The Birth House by Ami McKay is a work of fiction, but is based on events in the town where she currently lives. The author moved to Scots Bay, Nova Scotia and lives in an old home in the community. After finding interesting artifacts all over the home and grounds, she discovered that her home was actually the home of the community midwife and served as a birth house. The seed was planted, and this novel is the product.
The book is set during WWI and also the beginning of the scientific movement in the world of birth. It chronicles not only the story of a Traditional midwife passing her knowledge to the next generation, but also the fight that began when doctors decided to join the birth business. It also briefly covers the advent of "cures" for hysteria in women, which at the time basically meant any behavior out a woman other than obedience. The birth of the modern vibrator is due to these cures...so ladies, we can thank crazy doctors for our toys.
The birth scenes in the book are very raw and powerful, and the author took great pains to get them correct, speaking with midwives while writing the scenes. The herbal treatments used in the books actually have root in many of the herbal remedies used today by midwives. For those interested in midwifery and the history of the profession, this is a great read for that purpose.
I enjoyed the way the book is written, which is almost as a scrapbook of sorts. It includes not only the narration, but also news clippings, ads, letters, and other memorabilia. It does not do this in an annoying way (like a kids book or some other novels I have read), but rather just sort of slips it in. It adds to the realism of the story.
I don't want to give away the plot, since this is a work of fiction (I hate when reviews do that), but I will say that it captures your attention and will not let go. I did not know that the book was based on the home the author lived in, but after knowing that (in the afterward), it makes the book seem that much more rich.
No comments:
Post a Comment