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The Midwife of St. Petersburg
The Flames of Love and Revolution…
It is Czarist Russia, 1914. Karena Peshkev dreams of escaping her family’s country estate and attending medical school. But each year, as she watches her hopes of being accepted to the Imperial College of Medicine slip further away, she much content herself with working alongside her mother, the village’s Jewish midwife.
On a visit to her cousin’s sumptuous mansion, Karena gets a taste of Russian high society–and meets Colonel Alexsandr Kronstadt. Their attraction is immediate, but they can never act on it. Alex is meant for Karena’s cousin, the general’s daughter, a superior match politically and socially.
But when the accusations of Bolshevik conspiracy tear her family apart, Karena and her mother flee to St. Petersburg. The Okhrana –the Russian secret police–are convinced Karena is a Bolshevik traitor, in league with the rebel party’s leader. Certain she is guilty of murder and assassination, they’re determined to hunt her down. Alex risks his career and his life to protect her from afar, but will it be enough? Will he find her in time to save her from false accusations–and declare his love?
Vibrant with historical detail and richly woven themes of danger, romance, and God’s faithfulness, The Midwife of St. Petersburg is an eloquent tale portraying the beauty and madness of a country that is about to change forever.
It is Czarist Russia, 1914. Karena Peshkev dreams of escaping her family’s country estate and attending medical school. But each year, as she watches her hopes of being accepted to the Imperial College of Medicine slip further away, she much content herself with working alongside her mother, the village’s Jewish midwife.
On a visit to her cousin’s sumptuous mansion, Karena gets a taste of Russian high society–and meets Colonel Alexsandr Kronstadt. Their attraction is immediate, but they can never act on it. Alex is meant for Karena’s cousin, the general’s daughter, a superior match politically and socially.
But when the accusations of Bolshevik conspiracy tear her family apart, Karena and her mother flee to St. Petersburg. The Okhrana –the Russian secret police–are convinced Karena is a Bolshevik traitor, in league with the rebel party’s leader. Certain she is guilty of murder and assassination, they’re determined to hunt her down. Alex risks his career and his life to protect her from afar, but will it be enough? Will he find her in time to save her from false accusations–and declare his love?
Vibrant with historical detail and richly woven themes of danger, romance, and God’s faithfulness, The Midwife of St. Petersburg is an eloquent tale portraying the beauty and madness of a country that is about to change forever.
335 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2007
17 people are currently reading
311 people want to read
About the author
Linda Lee Chaikin
47 books229 followersLinda Chaikin is a Christian fiction author with a focus on historical fiction. She sometimes publishes using the name L.L. Chaikin.
Linda was the youngest of 10 children and her father died shortly after she was born. She wrote her first full-length novel with pen and paper at the age of 14 - this novel was later rewritten as Wednesday's Child, part of the Day to Remember series.
She met her husband, Steve, in a Bible study, and they were married 6 months later. They both went to Multnomah School for the Bible, now known as Multnomah Bible College and Biblical Seminary in Portland, Oregon.
Linda was the youngest of 10 children and her father died shortly after she was born. She wrote her first full-length novel with pen and paper at the age of 14 - this novel was later rewritten as Wednesday's Child, part of the Day to Remember series.
She met her husband, Steve, in a Bible study, and they were married 6 months later. They both went to Multnomah School for the Bible, now known as Multnomah Bible College and Biblical Seminary in Portland, Oregon.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 36 reviews
July 6, 2008
I have to speak out about this poorly written book. It is not what the title says. Only one baby is born in this whole book and not by a midwife. I love the history of Russia that it is set in but I don't know how accurate she is. It is s christian book, which is fine but you are left wondering what religion she actually believes in. The ending is horrible doesn't finish the story at all. Now if the author intends on continueing the story, then I could understand but I don't know if she is.
July 12, 2021
History and fiction are richly blended in The Midwife of St. Petersburg. The history is 1914 czarist Russia in the early days of the Bolshevik uprising. The fiction is the life of Karena Peshkova. She works beside her mother, a Jewish midwife in hopes she will be accepted into the Imperial College of Medicine and Midwifery. A summer vacation to her cousin, Tatiana's sumptuous mansion opens a new world of high society, politics and arranged marriages. Linda Lee Chaikin writes in detail about history, love, revolution and the madness that can change life forever.
