little understanding of. It reads very well and held my interest throughout.
August 12, 2016
This excellent novel was obviously a labour of love (pun intended) for the author. It is an extremely well researched and well written book that gives a real sense of the time and place in which the well developed characters weave their story. I also found it a thought provoking book in many ways. In particular, the final chapters made me consider how life can turn on seemingly small events and how the unpredictable and unintended consequences of Elizabeth Cellier's professionalism and conscientious actions may have influenced British and world history. Whether or not you look at it in the same light, those who enjoy fact based historical novels, the Stuart period, and a strong female lead character, will find it a richly rewarding read.
January 25, 2019
Bringing the terrifying past into the present.
I really enjoyed reading this book over a number of days and nights. Being a fan of social history I found it of particular interest to myself. The subject matter and her story was fascinating, exciting, gruesome and frightening in turn. I learned things about the period in time that I might not have enjoyed from reading dull text books in my youth, and am grateful for that. I would recommend this for women interested in midwifery of the past, as well as for anybody interested in the fate of both Catholics and Protestants in the years from the reign of King Charles II to that of William and Mary.
I really enjoyed reading this book over a number of days and nights. Being a fan of social history I found it of particular interest to myself. The subject matter and her story was fascinating, exciting, gruesome and frightening in turn. I learned things about the period in time that I might not have enjoyed from reading dull text books in my youth, and am grateful for that. I would recommend this for women interested in midwifery of the past, as well as for anybody interested in the fate of both Catholics and Protestants in the years from the reign of King Charles II to that of William and Mary.
August 13, 2016
The Popish Midwife takes us back to a little known period in English history - the 17th-century witch hunt against Catholics whipped up by Titus Oates and the Glorious Revolution a decade or so later. The sights, sounds and smells of the time are well evoked by Christensen in a language which convinces the reader we could be in a coffee house listening to the likes of Samuel Pepys. The novel is narrated by the Popish Midwife herself, who has a story to tell of relevance today, when religious prejudice is again rearing its ugly head.
October 22, 2017
I wanted to like this book, but it just didn't work for me. About a quarter of the way in or a little more, I put the book down because I was just too irritated with the main characters lack of concern for the danger she put her husband and children into. Truly, sometimes you simply have to do what is right and hope like crazy that it all turns out alright in the end, but she was simply careless with the lives of others around her. It bothered me enough to ditch the book.
July 31, 2018
DNF. It’s a very rare day that I don’t finish a book but at 35% in and bored stupid I admitted defeat. The first chapter or two were brilliant but thereafter it was one long round of the midwife saying “they were good catholic men, they didn’t deserve to be hung”
June 24, 2018
(I am giving the true story the rating. It's one I would love everyone to know.)
October 2, 2019
Whilst I admit I've only briefly researched Elizabeth Cellier, I can't find anything about her life after 1688, so don't know whether or not she and her family actually did flee to France when James II was removed from the throne. For the same reason, I can't claim to know which events in the book were factual or surmised. In particular, I'm not sure a single person would remain whole in body and mind had she endured as many physical assaults with the limited or lack of medical attention of the time, which she probably didn't receive during her second lengthy stay at Newgate prison. That being said, all of the documented and easily located aspects of her life were dutifully recreated and (for the most part) believable. However, it cannot be denied that the titular character was certainly a strong, spirited woman who played the corageous part of the analogous David versus Goliath. She was, without question, remarkable.
