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The Physician's Daughter
From the author of The Underground River comes this compelling new novel of female perseverance.
Set in the aftermath of the Civil War, The Physician's Daughter is the story of two people trying to make their way in a world that is struggling to escape its past.
It is 1865, the American Civil War has just ended, and 18-year old Vita Tenney is determined to pursue her lifelong dream of becoming a country doctor like her father. But when her father tells her she must get married instead, Vita explores every means of escape - and finds one in the person of war veteran Jacob Culhane.
Damaged by what he's seen in battle and with all his family gone, Jacob is seeking investors for a fledgling business. Then he meets Vita - and together they hatch a plan that should satisfy both their desires. Months later, Vita seemingly has everything she ever wanted. But alone in a big city and haunted by the mistakes of her past, she wonders if the life she always thought she wanted was too good to be true.
When love starts to compete with ambition, what will come out on top?
Set in the aftermath of the Civil War, The Physician's Daughter is the story of two people trying to make their way in a world that is struggling to escape its past.
It is 1865, the American Civil War has just ended, and 18-year old Vita Tenney is determined to pursue her lifelong dream of becoming a country doctor like her father. But when her father tells her she must get married instead, Vita explores every means of escape - and finds one in the person of war veteran Jacob Culhane.
Damaged by what he's seen in battle and with all his family gone, Jacob is seeking investors for a fledgling business. Then he meets Vita - and together they hatch a plan that should satisfy both their desires. Months later, Vita seemingly has everything she ever wanted. But alone in a big city and haunted by the mistakes of her past, she wonders if the life she always thought she wanted was too good to be true.
When love starts to compete with ambition, what will come out on top?
432 pages, Paperback
Published June 6, 2023
259 people are currently reading
4141 people want to read
About the author
Martha Conway
14 books266 followersMartha Conway's latest novel is THE PHYSICIAN'S DAUGHTER. Her other novels include The Underground River (Simon & Schuster), which was a New York Times Book Review Editor's Choice, and Thieving Forest, which won the North American Book Award for Best Historical Fiction. Her short fiction has been published in the Iowa Review, the Carolina Quarterly, The Quarterly, Folio, Massachusetts Review, and other journals. She teaches creative writing at Stanford University's Continuing Studies Program.
Martha is one of seven sisters and now lives in San Francisco with her family.
Martha is one of seven sisters and now lives in San Francisco with her family.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 136 reviews
April 30, 2023
novel based just at the end of the American civil war and Vita wants to be a Doctor but choices are limited for women and she agrees to marry Jacob a war veteran who returns home. the novel charts vita struggles to try and join a medical college to become a Doctor, its interesting in parts as we follow her on her journey.
April 14, 2022
I was first introduced to Martha Conway’s writing when I read The Floating Theatre back in 2017. There are echoes of the theme of that book, a young woman having to make her own way in the world, in The Physician’s Daughter. A neat touch is the inclusion at the beginning of each chapter of quotations from books and periodicals dating from the period. Some of these are laugh out loud funny for their outrageously outdated views on the role of women and the ‘trials’ of marriage.
I confess I found the book very slow to begin within. For me the most compelling part was Jacob’s story. I felt his experiences during the Civil War and its aftermath allowed the author to explore the impact of war not just on the individuals involved but on their loved ones. For Jacob, the memories of what he saw and endured as a prisoner of war have taken a heavy psychological and emotional toll. ‘He woke up shaking and sweating, his heart thundering in his chest.’ (I’ll confess the existence of the Confederate prison of war camp at Andersonville and the atrocities that went on there was new to me.) Although the project he and his friend, killed during the war, planned to pursue together provides him with a degree of focus, he is resigned to leading a rather solitary life… until he meets Vita.
I admired Vita’s determination to follow her dream in spite of the opposition of her father and the limitations placed on women’s independence by society. The spiteful remarks of her sister, Amelia, don’t help either. At times I became frustrated that Vita was so easily swayed by the comments of others, often just snatches of overheard conversations. Having arrived at an arrangement that might offer the freedom she seeks, her misinterpretation of a chance remark results in her making a series of rash decisions. There were a number of occasions where I wanted to say ‘Vita, don’t do that!’ or ‘You’ve got it all wrong’.
Vita’s family has also been affected by the war. Her father is consumed by thoughts of what might have been and, ironically, Vita’s ambition to become a doctor, following in his own footsteps, only makes his anguish worse. Meanwhile Vita’s mother seeks other ways to dull the pain of loss whilst being more supportive of Vita’s desire to make something more of her life than just marriage and motherhood.
Vita definitely grows as a character as the book progresses. In particular, she is very open to acknowledging her strengths and weaknesses, recognising that there is more to being a doctor than memorising conditions and medication; listening – really listening – to your patients is important too. This really comes home to her in some dramatic scenes towards the end of the book.
The outcome I’d hoped for eventually does come about and the book concludes on a hopeful note. I was left with the sense that although Vita’s pursuit of her ambition is going to be an uphill task with the right support she will get there.