April 25, 2010
This is one of my favorite books. I love all of Linda Chaikin's books, but this is one of her better ones. The ending is not a "happily-ever-after" ending, but a more realistic one. I would enjoy reading a sequel to this- maybe with a "better" ending? - but I absolutely love this book just the way it is.
Oh, and I totally LOVE the nome Aleksandr :D
Oh, and I totally LOVE the nome Aleksandr :D
February 2, 2023
2.5⭐️ this book was a disappointment.
The eBook I bought is riddled with errors! ( every single page, sometimes I couldn’t even figure out what it should say. I assume it was a poor ocr conversion. But considering the book cost me money I was not impressed).
The title is misleading. The fact that the heroine is a midwife ( sort of, she wants more training at a hospital) has nothing to do with the story. There is one chapter about a birth she attends but that’s it and it was like a commercial to make the book about a midwife. I expected a novel about a midwife. The heroine could have been a teacher or a laundress. And the story wouldn’t have had to be any different. It Certainly was not central to the plot
The story dragged. Some events you wondered why they were even included. A few exciting points where it was a page turner. But much of the time i could have cared less what the characters were doing.
I did like the side story about a Jewish professor researching the Messiah. But even that could have been more incorporated into the story.
This book just fell flat for me. And If you choose to read it get a hard copy!
The eBook I bought is riddled with errors! ( every single page, sometimes I couldn’t even figure out what it should say. I assume it was a poor ocr conversion. But considering the book cost me money I was not impressed).
The title is misleading. The fact that the heroine is a midwife ( sort of, she wants more training at a hospital) has nothing to do with the story. There is one chapter about a birth she attends but that’s it and it was like a commercial to make the book about a midwife. I expected a novel about a midwife. The heroine could have been a teacher or a laundress. And the story wouldn’t have had to be any different. It Certainly was not central to the plot
The story dragged. Some events you wondered why they were even included. A few exciting points where it was a page turner. But much of the time i could have cared less what the characters were doing.
I did like the side story about a Jewish professor researching the Messiah. But even that could have been more incorporated into the story.
This book just fell flat for me. And If you choose to read it get a hard copy!
July 5, 2024
The writing was mediocre. While I appreciated that the Gospel was included, in my opinion it was thrown in very awkwardly. There wasn’t much of a story arch so the ending was very anticlimactic. I did appreciate some tidbits of Russian history, but those bits were confusing to me because I don’t have much previous context for them. There were even some Russian words included, but not enough explanation for me to feel confident that I knew what they meant. Not one I’d read again, unfortunately.
August 6, 2018
Loved this book. I was impressed that the author focused so much on the political turmoil during the time period, and how it would have affected the characters and plot. Slightly open ending wasn't quite as satisfying as a total wrap up, but I understand why the author made that choice, and totally respect it.
February 4, 2024
I found this book very slow. There were some tense parts, but a lot of background and descriptions. And a lot of politics. I don’t know that part of history well so the historical aspect was interesting. Overall, I didn’t find it all that wonderful. And then it ended with lots of questions.
October 7, 2017
This story is set in Russia and Karina wants to go to medical school but is having trouble being accepted due to her religion. We see the people she meets and her journey.
September 8, 2018
Is there s sequel to this book? It ended so abruptly! Not even an epilogue? Hmmmm...
February 24, 2017
Heel veel Russische geschiedenis, heel veel Russische namen, heel laag tempo: het was niet eenvoudig om in het verhaal te komen en de eerste helft was even doorzetten. In de tweede helft ging het tempo wat omhoog, de namen kwamen bekend voor en er kwam zowaar enige spanning in.
Karina is een jong meisje, dat als kind al met haar moeder meeging, die als vroedvrouw werkt in het dorp waar ze wonen. Haar stiefvader beheert een landgoed in de buurt van Kiev, haar broer Sergej heeft zich aangesloten bij de bolsjewieken. De eerste wereldoorlog dreigt er aan te komen.
Het leven is onzeker: iedereen wordt bespioneerd. De tsarina is onder de invloed van Raspoetin en ook andere adellijke dames laten zich door deze dronken boer, zoals anderen hem zien, volkomen inpakken.
Kolonel Aleksandr Kronstadt is zo goed als verloofd met het nichtje van Karina, Tatjana, de verwende dochter van generaal Roskov, die hem net bevorderd heeft tot kolonel. Het is een gearrangeerde verloving, want veel voelen ze niet voor elkaar.
