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highly recommended |
an easy read 
I had high hopes for this book - midwifery, feminism, female relationships, beautiful location...but it was only "okay".
I really enjoyed the "Notes from the Willow Book" at the end ~ a list of herbs and what they are used for. It added that little extra to round out the book. I felt that the characters could have been a little larger - a little less flat. The author seems to make an attempt occasionally at magical realism, but it doesn't really work.
Otherwise it's not a bad book, it was interesting to read about a small, isolated community and how they reacted to situations and changes. To remember that females didn't have as much say as they do now.
I would recommend anyone to read it, because it is a good read, just don't expect anything overly deep.
Poignant and Compelling! 
Congratulations, Ami, on a fabulous first novel.
A young girl, Dora Rare, moves in with an elderly small town midwife or 'traiteur' who claims that Dora will take over her birthing business. Marie Babineau trains the young girl in the ways that only tradition can teach.
The story takes place over a number of years, seeing the main character married, operating a birthing house and raising someone else's child. Dora is caught between the old ways and new, modern birthing practices. The story evolves slowly, deeply and emotionally.
As a fellow Canadian author, it is uplifting to see Canadian fiction so well accepted. I too write about Canadian locales, but haven't yet made it to the east coast in my books yet. Having lived in New Brunswick and traveled to Nova Scotia, I think McKay has painted a quaint and realistic picture of how life was (and maybe still is to some extent), with characters that live and breathe. Canadian fiction is alive and well, thanks to authors like Ami McKay!
I highly recommend this book to anyone who wants to delve into the emotions and lives of small town Nova Scotia. But warning...bring Kleenex!
Cheryl Kaye Tardif, author of Whale Song (2007 Kunati Book Publishers)
Excellent Book! 
I read this book over a weekend and simply could not put it down. It is an excellent story of turn of the century life of women in remote east coast communities and the issues they face surrounding sex, childbirth and the role they play in each other's lives. I would give this book ten stars if possible. Being pregnant while reading this book made it especially appealing. I simply cannot wait for the author's next book.
Accidental read and worth it
I came across this book in the "7 day read" section of the library and thought it looked interesting. I started it and couldn't put it down.
I think at times she through gendered politics to the wind, but that said, it was a damn good read. I've recommended this book to others.
I think it's more fiction than _A Midwive's Tale_ and younger readers might enjoy it more.
reviews: 1, 2, 3, 4, page 5
birth house, birth, house
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