Written from a first person perspective, we're quickly introduced to a world of tumult and violence, which is accepted by everyone not afflicted by rose-tinted spectacles as accurate for the era. For those who only consider royal courts of English history, this book is a credible eye-opener for the trials of regular English people, persecuted for their faith according to whoever sat the throne, swinging back and forth like the pendulum of some great clock. I'd highly recommend it for any who dare to leave the (relative, although still dangerous) safety of royal favourites and courtly dramatics. The tale was engrossing, often quick moving, and didn't disappoint those who like a bit of grimy realism and gore. Of course, the first person aspect which encompasses a broad creative licence and the requirement to judge the reliability of the narrator may affect different readers in different ways. For my part, I was happy to ride the rollercoaster and imagine that the greater bulk of it was entrenched in truth. It was a great read and I'm grateful to Annelisa Christensen for introducing me to a real, flesh and blood lady for whom I have found great empathy and respect. I want to believe she tended her family and midwifery charges with all of the compassion shown in the book; that she was genuinely respected by kings Charles II and his brother, James; that her second husband, Pierre, really did regard her as a beloved equal in his life.
I have only one minor, but constructive criticism to offer: whilst the language used by the characters was aiming to remain faithful to the style of English spoken in the 17th century, yet legible for the inflexible 21st century consumer, there were just a few editing blips. Her husband and son were identified as Pierre for the senior and Peter for the child, but there were two occasions, one for each, where the distinction was confused, causing me to momentarily pause and figure out who was whom, (is this still Pierre speaking or has the boy entered the room?). Also a couple of incidences of the wrong tense were used - come instead of came, punished instead of punishment etc. But they weren't had enough to make me think little effort had gone into editing and were just little oversights.
Do I recommend this novel? Absolutely!
Written from a first person perspective, we're quickly introduced to a world of tumult and violence, which is accepted by everyone not afflicted by rose-tinted spectacles as accurate for the era. For those who only consider royal courts of English history, this book is a credible eye-opener for the trials of regular English people, persecuted for their faith according to whoever sat the throne, swinging back and forth like the pendulum of some great clock. I'd highly recommend it for any who dare to leave the (relative, although still dangerous) safety of royal favourites and courtly dramatics. The tale was engrossing, often quick moving, and didn't disappoint those who like a bit of grimy realism and gore. Of course, the first person aspect which encompasses a broad creative licence and the requirement to judge the reliability of the narrator may affect different readers in different ways. For my part, I was happy to ride the rollercoaster and imagine that the greater bulk of it was entrenched in truth. It was a great read and I'm grateful to Annelisa Christensen for introducing me to a real, flesh and blood lady for whom I have found great empathy and respect. I want to believe she tended her family and midwifery charges with all of the compassion shown in the book; that she was genuinely respected by kings Charles II and his brother, James; that her second husband, Pierre, really did regard her as a beloved equal in his life.
I have only one minor, but constructive criticism to offer: whilst the language used by the characters was aiming to remain faithful to the style of English spoken in the 17th century, yet legible for the inflexible 21st century consumer, there were just a few editing blips. Her husband and son were identified as Pierre for the senior and Peter for the child, but there were two occasions, one for each, where the distinction was confused, causing me to momentarily pause and figure out who was whom, (is this still Pierre speaking or has the boy entered the room?). Also a couple of incidences of the wrong tense were used - come instead of came, punished instead of punishment etc. But they weren't had enough to make me think little effort had gone into editing and were just little oversights.
Do I recommend this novel? Absolutely!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 3, 2017
There is a reality to my co-existence with seventeenth-century London: I’m not all that well versed in it. The little information stuffed into my head is probably what most people already know, affairs such as Charles I’s execution; rise of the Commonwealth and Protectorate; and return of Charles II, previously driven into exile following his father’s death in 1649.
Annelisa Christensen’s The Popish Midwife is set against the backdrop of this era’s heir: nearly twenty years into the Restoration and twelve following the Great Fire of 1666. Cromwell is long dead, but his vehement and divisive anti-Catholic bias endures, a lesson our popish protagonist learns after she is beaten in the streets by an entire thuggish family, solely for her religious beliefs.
Inspired by papers the author purchased merely for the thrill of holding 300-year-old documents, and which turned out to be from the historical trial of Elizabeth Cellier, Christensen pieces together true events of this era, when Catholicism was suspect and one Titus Oates speaks of a plot perpetrated by Catholics to remove the Protestant king and replace him with his younger—and Catholic—brother. Power had been shifting back and forth between the two religions since before Elizabeth I, though anti-Catholic sentiment prevailed with the Gunpowder Plot on this day in 1605. This must have weighed heavily on Cellier’s mind upon her arrest as party to the conspiracy.