Karina heeft maar één wens: ze wil haar moeder opvolgen als vroedvrouw en daarvoor moet ze toegelaten worden tot Keizerlijke Academie voor Geneeskunst. Telkens weer krijgt ze een afwijzend antwoord op haar aanvraag voor inschrijving, waarschijnlijk mede vanwege haar joodse afkomst. De jodenhaat groeit steeds meer en vormt een bedreiging voor de familie van Karina.
De activiteiten van broer Sergej brengen de hele familie in groot gevaar. Ze raken hun landgoed kwijt en vluchten naar Sint Petersburg. Maar of ze daarmee ver genoeg zijn?
Karina is een jong meisje, dat als kind al met haar moeder meeging, die als vroedvrouw werkt in het dorp waar ze wonen. Haar stiefvader beheert een landgoed in de buurt van Kiev, haar broer Sergej heeft zich aangesloten bij de bolsjewieken. De eerste wereldoorlog dreigt er aan te komen.
Het leven is onzeker: iedereen wordt bespioneerd. De tsarina is onder de invloed van Raspoetin en ook andere adellijke dames laten zich door deze dronken boer, zoals anderen hem zien, volkomen inpakken.
Kolonel Aleksandr Kronstadt is zo goed als verloofd met het nichtje van Karina, Tatjana, de verwende dochter van generaal Roskov, die hem net bevorderd heeft tot kolonel. Het is een gearrangeerde verloving, want veel voelen ze niet voor elkaar.
Karina heeft maar één wens: ze wil haar moeder opvolgen als vroedvrouw en daarvoor moet ze toegelaten worden tot Keizerlijke Academie voor Geneeskunst. Telkens weer krijgt ze een afwijzend antwoord op haar aanvraag voor inschrijving, waarschijnlijk mede vanwege haar joodse afkomst. De jodenhaat groeit steeds meer en vormt een bedreiging voor de familie van Karina.
De activiteiten van broer Sergej brengen de hele familie in groot gevaar. Ze raken hun landgoed kwijt en vluchten naar Sint Petersburg. Maar of ze daarmee ver genoeg zijn?
August 9, 2011
A novel about a Jewish family struggling in Russia at the outbreak of World War I. I've never read about this before, the struggle of Jews, and how they used to be treated. Clearly, that is no motive for what has been done later on but that is quite a different matter.
In this novel, we find ourselves deeply moved by the commitment of Colonel Alex to his country and that of Karena to her family.
A man who is not afraid to admit that he has fallen in love, although he is supposedly to be engaged to a wealthy noble yet silly girl, that shows great confidence that is not afraid to show its struggle with itself to the world. He did try to break free from the love he felt for Karena, yet succeed he did not and therefore accepted it and acted upon it eventually. I liked that he admited it to himself that he was enchanted by Karena when he first laid eyes on her, he knew it would lead to trouble because he couldn't hide it from anyone including himself, he was an honest man that's what I loved most about him.
The ending was quite open and rather fast, but it gives the reader the hope that is expected, for we've been anxious to know of the future that this family has waiting for them. But I would've liked the ending to be longer.
I loved the feel of the novel, Russia in the 20th century with circumstances so complicated, that get you turning the page and keeping your fingers crossed for that elegant officer to come in like a knight and claim Karena as his own, ah that is quite romantic for such a novel, but the author did nurture such hopes in me while reading the book.
In this novel, we find ourselves deeply moved by the commitment of Colonel Alex to his country and that of Karena to her family.
A man who is not afraid to admit that he has fallen in love, although he is supposedly to be engaged to a wealthy noble yet silly girl, that shows great confidence that is not afraid to show its struggle with itself to the world. He did try to break free from the love he felt for Karena, yet succeed he did not and therefore accepted it and acted upon it eventually. I liked that he admited it to himself that he was enchanted by Karena when he first laid eyes on her, he knew it would lead to trouble because he couldn't hide it from anyone including himself, he was an honest man that's what I loved most about him.
The ending was quite open and rather fast, but it gives the reader the hope that is expected, for we've been anxious to know of the future that this family has waiting for them. But I would've liked the ending to be longer.
I loved the feel of the novel, Russia in the 20th century with circumstances so complicated, that get you turning the page and keeping your fingers crossed for that elegant officer to come in like a knight and claim Karena as his own, ah that is quite romantic for such a novel, but the author did nurture such hopes in me while reading the book.