I confess I found the book very slow to begin within. For me the most compelling part was Jacob’s story. I felt his experiences during the Civil War and its aftermath allowed the author to explore the impact of war not just on the individuals involved but on their loved ones. For Jacob, the memories of what he saw and endured as a prisoner of war have taken a heavy psychological and emotional toll. ‘He woke up shaking and sweating, his heart thundering in his chest.’ (I’ll confess the existence of the Confederate prison of war camp at Andersonville and the atrocities that went on there was new to me.) Although the project he and his friend, killed during the war, planned to pursue together provides him with a degree of focus, he is resigned to leading a rather solitary life… until he meets Vita.
I admired Vita’s determination to follow her dream in spite of the opposition of her father and the limitations placed on women’s independence by society. The spiteful remarks of her sister, Amelia, don’t help either. At times I became frustrated that Vita was so easily swayed by the comments of others, often just snatches of overheard conversations. Having arrived at an arrangement that might offer the freedom she seeks, her misinterpretation of a chance remark results in her making a series of rash decisions. There were a number of occasions where I wanted to say ‘Vita, don’t do that!’ or ‘You’ve got it all wrong’.
Vita’s family has also been affected by the war. Her father is consumed by thoughts of what might have been and, ironically, Vita’s ambition to become a doctor, following in his own footsteps, only makes his anguish worse. Meanwhile Vita’s mother seeks other ways to dull the pain of loss whilst being more supportive of Vita’s desire to make something more of her life than just marriage and motherhood.
Vita definitely grows as a character as the book progresses. In particular, she is very open to acknowledging her strengths and weaknesses, recognising that there is more to being a doctor than memorising conditions and medication; listening – really listening – to your patients is important too. This really comes home to her in some dramatic scenes towards the end of the book.
The outcome I’d hoped for eventually does come about and the book concludes on a hopeful note. I was left with the sense that although Vita’s pursuit of her ambition is going to be an uphill task with the right support she will get there.
January 30, 2022
After a slow start which may well have been my own fault in not giving myself time to read and get in to the book but picking it up and falling asleep after a chapter, I really fell in love with this novel.
Set against the backdrop of the American Civil War this book gives us a perspective from the point of view of a young woman who has lost thanks to the war, whose work is dominated by the effects of this war and who everyone she meets, but more so the men are profoundly changed by the previous years of fighting. Much like the two World Wars for the USA the civil war had the affect of stripping communities of their young men and those men either never returning or coming back physically and mentally scarred for life.
Vita our wonderful protagonist would, had her brother returned from the war, been a physician’s daughter and a physician’s sister. An intelligent girl who had to find secret opportunities to stretch and challenge herself but Freddy’s death sets her on the path to join the small but growing number of female doctors in America.
I loved every character in this book, even the ones we only met through the memories of those who survived them. Vita was not some 21st century feminist blazing into a male dominated world and instantly conquering it but was a realistic and fully faceted 19th century young woman following her dreams with all the courage and naïveté that entails. The heading of each chapter is a genuine line or two taken from an historical book or paper with a male author giving his authoritative views on the capabilities of women as a sex and as Vita follows her dream, specifically his opinion on the ability of a woman to become a Dr. These are by turns hilariously funny and achingly sad. Our ability to laugh at them comes from years of women before us, including the likes of Vita and the suffragettes fighting constant battles to get us where we are with today’s equality. And yet still we fight on for the women to come after us!
This novel could have been simply about female Drs, or simply a feminist story of a woman’s right to choose a career over the expected marriage and children. It could have been a novel about the after effects of war and the burdens it leaves those who survive it. It could have been a nice family drama or a saccharine love story but somehow Martha Conway manages to make it all of that. I love Vita’s friendship with Gemma and their girlish quest to find out about sex and how to prevent getting pregnant.
The ending for me was just perfect though the denouement was totally unexpected it was fabulous. A must read for those who love historical fiction.
Set against the backdrop of the American Civil War this book gives us a perspective from the point of view of a young woman who has lost thanks to the war, whose work is dominated by the effects of this war and who everyone she meets, but more so the men are profoundly changed by the previous years of fighting. Much like the two World Wars for the USA the civil war had the affect of stripping communities of their young men and those men either never returning or coming back physically and mentally scarred for life.
Vita our wonderful protagonist would, had her brother returned from the war, been a physician’s daughter and a physician’s sister. An intelligent girl who had to find secret opportunities to stretch and challenge herself but Freddy’s death sets her on the path to join the small but growing number of female doctors in America.
I loved every character in this book, even the ones we only met through the memories of those who survived them. Vita was not some 21st century feminist blazing into a male dominated world and instantly conquering it but was a realistic and fully faceted 19th century young woman following her dreams with all the courage and naïveté that entails. The heading of each chapter is a genuine line or two taken from an historical book or paper with a male author giving his authoritative views on the capabilities of women as a sex and as Vita follows her dream, specifically his opinion on the ability of a woman to become a Dr. These are by turns hilariously funny and achingly sad. Our ability to laugh at them comes from years of women before us, including the likes of Vita and the suffragettes fighting constant battles to get us where we are with today’s equality. And yet still we fight on for the women to come after us!
This novel could have been simply about female Drs, or simply a feminist story of a woman’s right to choose a career over the expected marriage and children. It could have been a novel about the after effects of war and the burdens it leaves those who survive it. It could have been a nice family drama or a saccharine love story but somehow Martha Conway manages to make it all of that. I love Vita’s friendship with Gemma and their girlish quest to find out about sex and how to prevent getting pregnant.