Before her 1680 trial, Elizabeth Cellier, a midwife devoted to the health and safety of others, fervently follows news and the welfare of those unjustly incarcerated—often her co-religionionists. As a frequent visitor to Newgate Prison, Cellier dispenses assistance in the form of sustenance as well as emotional and monetary support. Here she comes into contact with Captain Willoughby, a debtor inmate who provides her information in aid of her petition to the king regarding abuse of prisoners. Her involvement in what we know today as the Popish Plot endangers her family as she battles injustice on top of religious bigotry.
The novel opens with a strong and succinct preface providing background on the preceding years, then moves into Cellier’s first-person account, where Christensen succeeds marvelously with Cellier’s sketch of her individual and family history, and where that places her in society. The author’s point of view choice allows readers to more intensely relate to the protagonist and her work, indeed why she does it. This increases the overall narrative’s strength, providing a foundation for the midwife’s reasoning as to why she ignores her beloved husband’s pleas about the peril she places them all in.
Christensen also has a way with dialogue as well as her prose, as her management of it surrounds readers with a real sense of the time. More modern than much of the historical fiction we tend to read, it nevertheless retains an aura of formality with its hierarchal speech patterns and conduct.
Lady Powys was undertaking to arrange a marital alliance between her nephew and the daughter of her close acquaintance, Lord Peterborough. She designed to appeal to him to agree a meeting with me that I could introduce him to the Captain, with the further hope that Lord Peterborough would then in turn introduce us to the Duke of York. The beauty of this meeting was that, not only had Lord Peterborough served beneath the Duke with the war in the Netherlands, but he had also set up, and defeated objections to, the marriage between the Duke and his chosen wife, Mary of Modena. The Duke was accordingly indebted to him and was, as hoped, prepared to make allowances for our using him to reach his brother.
In other instances, such as during and after the afore-mentioned assault, the author’s atmospheric language immerses us within the ways of the time, not unlike the manner in which a word such as cobblestone might, even when characters engage in similar acts we still ordinarily perform or encounter, albeit with modified character. Falling into the grimy water (reminiscent of waste disposal discussed in her preface), the “comforting crackle of the fire,” coins jangling into men’s palms as payment for a kind service provided, and the “clunking of the door latch” into place all reach into Elizabeth’s sensory experience of her time in a moment when she, like us, is removed from full participation of it.
Perhaps more than any other characteristic is Christensen’s ability to really touch an audience with this story of Elizabeth Cellier, fighting inequity as she endeavors to keep her family safe and intact. Her descriptions are vivid and jolting, and Cellier’s honest self-reflections are portrayed in such a way that we feel her keen embarrassment paired with upright defense of self against mob rule. The novel’s pacing—not quite as fast as some—not only places us in the moments, but also enables our ongoing feel of them as the characters might experience. Cellier isn’t a braggart, not by a long shot, yet we see her through her own eyes and recognize her courageous stand against brutality, as well as her reminder that freedom to opine never existed to protect popular positions. This is also acted out in dramatic scenes in which Cellier—Catholic, woman, married to a foreigner—speaks up, bold and daring. She is not what today’s feminists would envision, nor should she be, and Christensen stays true to the era.
It bears repeating that The Popish Midwife immerses us in the time, an especially impressive feat for those of us who tend to wander through other eras or, as in my own case, aren’t really as familiar with Charles II’s London as we might be. As I traversed the pages, I felt myself wandering the rainy streets, the shadows pulling around me as I avoid waste and mud in the streets, feel the still re-awakening of the people from a succession of horrific events, this newness tainted by fear and suspicion that the torture of Protestants in Mediterranean countries might reach their own shores.
