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highly recommended |
Whimsical first showing for Mckay 
This first outing for Mckay shows definite promise if for nothing else the unique characters and the magical undertones. The story of the passing of an old midwife's secrets to her successor was full of girly spunk.
The plot line kept my nose to the ink, but the ending (no spoiler here) could have used a 24 ounce steak. It just wasn't beefy enough to sink your teeth into. You wanted so much more... and that is all I can say about that. All in all - 'nuff said, I would purchase her next novel.
An Okay Debut Novel 
This was Ami McKay's debut novel, and for a first effort it was okay. The topic was interesting and one can tell that she truly loves her adopted home of Nova Scotia.
The novel revolves around Dora Rare, who has been chosen as the next mid-wife of Scots Bay at the tender age of 17, and her coming of age in that capacity. She does so at a time when the time-honored mid-wife is coming face to face with that of the budding OBGYN in a clash of science and wills. Add to this mix the idea that women are becoming more vocal politically, and the potential for a fine recipe for a novel is born.
However, this one disappoints. The writing is an easy style. Ms. McKay certainly can keep her words flowing easily. Yet, her characters are so entirely one dimensional! The doctor is the embodiment of evil - he has not one singularly nice quality about him. I've never met anyone like that. Also, the women who do not approve of Dora or "Miss B" are of the ilk of hypocritical old bats - nothing nice there, either. Naturally, those who "take" to Dora are kind, nice, intelligent, tolerant, emitting all the good qualities everyone would love, and having absolutely none of the bad. Just who ARE these people?!?!!?
One thing that annoys me with some historical novel writers (such as this one) is when they write a 21st century character into another time period. It is just over the top and doesn't work.
There is potential for this author, but I hope she doesn't allow herself to sink into the morass of dimestore romances!
Is There More? 
I loved this book and had a hard time putting it down. I loved the characters and could see books being written about each one of them. Perhaps a series about the lives of the women of the Occasional Knitters Society. I laughed out loud several times and cried just as many. I thought this was an excellant first novel for author Ami McKay.
Good Lazy Weekend Read
I enjoyed this story about a small town midwife in Nova Scotia.
In telling Dora's story as she goes from young girl to apprentice midwife to experienced midwife, the book really chronicles the changes at the time for all women - birth moving from home/midwife to hospital/OB at the same time women were fighting for the right to vote (the book takes place primarily in 1917-1919, just prior to women getting the vote in 1920...the part of the book that addresses womens' suffrage takes place in Boston, where the rest is in Nova Scotia), were first claiming the right to practice any type of birth control, and in some cases also deciding whom to marry (or whether to marry at all).
While the book touches on these other historical events, it remains primarily focused on Dora's life. I would love to have had more of the characters fleshed out a bit...they seemed rather one dimensional (the doctor, for example, was unequivocally evil...not a redeeming quality shared about him).
It's not a short book, but it was an easy weekend read for me. I recommend it for that. If you're interested in this type of story, I recommend The Red Tent before this one...the era is different (biblical times), but the sentiment is the same...but with far richer character development.
Outstanding
My great-grandmother was a mid-wife, so this beautifully written story gave me an insight into her world, during that era. This so tellingly describes the "witch-hunt" against mid-wives during this time as well as using natural potions to birth babies in the best possible way they knew how. It also exposes the fact that doctors didn't have all the answers, (nor do they now?), and that sometimes the oldest remedies work far better than "science". A great read!
reviews: 1, page 2, 3, 4, 5, 6
birth house, birth, house
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