The ending for me was just perfect though the denouement was totally unexpected it was fabulous. A must read for those who love historical fiction.
March 14, 2022
Much as I love fiction, it’s rare that I start a novel that I would prefer reading to doing pretty much anything else. This book had me HOOKED from the first chapter. Vita Tenney is an unforgettable heroine, furiously determined to become a doctor in a time right after the American Civil War when women doctors were few and far between. She encounters opposition from her entire family and even her husband, initially supportive, voices doubts. To become a doctor, she everything else she cares about, only to find, once she starts her training, that being a doctor requires a high degree of emotional intelligence, as well as academic and scientific understanding. This is the story of Vita learning how to become a doctor, but it’s also the story of her learning how to love. But it’s no Mills &Boon romance: Vita’s relationship with her husband, Jacob Cullhane, feels intensely real and convincing. Jacob is a Union soldier traumatized by war, who eventually recognizes that only Vita can redeem him from reliving his experiences. I totally fell in love with Vita and Jacob and their story, and you will too.
April 16, 2023
This was an interesting story with strong characters and good flow to the story. The story is a historical novel and takes place in 1865, just after the civil war ended.
Vita Tenney, the daughter of a physician wants nothing more than to become a physician however given the time period she faces many challenges, her father being the first of many obstacles.
Vita’s character is so wonderfully strong , so very passionate, you just can’t help admiring her determination and grit.
I found the quotes the author put in at the beginning of each chapter interesting. The quotes were actual quotes, of ridiculous content,, of various men’s opinions on women, “the inferior sex.”. Opinions that ranged from women’s level of intelligence, what they were and weren’t capable of and what their role in society should be. Reading these quotes, I could only think…. Although we have a long way to go…..We have come a long way!
Vita Tenney, the daughter of a physician wants nothing more than to become a physician however given the time period she faces many challenges, her father being the first of many obstacles.
Vita’s character is so wonderfully strong , so very passionate, you just can’t help admiring her determination and grit.
I found the quotes the author put in at the beginning of each chapter interesting. The quotes were actual quotes, of ridiculous content,, of various men’s opinions on women, “the inferior sex.”. Opinions that ranged from women’s level of intelligence, what they were and weren’t capable of and what their role in society should be. Reading these quotes, I could only think…. Although we have a long way to go…..We have come a long way!
January 10, 2023
I don't often leave bad reviews, and I try to see the good in books I read, but I don't know if I was reading the same book as everyone else who has rated/reviewed on here, because I really didn't like this. At all. In fact, this review might even be considered "scathing." Don't get me wrong, I liked the first part of the book, the set up was great, the writing style was alright, hence the two stars - but the execution was poor, and by the end I was beyond frustrated and disappointed.
This whole story was disjointed and all over the place, with a lot of weird tangents, pointless passages and odd narrative choices. The main characters made me so cross because they were so painfully average, so drab and just...okay.
Look, Vita is fine, she's a decent(ish) heroine, though her arc is very basic and predictable, all too convenient and ends in an essentially unbelievable place. She's also quite mild, forgettable and...bland. But not the most bland, no. That goes to Jacob. He is really bland. The definition of bland. In fact, he is one of the most mind numbing and unnecessary male characters in a historical fiction I've ever read. So boring and stagnant. I understood and appreciated the PTSD element of this book, but only to an extent because it was done so...averagely. Seriously, it was fine: not horrific, but not great either. Not even good, actually. I have had PTSD, and overall, the portrayal of the symptoms in this really didn't speak to me (it was all so extremely repetitive and handled clumsily and the flashbacks were poorly written in my opinion) and as a character Jacob just...sucked. He didn't really have much to say, his existence is very obvious plot wise (mere convenience and ease in getting Vita to where she needs to be physically and emotionally), and his main traits were trembling hands, being slightly handsome and not being able to shut up about some stupid oil barrel patent (yeah, I get it, his dead friend's oil barrel patent. But still, stupid.)
There were so many interesting side characters who we don't nearly get enough from, and it was a shame we didn't get more of Amelia and Samantha especially. Vita is one of those characters who is not like the other girls, who is different because she's clever, she reads books and wants a career, and therefore she's interesting because she's different. This character archetype can and has been done well, but this wasn't it. Not at all. Because Vita was so boring. I'd much rather hear about Amelia's marriage or Samantha's enterprises, or Mitty's history, or even Mrs O. Any other woman, because at least they would have some personality trait that isn't the most basic version of clumsiness I've ever read.
The romance was awful. It didn't feel real at all. It's like the author didn't even try. Zero chemistry between them. It was a shoddy excuse of enemies to lovers (Pride and Prejudice style), fake marriage and miscommunication tropes - it was totally rubbish. The ending for these characters was so convinient because of some random event that was very much trying to be a full circle moment, but it didn't work or fit and the pay off wasn't worth it.
One of the main themes of this book was grief, but it butchered the message with boring characters and a roundabout silly plot. This had so much potential and I wish Jacob wasn't a character at all. I love any book set in America from 1820 - 1920, especially civil war era novels, but this really didn't sit right with me. Wouldn't recommend ☹️
This whole story was disjointed and all over the place, with a lot of weird tangents, pointless passages and odd narrative choices. The main characters made me so cross because they were so painfully average, so drab and just...okay.