The forbidding darkness of mood is periodically pierced by references to color, such as the bright red of Cellier’s distinctive and identifying midwife’s cape. Shown on the novel’s cover, it stands in stark contrast to the dark shade of the floor, kitchen implements, even Cellier’s clothes beneath it. There is a golden hue in the background, reminiscent of a light in darkness, though still in opposition to the vivid material of the cloak, which at one point Cellier loses, signaling both her fight against discrimination and the choices she must make as to how she will proceed: remain in the shadows or embrace her identity utilizing the internal as opposed to material?
From the lead up to “’Tis a plot, Madam, of the direst sort[,]” all the way through Cellier’s battles and acceptance of what she has done and plans for her future, Christensen’s lovely style of storytelling, as if Cellier is talking directly to us, captures the imagination and leads us through a tale of brutality and betrayal, individual and collective upheaval, treason and courage. To be able to reach deep into history and find one of the more obscure figures from it, as the author did on that auction day, and animate her in literary style, particularly for readers unfamiliar with the era, is no mean feat, and readers should hope Christensen never tires of the scrape, chaos and shuffle of the auction houses any time soon.
Annelisa Christensen’s The Popish Midwife is set against the backdrop of this era’s heir: nearly twenty years into the Restoration and twelve following the Great Fire of 1666. Cromwell is long dead, but his vehement and divisive anti-Catholic bias endures, a lesson our popish protagonist learns after she is beaten in the streets by an entire thuggish family, solely for her religious beliefs.
Inspired by papers the author purchased merely for the thrill of holding 300-year-old documents, and which turned out to be from the historical trial of Elizabeth Cellier, Christensen pieces together true events of this era, when Catholicism was suspect and one Titus Oates speaks of a plot perpetrated by Catholics to remove the Protestant king and replace him with his younger—and Catholic—brother. Power had been shifting back and forth between the two religions since before Elizabeth I, though anti-Catholic sentiment prevailed with the Gunpowder Plot on this day in 1605. This must have weighed heavily on Cellier’s mind upon her arrest as party to the conspiracy.
Before her 1680 trial, Elizabeth Cellier, a midwife devoted to the health and safety of others, fervently follows news and the welfare of those unjustly incarcerated—often her co-religionionists. As a frequent visitor to Newgate Prison, Cellier dispenses assistance in the form of sustenance as well as emotional and monetary support. Here she comes into contact with Captain Willoughby, a debtor inmate who provides her information in aid of her petition to the king regarding abuse of prisoners. Her involvement in what we know today as the Popish Plot endangers her family as she battles injustice on top of religious bigotry.
The novel opens with a strong and succinct preface providing background on the preceding years, then moves into Cellier’s first-person account, where Christensen succeeds marvelously with Cellier’s sketch of her individual and family history, and where that places her in society. The author’s point of view choice allows readers to more intensely relate to the protagonist and her work, indeed why she does it. This increases the overall narrative’s strength, providing a foundation for the midwife’s reasoning as to why she ignores her beloved husband’s pleas about the peril she places them all in.
Christensen also has a way with dialogue as well as her prose, as her management of it surrounds readers with a real sense of the time. More modern than much of the historical fiction we tend to read, it nevertheless retains an aura of formality with its hierarchal speech patterns and conduct.
Lady Powys was undertaking to arrange a marital alliance between her nephew and the daughter of her close acquaintance, Lord Peterborough. She designed to appeal to him to agree a meeting with me that I could introduce him to the Captain, with the further hope that Lord Peterborough would then in turn introduce us to the Duke of York. The beauty of this meeting was that, not only had Lord Peterborough served beneath the Duke with the war in the Netherlands, but he had also set up, and defeated objections to, the marriage between the Duke and his chosen wife, Mary of Modena. The Duke was accordingly indebted to him and was, as hoped, prepared to make allowances for our using him to reach his brother.
