The Birth House is the story of Dora Rare, the first daughter to be born in five generations of the Rare family. As a child in an isolated village in Nova Scotia, she is drawn to Miss Babineau, an outspoken Acadian midwife with a gift for healing and a kitchen filled with herbs and folk remedies. During the turbulent first years of World War I, Dora becomes the midwife’s apprentice. Together, … Together, they help the women of Scots Bay through infertility, difficult labors, breech births, unwanted pregnancies and even unfulfilling sex lives.
But when Gilbert Thomas, a brash medical doctor, comes to Scots Bay with promises of fast, painless childbirth, some of the women begin to question Miss Babineau’s methods—and after Miss Babineau’s death, Dora is left to carry on alone. In the face of fierce opposition, she must summon all of her strength to protect the birthing traditions and wisdom that have been passed down to her.
Filled with details that are as compelling as they are surprising—childbirth in the aftermath of the Halifax Explosion, the prescribing of vibratory treatments to cure hysteria and a mysterious elixir called Beaver Brew—Ami McKay has created an arresting and unforgettable portrait of the struggles that women faced to have control of their own bodies and to keep the best parts of tradition alive in the world of modern medicine.
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Perhaps a little predictable, but at the same time, with such great writing, I learned so much about the hopes and beliefs and history of people during this time that I enjoyed it all.
As I start this review, I haven’t yet decided how many stars to award. It’s funny, I don’t usually read the other reviews on books before I’ve read the book myself. If I did, I might have been swayed and missed out on some books that I, personally, enjoyed, even if they weren’t right for others. So, it was out of character for me to even cast a …
I loved the characters! Story was a little predictable but totally enjoyable.
I would recommend this book. It was a great read I didn’t want it to end. I loved the main character and the woman who was teaching her to take over as a midwife when she died. I wish there was a sequel to this story.
Good story about a young woman and her life in a coastal Canadian community before, during and after WWI. Dealt a lot with how strangers come in and try to change the way people live their lives thinking they know best.
I loved this book.
This was a fascinating book about the early 1900’s and how giving birth was handled at that time. It was well written and held your interest throughout. I am certainly glad I live in the present time and don’t have to deal with the situations of that time. A very good read.
Not what I expected but interesting. It kept me reading, but the end was rather flat.
It was interesting to read the ideas and views of child birth before modernization became mainstream. Some parts of the story seemed unnecessary and appeared to be in for length but overall great read!
Great story of life before hospitals when life was simpler but the daily struggles were real.
This is a very engaging story of a small seaside community in Nova Scotia in the early 20th century and during World War I. Somewhat isolated, the people still adhered to old customs and traditions that had served them well for generations. Conflict arises when a new doctor comes to town and tries to change things. There is also the changing …
i loved this book. the characters were real and not romanticized. it shows the mercy we can give to others and ourselves.
I really enjoyed it. Some unexpected turns that make it hard to put down.
My grandmother was a midwife in Ontario during this time period. The book brought back stories she told of the “old” ways. What a joy to know that midwifery is now both legal and back in fashion.
I enjoyed the main character.
She was a strong person and I learned a lot from the story. It was worth reading and kept my attention.
I thought the book was well-written and held my interest to the end. I liked the time period, being transitional with respect to the subjects, women’s rights and childbirth. I would highly recommend the author.
If you are a dyed in the wool feminist, you will enjoy this book very much. If you are not, the setting change from the hills to the city will jar you as the plot does not seem to truly drive it and the description of characters there will be even more boringly thin or idealized than the ‘opposition’ at home. A morality play that is hard to …
Great book about women in a remote village in Nova Scotia in the early 1900’s.
Wonderful story. Well written and enjoyable.
Fascinating look at the conflict between medical doctors and midwives during the early 1900s.