Look, Vita is fine, she's a decent(ish) heroine, though her arc is very basic and predictable, all too convenient and ends in an essentially unbelievable place. She's also quite mild, forgettable and...bland. But not the most bland, no. That goes to Jacob. He is really bland. The definition of bland. In fact, he is one of the most mind numbing and unnecessary male characters in a historical fiction I've ever read. So boring and stagnant. I understood and appreciated the PTSD element of this book, but only to an extent because it was done so...averagely. Seriously, it was fine: not horrific, but not great either. Not even good, actually. I have had PTSD, and overall, the portrayal of the symptoms in this really didn't speak to me (it was all so extremely repetitive and handled clumsily and the flashbacks were poorly written in my opinion) and as a character Jacob just...sucked. He didn't really have much to say, his existence is very obvious plot wise (mere convenience and ease in getting Vita to where she needs to be physically and emotionally), and his main traits were trembling hands, being slightly handsome and not being able to shut up about some stupid oil barrel patent (yeah, I get it, his dead friend's oil barrel patent. But still, stupid.)
There were so many interesting side characters who we don't nearly get enough from, and it was a shame we didn't get more of Amelia and Samantha especially. Vita is one of those characters who is not like the other girls, who is different because she's clever, she reads books and wants a career, and therefore she's interesting because she's different. This character archetype can and has been done well, but this wasn't it. Not at all. Because Vita was so boring. I'd much rather hear about Amelia's marriage or Samantha's enterprises, or Mitty's history, or even Mrs O. Any other woman, because at least they would have some personality trait that isn't the most basic version of clumsiness I've ever read.
The romance was awful. It didn't feel real at all. It's like the author didn't even try. Zero chemistry between them. It was a shoddy excuse of enemies to lovers (Pride and Prejudice style), fake marriage and miscommunication tropes - it was totally rubbish. The ending for these characters was so convinient because of some random event that was very much trying to be a full circle moment, but it didn't work or fit and the pay off wasn't worth it.
One of the main themes of this book was grief, but it butchered the message with boring characters and a roundabout silly plot. This had so much potential and I wish Jacob wasn't a character at all. I love any book set in America from 1820 - 1920, especially civil war era novels, but this really didn't sit right with me. Wouldn't recommend ☹️
November 7, 2022
4.5 stars
The Physician’s Daughter is a well-written historical fiction story. Author Martha Conway has done an immense amount of research to produce a story that that illustrates the struggles of a young woman that longs to become a doctor. Set in 1895, we meet Vita Tenney, a somewhat eccentric girl and daughter of a doctor. Vita’s brother, Fred, is encouraged to enter the field of medicine, but he is dies as a soldier in the Civil War. Vita’s father ignores her passion for medicine and plans to see her settled in marriage. On the verge of being pushed into a horrible marriage, Vita makes an arrangement with Jacob Culhane to marry him so that he can use some of her dowry for an invention.
The author uses this romantic story to tell us about the difficulties faced by women who want to choose a non-traditional life. We are also introduced to the after-effects of war through the struggles of Jake Culhane (what we now know as PTSD). Vita was not a perfect character, but she was certainly a sympathetic one. She continued on her path to becoming a doctor in spite of self-doubt, discouragement, and roadblocks. Jake had to learn what it means to be a supportive partner.
The Physician’s Daughter is an excellent example of historical fiction. It informs and enlightens while demonstrating the personal cost of a non-traditional ambition.
The Physician’s Daughter is a well-written historical fiction story. Author Martha Conway has done an immense amount of research to produce a story that that illustrates the struggles of a young woman that longs to become a doctor. Set in 1895, we meet Vita Tenney, a somewhat eccentric girl and daughter of a doctor. Vita’s brother, Fred, is encouraged to enter the field of medicine, but he is dies as a soldier in the Civil War. Vita’s father ignores her passion for medicine and plans to see her settled in marriage. On the verge of being pushed into a horrible marriage, Vita makes an arrangement with Jacob Culhane to marry him so that he can use some of her dowry for an invention.
The author uses this romantic story to tell us about the difficulties faced by women who want to choose a non-traditional life. We are also introduced to the after-effects of war through the struggles of Jake Culhane (what we now know as PTSD). Vita was not a perfect character, but she was certainly a sympathetic one. She continued on her path to becoming a doctor in spite of self-doubt, discouragement, and roadblocks. Jake had to learn what it means to be a supportive partner.
The Physician’s Daughter is an excellent example of historical fiction. It informs and enlightens while demonstrating the personal cost of a non-traditional ambition.
May 8, 2022
The year is 1865, the American Civil War has just ended leaving thousands of people dead, injured beyond belief, traumatised, and forever changed.
Vita Tenney has lofty ambitions in life to follow in her fathers footsteps and become a great country doctor, helping those who need her, but when she has this dream harshly ripped from her and told the only thing she should be concerned about is finding a husband, Vita explores the ways in which she can escape her doomed future for nothing, especially a man shall keep her from her true calling in life.
Jacob Culhane could be the answer to Vita’s troubles; Jacob has witnessed battles, seen the very worst of mankind and with his family gone, he wants a new start in life and when he meets Vita they start to devise a plan which could be most beneficial to both of them, should they accept the terms of each other’s reasoning and wanting for more.
Many months later, Vita seemingly has everything she ever wanted or desired.