In other instances, such as during and after the afore-mentioned assault, the author’s atmospheric language immerses us within the ways of the time, not unlike the manner in which a word such as cobblestone might, even when characters engage in similar acts we still ordinarily perform or encounter, albeit with modified character. Falling into the grimy water (reminiscent of waste disposal discussed in her preface), the “comforting crackle of the fire,” coins jangling into men’s palms as payment for a kind service provided, and the “clunking of the door latch” into place all reach into Elizabeth’s sensory experience of her time in a moment when she, like us, is removed from full participation of it.
Perhaps more than any other characteristic is Christensen’s ability to really touch an audience with this story of Elizabeth Cellier, fighting inequity as she endeavors to keep her family safe and intact. Her descriptions are vivid and jolting, and Cellier’s honest self-reflections are portrayed in such a way that we feel her keen embarrassment paired with upright defense of self against mob rule. The novel’s pacing—not quite as fast as some—not only places us in the moments, but also enables our ongoing feel of them as the characters might experience. Cellier isn’t a braggart, not by a long shot, yet we see her through her own eyes and recognize her courageous stand against brutality, as well as her reminder that freedom to opine never existed to protect popular positions. This is also acted out in dramatic scenes in which Cellier—Catholic, woman, married to a foreigner—speaks up, bold and daring. She is not what today’s feminists would envision, nor should she be, and Christensen stays true to the era.
It bears repeating that The Popish Midwife immerses us in the time, an especially impressive feat for those of us who tend to wander through other eras or, as in my own case, aren’t really as familiar with Charles II’s London as we might be. As I traversed the pages, I felt myself wandering the rainy streets, the shadows pulling around me as I avoid waste and mud in the streets, feel the still re-awakening of the people from a succession of horrific events, this newness tainted by fear and suspicion that the torture of Protestants in Mediterranean countries might reach their own shores.
The forbidding darkness of mood is periodically pierced by references to color, such as the bright red of Cellier’s distinctive and identifying midwife’s cape. Shown on the novel’s cover, it stands in stark contrast to the dark shade of the floor, kitchen implements, even Cellier’s clothes beneath it. There is a golden hue in the background, reminiscent of a light in darkness, though still in opposition to the vivid material of the cloak, which at one point Cellier loses, signaling both her fight against discrimination and the choices she must make as to how she will proceed: remain in the shadows or embrace her identity utilizing the internal as opposed to material?
From the lead up to “’Tis a plot, Madam, of the direst sort[,]” all the way through Cellier’s battles and acceptance of what she has done and plans for her future, Christensen’s lovely style of storytelling, as if Cellier is talking directly to us, captures the imagination and leads us through a tale of brutality and betrayal, individual and collective upheaval, treason and courage. To be able to reach deep into history and find one of the more obscure figures from it, as the author did on that auction day, and animate her in literary style, particularly for readers unfamiliar with the era, is no mean feat, and readers should hope Christensen never tires of the scrape, chaos and shuffle of the auction houses any time soon.
January 28, 2020
I should have really loved this book about an outspoken midwife in Restoration England. But I didn’t.
Elizabeth Cellier practiced as a midwife a dozen years after the Plague and Great Fire destroyed much of London. Catholics were reviled and Catholic midwives could only practice on Catholic woman. We meet Elizabeth as she is nearly beaten to death on her way home from taking bread to the unfortunate souls housed in Newgate Prison, where she and other angels of mercy overheard a man being tortured. She recovers, but is beguiled by the charms of one of the inmates and buys his release so that he can tell her of inmate torture (supposedly outlawed) and of the so-called “Popish Plot” against the life of King Charles II.
This is where I ran into one wall after another. I needed to be reminded of this plot by certain Presbyterian Lords dreamt up to rid themselves of their Catholic-leaning king AND discredit loyal Catholics in the process. I couldn’t remember who was a good guy or a bad guy.
Elizabeth and the rogue actually end up w/ an audience w/ the king to warn him. Elizabeth ends up accused of foreknowledge of the Plot after it fails, and the rogue - whom she fed and boarded! - testified against her. She ably defends herself and returns to her family.
