Midwives

Sibyl Danforth became a midwife after being truly called at an emergency birth. The ex-hippie suddenly knew that being a lay midwife, helpign mothers have babies at home, comfortable and with their families, was what she was truly meant to do. Sibyl loved her profession, and wrote moving journal entries about her work with pregnant women.However, one stormy Vermont night, things went wrong. After a woman died during labor,... Read Full Review

This book is written in the voice of a young woman, Connie, who was a 14-year old girl in 1981. Through her eyes, we hear the story of her mother, Sibyl Danforth, a lay midwife, who goes on trial when one of her home births goes terribly wrong.Through Connie's eyes, the reader is taken on a page-turning journey by a well-crafted narrative that moves back and forth in time like a jigsaw puzzle. We feel the emotions... Read Full Review

While reading Midwives, I had to stop several times and remind myself that this book is not only fiction but it was written by a man. How wonderful is the writing that Chris Bohjalian can really get into the brain of a daughter telling the story of her mother and her horrific experience. I continued to be pulled into the story and found myself thinking of the characters during my daily activities. I am still not convinced... Read Full Review