But alone in a city and haunted by the many mistakes of her recent past, she starts to wonder if the life she always longed for was too good to actually ever become reality when she begins to grasp that being a woman of medicine is much more than merely learning everything from text, and finds herself becoming rather feint at the sight of blood or the toxic smells the human body can create when on the edge of death.
Love competes with ambition and Vita must choose wisely if she is ever to have a life she can truly be happy with, but perhaps everything she was looking for wasn’t as far away as she first thought.
Touching, moving, witty and compelling, this story of determination and love is one to surely keep you gripped throughout and have you cheering Vita on until the very end.
Vita Tenney has lofty ambitions in life to follow in her fathers footsteps and become a great country doctor, helping those who need her, but when she has this dream harshly ripped from her and told the only thing she should be concerned about is finding a husband, Vita explores the ways in which she can escape her doomed future for nothing, especially a man shall keep her from her true calling in life.
Jacob Culhane could be the answer to Vita’s troubles; Jacob has witnessed battles, seen the very worst of mankind and with his family gone, he wants a new start in life and when he meets Vita they start to devise a plan which could be most beneficial to both of them, should they accept the terms of each other’s reasoning and wanting for more.
Many months later, Vita seemingly has everything she ever wanted or desired.
But alone in a city and haunted by the many mistakes of her recent past, she starts to wonder if the life she always longed for was too good to actually ever become reality when she begins to grasp that being a woman of medicine is much more than merely learning everything from text, and finds herself becoming rather feint at the sight of blood or the toxic smells the human body can create when on the edge of death.
Love competes with ambition and Vita must choose wisely if she is ever to have a life she can truly be happy with, but perhaps everything she was looking for wasn’t as far away as she first thought.
Touching, moving, witty and compelling, this story of determination and love is one to surely keep you gripped throughout and have you cheering Vita on until the very end.
June 21, 2023
Dim llawer o stori na datblygiad cymeriadau. Digon rhwydd i fynd drwyddo ond….meh!
March 21, 2024
It was smart of Vita to work out a deal with Jacob to get ahold of some of her father’s money to help pay for her college tuition. The times were beginning to change, and people were learning what women were capable of. It was probably due to the difference in generations as to why her father didn’t want her to spend time farthing her education.
Part of me feels like if Vita had stayed at the hotel until morning to talk to Jacob more about their plans and just told him that she really didn’t want to help him with the barrel project, he probably would have continued along with their original arrangement. Still, I don’t understand why Jacob even asked her to give up her dream of becoming a doctor to work with him in the first place. He should have known by that point how serious Vita was about going to college.
Jacob also wasn’t fully knowledgeable about the inner workings of the career path when it came to women. Vita tried to tell him that there were other women practicing the profession as female doctors and that there were colleges willing to let them enroll in classes, but Jacob never seemed to actually believe that it was a real possibility for her (even though he was fine with letting her continue her education). It wasn’t until he started his search for Vita after she ran out on him, that he began to learn how many females were pursuing the occupation and how feasible it actually was for her. I can understand Jacob being upset with Vita for running off after he first found her, but I’m glad when he did calm down and actually took the time to pay attention to how knowledgeable his wife had come in the field, he insisted that she go for the college interview.
Part of me feels like if Vita had stayed at the hotel until morning to talk to Jacob more about their plans and just told him that she really didn’t want to help him with the barrel project, he probably would have continued along with their original arrangement. Still, I don’t understand why Jacob even asked her to give up her dream of becoming a doctor to work with him in the first place. He should have known by that point how serious Vita was about going to college.
Jacob also wasn’t fully knowledgeable about the inner workings of the career path when it came to women. Vita tried to tell him that there were other women practicing the profession as female doctors and that there were colleges willing to let them enroll in classes, but Jacob never seemed to actually believe that it was a real possibility for her (even though he was fine with letting her continue her education). It wasn’t until he started his search for Vita after she ran out on him, that he began to learn how many females were pursuing the occupation and how feasible it actually was for her. I can understand Jacob being upset with Vita for running off after he first found her, but I’m glad when he did calm down and actually took the time to pay attention to how knowledgeable his wife had come in the field, he insisted that she go for the college interview.
October 3, 2022
I just loved Vita! I learn so much when reading these historical novels. It is just after the Civil War and Vita does not want to follow the traditional path of finding a husband, having children and taking care of a house. Vita loves anything dealing with the medical field, just like her father but this a time when women do not work in this sort of profession. She can work as a nurse and assist but she will not become a lady doctor, there is no such thing. Bound and determined Vita makes a decision to get what she wants, while also keeping her fathers wish of her becoming a wife. But this marriage is not what everyone thinks it is and Vita is realizing that she may have made a deal that will not allow her to pursue her dreams. Deciding to take matters into her own hands, Vita once again decides she is going to set out doing what she loves and there is one place that she might be able to do this. Heading to Ohio, Vita starts a new but knows that the past she left behind could appear at any moment. Very interesting read about the medical field right after the Civil War and what it took for Vita to prove herself being a female. Thank you to the author for the free novel and HFVBT for the invite.
July 20, 2025
There were things I liked about this book and things I didn’t like. I liked the topics and themes, as well as the writing. I didn’t really like the chapters when we followed Jacob. I thought Vita, and her story, was way more interesting. If some Jacob chapters were cut out, this probably could have been a 4 star read for me. I liked reading about a woman trying to become a doctor in the mid-19th century and I think the author did a good job with that part.