Elizabeth does not learn her lesson, but instead writes, publishes, and sells a book detailing inmates’ stories about abuse and torture in Newgate. Her husband warns her not to do this, and sure enough, she gets arrested again, this time for libel. She is not treated nearly as well this time ‘round: found guilty, she is pilloried and sentenced to execution unless her husband can come up w/ a ruinous fine. She spends years in the hellhole of a Newgate cell.
She finds favor w/ the new king, James, and becomes one of his queen’s midwives as she delivers a healthy, Catholic prince. This gets him run out of the kingdom. Once again, Elizabeth gets beaten as she and her family are headed to a ship to take them to France, where King Louis is giving James a place to live.
This could all have been told in a more straightforward, less wordy manner. I give the author full credit for quoting from Elizabeth’s book, but seventeenth-century writing is not all that easy to understand and I’m still not clear about the “Popish Plot.”
I expected a murder mystery a la Brother Cadfael but got a history instead. That’s not a bad thing, but this was a real slog.
Elizabeth Cellier practiced as a midwife a dozen years after the Plague and Great Fire destroyed much of London. Catholics were reviled and Catholic midwives could only practice on Catholic woman. We meet Elizabeth as she is nearly beaten to death on her way home from taking bread to the unfortunate souls housed in Newgate Prison, where she and other angels of mercy overheard a man being tortured. She recovers, but is beguiled by the charms of one of the inmates and buys his release so that he can tell her of inmate torture (supposedly outlawed) and of the so-called “Popish Plot” against the life of King Charles II.
This is where I ran into one wall after another. I needed to be reminded of this plot by certain Presbyterian Lords dreamt up to rid themselves of their Catholic-leaning king AND discredit loyal Catholics in the process. I couldn’t remember who was a good guy or a bad guy.
Elizabeth and the rogue actually end up w/ an audience w/ the king to warn him. Elizabeth ends up accused of foreknowledge of the Plot after it fails, and the rogue - whom she fed and boarded! - testified against her. She ably defends herself and returns to her family.
Elizabeth does not learn her lesson, but instead writes, publishes, and sells a book detailing inmates’ stories about abuse and torture in Newgate. Her husband warns her not to do this, and sure enough, she gets arrested again, this time for libel. She is not treated nearly as well this time ‘round: found guilty, she is pilloried and sentenced to execution unless her husband can come up w/ a ruinous fine. She spends years in the hellhole of a Newgate cell.
She finds favor w/ the new king, James, and becomes one of his queen’s midwives as she delivers a healthy, Catholic prince. This gets him run out of the kingdom. Once again, Elizabeth gets beaten as she and her family are headed to a ship to take them to France, where King Louis is giving James a place to live.
This could all have been told in a more straightforward, less wordy manner. I give the author full credit for quoting from Elizabeth’s book, but seventeenth-century writing is not all that easy to understand and I’m still not clear about the “Popish Plot.”
I expected a murder mystery a la Brother Cadfael but got a history instead. That’s not a bad thing, but this was a real slog.
Read
June 8, 2019Read via kindle, but the story, the characters held no charm, no spell over my attention, which wandered greatly to the point that it wandered to another tome and left this one unfinished.
Read
February 19, 2025DNF @ page 21
There’s potential here, but this book needs a better edit. It’s bleak and dark, and kind of dull. I’m also struggling to emphasise with the main character.
There’s potential here, but this book needs a better edit. It’s bleak and dark, and kind of dull. I’m also struggling to emphasise with the main character.
June 9, 2019
A good read!
I learned a lot about a period of time about which I had known nothing. Elizabeth Cellier was a fascinating, courageous person. I expected more about midwifery but received a history lesson about the 'gaols' of London of that era and the injustices that routinely took place. I highly recommend it. I'll read her other books, for sure!