May 10, 2016
I love Chaikin, however, out of all her novels this one didn't rate at the top of the list. The storytelling was well done and her signature intrigue was present but it just didn't feel enough like Russia to me. Maybe it is because, after spending a significant amount of time in Russia, I have higher standards when it comes to writing about a place so dear to my heart. I did find it interesting that she chose a "middle class" family to write about. Normally, either the peasants or the aristocracy get the spotlight , so this was an interesting twist to see a family caught in-between with ties to both groups. Overall it was still an enjoyable read with some very interesting spiritual applications, Russian-Jewish history and a focus on the messanic prophecies.
November 14, 2015
Linda Chaikin is one of my most favourite Christian fiction authors, so this book was especially disappointing. The whole story was very slow moving, the romance was tepid and not believable, the theme of characters finding their way to believing in Jesus as Messiah was downplayed and really didn't go anywhere, and the ending was very unfinished. It felt like the amount of action, background, subplots, etc needed to carry the plot should have filled three books, not one. I guess I'll have to go read her Silk series again, for probably the eighth time!
December 30, 2012
I really enjoyed this book. Historical fiction around the Bolshevik Revolution in Russia. Rasputin and Czar Nicolas were characters. It was also a Christian love story. A Jewish family finds Christ as their Messiah. Learned a lot about anti-semitism in Russia and Poland at the time. Also learned at a deeper level the term prgrom - it had to do with destroying the Jews in shorter campaigns in eastern Europe at the time.
April 4, 2011
Not every story ends in a fairy tale. This one is of Imperial Russia revolution time, very touching, especially to know that it was mostly true how Jews and russian peasants endured thru the rule of the tzars. A glimpse of old world with the glimpse of hope. Would definitely like to see the sequel to this book!
September 15, 2011
The story didn't really go anywhere in this book. It just kind of plodded on. The characters never really developed into much, even though they definitely could have. The story just kind of went from one thing to another without any meaning. The description of the book on the back cover did not really match what happened inside.
March 5, 2008
Interesting story and fun characters - set in Russia during the first World War. The pace seemed off, though; I thought the ending was abrupt. Writing was good - I was able to picture the area very well, and I sympathized with the characters.
July 14, 2008
The story was good, the writing not so much. Every time I'd almost get into the story there would be a comment or something that didn't fit in the storyline that grabbed my attention away from the story. It got irritating after a while.
August 29, 2008
This book was very enjoyable...until it ended. Duh!!! I felt like the author must have been sick of the book so one morning she got up and said, time to end this book in 15 words or less. Very frustrating!!
August 17, 2012
Really enjoyed this wonderful story. It had a beautiful voice and the storyline was so interesting and kept a good pace. I liked it enough to check out the author and seek other books. Very good read.
August 23, 2012
I enjoyed the book because I learned a little something about Russia in the early 1900's. There were a few too many characters for my taste and the ending felt like the beginning of a sequel but I could find no evidence that this book is part of a series.
November 29, 2014
I kept thinking, "When is this book going to start?" I used to love this author and it was the only reason I picked it up. If I had this one first, I probably would have never tried anything of hers again. :(
February 12, 2016
This book was just ok. One thing that bothered me was that the hero and the heroine barely spent any time together at all. I was very disappointed. The weird thing is that I could not put the book down. The ending ruined the whole thing for me though.
February 21, 2008
I wish there had been a better ending. there are alot of loose ends and i would have enjoyed it more if I thought there was a sequel :) but very good.
October 6, 2008
This book was ok. It is definatly not the best book Linda Chaiken has ever wrote. But the ending was really bad, there needs to be a sequal or something... :)
January 8, 2011
*sighs contentedly* I adore Chaikin's books and this one was just as amzing as I had hoped. (btw reading this book could lead to infatuations with the name Aleksandr...)
December 24, 2009
About Russia before revolution-
January 9, 2011
Very Evangelical Protestant (read: not Orthodox) take on Russia right before the Revolution, but it was an interesting read and engaging storyline.
March 28, 2011
Great plot idea, but it wasn't fleshed out at well as I had hoped it would be. Not much of a climax or an ending.
April 26, 2011
I really liked this book. It reminded me of Phillipa Gregory but better because it was Russian aristocracy.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 36 reviews