2025 & 2026 Reading Challenge discussion

Tell us what you thought of the book! You can leave your review here. Even if you read the book outside of the group, please feel free to let us know what you thought of it.

What was enjoyable or not-so-enjoyable about this book?
Did this book change your perception about anything, either within the book (character development) or in real life?

Please make sure to mark your spoilers by typing [spoiler] at the start and [/spoiler] at the end but replacing the [] with <>.

I read this one on my own in December 2024, so not in the year shown above. That being said, it was and still is one of my favorite books ever. I thought it was so well-written and the history of the real woman who was definitely beyond her time was so inspiring.

My Review Sorry, but for some reason it wouldn't let me provide a link to my review because it was from another site. But it is on Goodreads. Makes no sense to me.)
Wow! Where do I begin? I was totally engrossed in this historical fiction based on the real life midwife, Martha Ballard. I can't imagine a better written, more informative blend of fiction and history, than this book. I was 100% into all of the characters, good or bad, my emotions ran the gamut, and I can honestly say that this book, more than any other that I can remember, also angered me to no end! The treatment of, or rather mistreatment of, women throughout the years was brought to light in this novel.

Martha Ballard is summoned to find out the cause of death of a man found dead in the frozen river, but she saw the cause of death as suspicious. She suspected he'd been beaten and hanged but where was the proof? It was a man's world for sure back in the late 1700's where this took place. I have known that women didn't have rights, but that a woman who's delivered hundreds of babies and is the main healer, though not a doctor, of the town was not heard or believed infuriated me!

Rebecca Foster, the pastor Isaac Foster's wife, claimed rape by two men; however, what proof did she have? After all, there was NO witness. One of the men she claimed raped her is the man who was found dead in the river. Many people would want to have killed this man, or so it seemed. This was at a time when women were fined for "fornication" and what about the man? hmm...anger arose in me!

I don't want to say much more but what I will say is this. I was torn by Martha's and Rebecca's stories especially. Deaths were not uncommon, such diseases as diphtheria claimed lives, children died, women were raped and too often not believed, the justice system sucked. These two women's stories in particular broke my heart and made me cry. For anyone who reads the book, you will know what I mean when I simply say this: I LOVE what Martha did towards the end of the book to protect herself from harm. You will know that moment when you read it. Guaranteed!

Highly recommend you read this one and don't forget Author's Notes...very important

I finished reading this today and really enjoyed the story. I love historical fiction and this one takes us back to the 1700s. Crazy to think women didn't even know how to write their name back then. Women didn't have many rights at all, which was unfortunate. I loved Martha and all she did for everyone in this story.

This was the best historical fiction I have read. I really found all the characters believable as we follow the life of the midwife in a small town where corruption is running rampant from the military and how she, in her stubbornness foils their efforts.

I can't recommend the book enough for the historical fiction aficionados.