I learned a lot about a period of time about which I had known nothing. Elizabeth Cellier was a fascinating, courageous person. I expected more about midwifery but received a history lesson about the 'gaols' of London of that era and the injustices that routinely took place. I highly recommend it. I'll read her other books, for sure!
January 30, 2017
Author Christensen has written a beautiful and poignant true-life story of Elizabeth Cellier, a remarkable woman and midwife, who lived in 17th century London. Cellier was a feisty and courageous woman, who, despite great risk to herself and her family, stayed true to her Catholic faith and her belief in justice. She fought against all odds to expose the truth of deplorable prison conditions and lies against Catholics, believed to be plotting against the King.
I was immediately pulled into 17th century England, the culture, politics, and everyday life in an unstable time of religious prejudice, fear, and lack of education. With Christensen’s vivid writing I could picture and feel every scene, from the elegance of the royal palace to the filth and brutality of Newgate Prison, to what it would feel like to lose your freedom in an unjust political system.
Cellier was charitable to those who suffered unjustly, often simply for being debtors or practicing the Catholic faith in a time of Protestant dominance. Author Christensen wrote that Cellier was “true to herself and to truth itself.” Indeed, her faith in God and truth was constant to the point of being willing to die for it.
As a lawyer and litigator, I loved the drama of the two trial scenes when Cellier stood accused, first for treason, then for libel. Brilliant and clever, Cellier learned the laws and courtroom procedures, pulled together required proofs, then used the justice system with spunk and wit against witnesses and lawyers alike. With her quick assessment of jurors, witnesses, and the mood of the “Beast” (the ignorant, blood thirsty mob) she modified her behavior and defense accordingly.
Cellier deplored the poor training of midwives and lack of education for all women. Seeing the brutal effects of ignorance, she chose to do something, not just through charity, but with a grand design for a self-funded midwifery school and home for poor children. She was a woman of strong belief and action, a powerful combination.
There were wonderful descriptions of Cellier’s torn loyalties, to her conscience and moral duty even when it conflicted with her beloved husband Pierre’s wishes, her love of family and her own freedom. The domestic scenes with Pierre and then with her young children were touching, evocative, and among the best in the book.
Author Christensen didn’t fail to show Cellier’s minor flaws, especially when she fell prey to a villainous, betraying rogue, enjoying his youthful good looks and attention to her. Yet this was always balanced with her strong love and respect for her Pierre, her bastion of honor and strength. Pierre, in turn, relied on his beloved Lizzie, needing her love and presence as much as the air he breathed. A beautiful, touching love story!
Author Christensen pulled together voluminous research about Cellier and the era, and has done so brilliantly with a story that is poignant and universal in appeal. I highly recommend this book for the beautiful writing and compelling story, and I look forward to more from Author Christensen.
I was immediately pulled into 17th century England, the culture, politics, and everyday life in an unstable time of religious prejudice, fear, and lack of education. With Christensen’s vivid writing I could picture and feel every scene, from the elegance of the royal palace to the filth and brutality of Newgate Prison, to what it would feel like to lose your freedom in an unjust political system.
Cellier was charitable to those who suffered unjustly, often simply for being debtors or practicing the Catholic faith in a time of Protestant dominance. Author Christensen wrote that Cellier was “true to herself and to truth itself.” Indeed, her faith in God and truth was constant to the point of being willing to die for it.
As a lawyer and litigator, I loved the drama of the two trial scenes when Cellier stood accused, first for treason, then for libel. Brilliant and clever, Cellier learned the laws and courtroom procedures, pulled together required proofs, then used the justice system with spunk and wit against witnesses and lawyers alike. With her quick assessment of jurors, witnesses, and the mood of the “Beast” (the ignorant, blood thirsty mob) she modified her behavior and defense accordingly.
Cellier deplored the poor training of midwives and lack of education for all women. Seeing the brutal effects of ignorance, she chose to do something, not just through charity, but with a grand design for a self-funded midwifery school and home for poor children. She was a woman of strong belief and action, a powerful combination.