March 18, 2023
I was drawn to this immediately and as a lover of anything historical fiction it didn’t disappoint. Vita’s story is one of frustration as she is thwarted at every attempt to achieve her dream of becoming a doctor like her father.
Her hopes and aspirations are knocked time and again but she is resilient and hardworking and will not be stopped.
I loved the role Gemma and Mitty played in Vita’s life - supportive and caring they understood what she was driven by and showed the importance of having that support in her life.
These stories always make me think about how far we’ve come in woman’s rights - but also how far we have yet to go.
August 14, 2024
Sie hat nicht Dr. B. geheiratet :((((((
Und das Zugunfall-Kapitel war das beste am Buch
Und das Zugunfall-Kapitel war das beste am Buch
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 13, 2023
Just finished this wonderful book, The Physician's Daughter by Martha Conway. I'm not a historical fiction fan for the most part. Like if they hadn't numbered the World Wars, I wouldn't know which came first. (JK)
Still, this novel gives great insight into a woman's chances of becoming a certified doctor at the end of the Civil War. (Hint: 1865-1866)
The main character, Vita, is a physician's daughter whose brother died during the war. He was supposed to be the one who followed in Dad's footsteps. He never wanted to, but whip smart Vita always did. However, Dad was old school (read: about normal for the time period) and wouldn't suffer the indignities of having his daughter become a doctor. (How the world changes, eh?)
The important task for a woman in Vita's time period was to get married, not something Vita desired. So, rather than being pawned off on some old coot, she struck a deal with Jacob, a former soldier who somehow survived Andersonville prison. Their deal? He and Vita split her dowry. She gets the money for med school. He gets money for an invention he and a fellow prisoner concocted during their time in Andersonville.
It seems to be going along just peachy until Jacob suggests, on their wedding night, that Vita put her end of the bargain on hold and join his pursuit instead. Since she's now a married woman, all their joint funds are in Jacob's name. She assumes he's welching on their deal and leaves, basically dropping off the face of the earth.
I grew very attached to both Vita and Jacob and their individuals struggles. Hers were the taboos faced by a woman who wanted a career. His involved PTSD from the war.
What I really loved about the book was the insight into life as an intelligent woman in that time period. Each chapter of the book starts with a quote about women from a medical book written in the 1800s. They would be funny if the quotes did express widely-held beliefs of the day. For example:
Great story and very enlightening. I enjoyed it.
Still, this novel gives great insight into a woman's chances of becoming a certified doctor at the end of the Civil War. (Hint: 1865-1866)
The main character, Vita, is a physician's daughter whose brother died during the war. He was supposed to be the one who followed in Dad's footsteps. He never wanted to, but whip smart Vita always did. However, Dad was old school (read: about normal for the time period) and wouldn't suffer the indignities of having his daughter become a doctor. (How the world changes, eh?)
The important task for a woman in Vita's time period was to get married, not something Vita desired. So, rather than being pawned off on some old coot, she struck a deal with Jacob, a former soldier who somehow survived Andersonville prison. Their deal? He and Vita split her dowry. She gets the money for med school. He gets money for an invention he and a fellow prisoner concocted during their time in Andersonville.
It seems to be going along just peachy until Jacob suggests, on their wedding night, that Vita put her end of the bargain on hold and join his pursuit instead. Since she's now a married woman, all their joint funds are in Jacob's name. She assumes he's welching on their deal and leaves, basically dropping off the face of the earth.
I grew very attached to both Vita and Jacob and their individuals struggles. Hers were the taboos faced by a woman who wanted a career. His involved PTSD from the war.
What I really loved about the book was the insight into life as an intelligent woman in that time period. Each chapter of the book starts with a quote about women from a medical book written in the 1800s. They would be funny if the quotes did express widely-held beliefs of the day. For example:
"The majority of women (happily for them) are not much troubled by sexual feeling of any kind." From The Functions and Disorders of the Reproductive Organs, Dr. William Acton, 1881
Great story and very enlightening. I enjoyed it.
March 8, 2022
Set in 1865 at the end of the American Civil War, we meet young and ambitious Vita Tenney who wants to follow in her father’s footsteps and become a doctor. In those times, sadly options to women are not openly available to pursue a career and the only option is marriage. Vita knows she must leave home to pursue her dreams. When she meets a war veteran, she seizes the opportunity to escape. Can Vita fight against the societal norms and hold on to the life she wants?
Vita is a fantastic character in this novel, demonstrating sheer determination and passion to pursue her dreams to become a doctor despite everyone around her, including her father disapproving and dispelling her ambition. I felt constant frustration and anger on her behalf as she seeks constant approval and support from her immediate family (yet doesn’t openly receive or is taken seriously) but Vita does not give up. She displays courage, wit, intellect but equally shares her vulnerabilities when dealing with her somewhat naïve outlook on what she can hope to achieve as well as in matters of the heart.
The time period of this novel really reminded me of Little Women which is set in a similar time in the States, with Vita drawing many parallels to strong headed Jo who is defying convention and forging her own ambition and career, proving there is much more to a woman’s life than marriage and having children.
In most of the chapters, Conway includes a genuine historic quote from male authors giving their authoritative opinions on women and on a woman’s ability to become a doctor in the late 1880s. I found them all to be ridiculously funny and absurd but telling of the times and how women were explicitly invisible and sidelined. If I were living in the late 19th century I would have been totally outraged!
This is a compelling and inspiring read with a strong female lead. A great read to mark #internationalwomensday
Vita is a fantastic character in this novel, demonstrating sheer determination and passion to pursue her dreams to become a doctor despite everyone around her, including her father disapproving and dispelling her ambition. I felt constant frustration and anger on her behalf as she seeks constant approval and support from her immediate family (yet doesn’t openly receive or is taken seriously) but Vita does not give up. She displays courage, wit, intellect but equally shares her vulnerabilities when dealing with her somewhat naïve outlook on what she can hope to achieve as well as in matters of the heart.
The time period of this novel really reminded me of Little Women which is set in a similar time in the States, with Vita drawing many parallels to strong headed Jo who is defying convention and forging her own ambition and career, proving there is much more to a woman’s life than marriage and having children.
In most of the chapters, Conway includes a genuine historic quote from male authors giving their authoritative opinions on women and on a woman’s ability to become a doctor in the late 1880s. I found them all to be ridiculously funny and absurd but telling of the times and how women were explicitly invisible and sidelined. If I were living in the late 19th century I would have been totally outraged!
This is a compelling and inspiring read with a strong female lead. A great read to mark #internationalwomensday
September 13, 2023
1865 and the American Civil War has just ended. Lark's Eye, Massachusetts.
Vita Tenney has always wanted to become a doctor, like her father. She longs for his approval but it is never given. She is very bright and has shared her brother's tutor, studying science, maths, Latin and Greek, helping him with his studies.
Sadly, her brother died at the end of the war and her father decides that her only future is to get married. She does meet a nice, thoughtful man and together they seem to have worked out a plan which will satisfy both their dreams.
This is Vita's story - her struggles to follow her chosen path, fighting against prejudice and social convention. (There is precedent for her dream - Elizabeth Blackwell had graduated from New York's Geneva Medical College in 1849 and subsequently several other women had become doctors. However, like them, her life was not going to be easy).
Likeable and engaging main character.
Graphic descriptions of sick and injured people, living conditions of soldiers during the Civil War.
Definitely worth a read.
It would seem that the struggles for equality in medicine are still not over. News released yesterday announced that nearly one in three female surgeons working in the NHS have been sexually assaulted in the past five years, sometimes even in the operating theatre.
Vita Tenney has always wanted to become a doctor, like her father. She longs for his approval but it is never given. She is very bright and has shared her brother's tutor, studying science, maths, Latin and Greek, helping him with his studies.
Sadly, her brother died at the end of the war and her father decides that her only future is to get married. She does meet a nice, thoughtful man and together they seem to have worked out a plan which will satisfy both their dreams.
This is Vita's story - her struggles to follow her chosen path, fighting against prejudice and social convention. (There is precedent for her dream - Elizabeth Blackwell had graduated from New York's Geneva Medical College in 1849 and subsequently several other women had become doctors. However, like them, her life was not going to be easy).
Likeable and engaging main character.
Graphic descriptions of sick and injured people, living conditions of soldiers during the Civil War.
Definitely worth a read.
It would seem that the struggles for equality in medicine are still not over. News released yesterday announced that nearly one in three female surgeons working in the NHS have been sexually assaulted in the past five years, sometimes even in the operating theatre.
May 16, 2022
The Physician’s Daughter is a wonderfully detailed and engrossing journey to another world. I’m a huge fan of Martha Conway’s mix of believable characters, beautiful clear writing, and dramatic stories, where the fascinating and illuminating historical detail feels completely authentic, without ever slowing the book. I read it in a single day, unable to stop.
I loved Vita’s passionate longing to become a doctor, the obstacles in her way, the slow and authentic look at her romantic and unromantic relationships – she’s flawed in engaging ways, and although she’s smart and heroic, she’s also very real, individual, and human. Her father, a doctor himself, refuses to support her desire for medicine, though she has more talent for it than her beloved lost brother. He sets out to marry her off, but the book takes several unexpected turns.
The other character we follow, Jacob Culhane, a traumatized Civil War veteran, has his own strengths and weaknesses, and the portrayal of his wartime and post-war life feels real and also very sympathetic. The characters have to become bigger, kinder, wiser, more open even as they struggle towards their dreams. So the emotional journey is as intense and fascinating as their actual journeys in the world.
I loved Vita’s passionate longing to become a doctor, the obstacles in her way, the slow and authentic look at her romantic and unromantic relationships – she’s flawed in engaging ways, and although she’s smart and heroic, she’s also very real, individual, and human. Her father, a doctor himself, refuses to support her desire for medicine, though she has more talent for it than her beloved lost brother. He sets out to marry her off, but the book takes several unexpected turns.
The other character we follow, Jacob Culhane, a traumatized Civil War veteran, has his own strengths and weaknesses, and the portrayal of his wartime and post-war life feels real and also very sympathetic. The characters have to become bigger, kinder, wiser, more open even as they struggle towards their dreams. So the emotional journey is as intense and fascinating as their actual journeys in the world.