There were wonderful descriptions of Cellier’s torn loyalties, to her conscience and moral duty even when it conflicted with her beloved husband Pierre’s wishes, her love of family and her own freedom. The domestic scenes with Pierre and then with her young children were touching, evocative, and among the best in the book.
Author Christensen didn’t fail to show Cellier’s minor flaws, especially when she fell prey to a villainous, betraying rogue, enjoying his youthful good looks and attention to her. Yet this was always balanced with her strong love and respect for her Pierre, her bastion of honor and strength. Pierre, in turn, relied on his beloved Lizzie, needing her love and presence as much as the air he breathed. A beautiful, touching love story!
Author Christensen pulled together voluminous research about Cellier and the era, and has done so brilliantly with a story that is poignant and universal in appeal. I highly recommend this book for the beautiful writing and compelling story, and I look forward to more from Author Christensen.
February 2, 2017
It's a bold task to take on writing a 400 page plus book based on the life of an obscure English midwife who lived in the 1600s. But that is the challenge AnnaLisa Christensen gave herself with The Popish Midwife, after studying court transcripts about the trial and conviction of the courageous Elizabeth Cellier who dared to write a book disclosing the brutality and inhumane treatment of those imprisoned for even minor offences at Newgate Prison.
The Popish Midwife takes place at the end of the puritanical, strict era of Oliver Cromwell when King Charles 11 was returned to the throne. While people celebrated the new freedom, the country was far from safe or healthy, especially for Catholics. As a Catholic, Elizabeth was ever exposed to danger as she went about her work of helping mothers give birth. She also spent much of her time taking food to prison inmates and as she did so, she saw and heard first hand so much of man's inhumanity to man. She felt compelled to bring these brutal practices to the attention of those she believed would care as much as she did. The reward for the efforts of this aging, unwell but brave woman, was incarceration in the very place she fought to expose: Newgate.
Historical fiction buffs will love The Popish Midwife, but it is written in first person, as if it were a memoir. That, for me, makes what AnnaLisa Christensen has achieved in this book even more impressive: it has all the requirements of great historical fiction, including an adherence to the language of the 1600's, but it is touching and real the way a well-written memoir should be.
The author spent years researching her story and her attention to detail and fact, the historical period, customs and dialects gives The Popish Midwife authenticity. But it is AnnaLisa Christensen's considerable writing talent that make this an absorbing, worthwhile read even for those, who like me, aren't fans of historical fiction, but who love a well-written story…one that keeps us turning the pages and wondering what will happen next. Highly recommended.
Viga Boland
Don't Write Your MEmoir without ME!
No Tears for My Father: A true story of incest
The Popish Midwife takes place at the end of the puritanical, strict era of Oliver Cromwell when King Charles 11 was returned to the throne. While people celebrated the new freedom, the country was far from safe or healthy, especially for Catholics. As a Catholic, Elizabeth was ever exposed to danger as she went about her work of helping mothers give birth. She also spent much of her time taking food to prison inmates and as she did so, she saw and heard first hand so much of man's inhumanity to man. She felt compelled to bring these brutal practices to the attention of those she believed would care as much as she did. The reward for the efforts of this aging, unwell but brave woman, was incarceration in the very place she fought to expose: Newgate.
Historical fiction buffs will love The Popish Midwife, but it is written in first person, as if it were a memoir. That, for me, makes what AnnaLisa Christensen has achieved in this book even more impressive: it has all the requirements of great historical fiction, including an adherence to the language of the 1600's, but it is touching and real the way a well-written memoir should be.
The author spent years researching her story and her attention to detail and fact, the historical period, customs and dialects gives The Popish Midwife authenticity. But it is AnnaLisa Christensen's considerable writing talent that make this an absorbing, worthwhile read even for those, who like me, aren't fans of historical fiction, but who love a well-written story…one that keeps us turning the pages and wondering what will happen next. Highly recommended.
Viga Boland
Don't Write Your MEmoir without ME!
No Tears for My Father: A true story of incest
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