April 25, 2022
I highly recommend this wonderful novel that centers on the struggle of 18-year-olf Vita Tenney to fulfill her dream and become a doctor like her father. Underpinned by meticulous research, the story details the tiny loopholes of opportunity that Vita must negotiate. Very few women had become doctors in the US at that time, but she holds onto their examples in spite of all the resistance from her family, the "system," and her circumstances. While Vita's campaign to prepare for and win acceptance in medical school is at the core of the novel, there is so much more to it. The story is set just at the close of the Civil War, and grief for that tragedy colors the whole -- most specifically for Vita and her family because her beloved older brother Freddy died in the last stages of that devastating conflict. Everyone is affected by the war and its aftermath, including Jacob, whose role in Vita's story takes twists and turns that keep you reading to the end. The details of the settings in New England and Ohio are beautifully drawn, and every character plays their part to a tee! Indeed, one of my most favorites was Sweetie, the bird.
April 21, 2023
If you like historical fiction and reading about women trying to break into a male profession, you will enjoy The Physician's Daughter. It was particularly interesting because a good deal of the story took place in Cleveland during the mid 1860s Cleveland's Gilded Age.
August 24, 2022
With an interest in women doctors of the 1800s, I was thrilled to receive an ARC of The Physician’s Daughter by Martha Conway in exchange for my honest review. Set in the early months and year following the end of the Civil War, we meet Vita Tenney and her family. Drawn to the science and intricate workings of the human body, Vita’s lifelong dream is to become a doctor like her father. Her desire permeates every page despite her parents’ flat-out objections and parade of potential husbands, limited choices for a woman to attend medical school in 1865, and a lack of financial resources. I loved Vita’s stead-fast resolve as she developed ways to hurdle each obstacle, often with carefully calculated maneuvers. Alongside Vita’s story, Conway includes the emotional and psychological scars the Civil War marks upon each character, from Vita, to her father, to a soldier returning to the humble, small (fictional) town of Lark’s Eye, MA. One of the final chapters covering a disaster scene is a remarkable piece of writing, placing the reader amidst the chaos. Vita again stands true to resolve and rises to caring for victims of the disaster. The chapter tags used at the beginning of each chapter provided amusing factoids and snippets from books written during the mid-1800s to provide additional depth to the story. A must read for readers looking for a strong woman protagonist during this period of history.
October 9, 2022
Most fathers would be thrilled to hear that their child wants to follow in their footsteps but it's 1865 and Dr. Arthur Tenney refuses to give his eighteen-year-old daughter permission to go to medical school. He reminds her that it's time that she marry, have babies, and accept her station in life. Vita, however, is determined to become a doctor and she sets out to make her dreams a reality, with the help of war veteran Jacob Culhane. He's chasing his own dreams and together, they may be able to attain their goals by entering a marriage of convenience. Neither is prepared for the attraction that grows between them!
Author Martha Conway has created a wonderful heroine in this intriguing look at the prejudices that women have encountered in the past. I was also drawn to Jacob's battle with the mental trauma that resulted from his service during the Civil War. Both of these scenarios are reminders that some things never completely change. Women are still trying to break through glass ceilings and PTSD remains an issue in our twenty-first century
Fascinating characters, a historical setting, and Conway's extensive research of the medical practices of the 19th century make this a book that I couldn't put down. The Physician's Daughter is captivating historical fiction!
I received a complimentary copy from the author via Historical Fiction Virtual Book Tours. There was no obligation for a positive review.
Author Martha Conway has created a wonderful heroine in this intriguing look at the prejudices that women have encountered in the past. I was also drawn to Jacob's battle with the mental trauma that resulted from his service during the Civil War. Both of these scenarios are reminders that some things never completely change. Women are still trying to break through glass ceilings and PTSD remains an issue in our twenty-first century
Fascinating characters, a historical setting, and Conway's extensive research of the medical practices of the 19th century make this a book that I couldn't put down. The Physician's Daughter is captivating historical fiction!
I received a complimentary copy from the author via Historical Fiction Virtual Book Tours. There was no obligation for a positive review.
October 4, 2022
The book got interesting about chapter 22 or so out of 26. I just found it a bit disjointed and that the plot was missing something. It was a fine book but I couldn't really recommend anyone read it unless you really love medical-esque US civil war stories (which I'm not sure if I was just tired reading parts of it or if it really did seem to be sad about the side that won...)
May 1, 2024
This was good and I really enjoyed it. It's more historical fiction than historical romance. The first half has the romance stuff while the second half has, basically, none at all. So if you're interested in it for the love story you'll be disappointed. Regardless, still recommend for those who like a determined female lead and late 1800's setting.
March 7, 2023
3.5 stars
July 7, 2024
This is a really interesting and emotive book. The start and ending was very captivating. Although the middle was a little dull at times.
August 1, 2022
Martha Conway takes us on the most intriguing journey into the post-Civil War era. I adored the spunky protagonist Vita Tenney, who longs to be a doctor and is willing to fight for the right to study and practice medicine. The meticulous research brings to life both the medical knowledge of the era and the struggle of a young woman in late-eighteenth-century America to value both her own mind and her own heart. What an enthralling read!
February 1, 2024
I really enjoyed this one! The characters were likeable and the plot was compelling. I particularly liked Jacob.
April 8, 2022
This book had me engrossed *almost* from the start.
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