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Midwives

by Chris Bohjalian (Goodreads Author)

3.96 · Rating Details · 130,357 Ratings · 3,693 Reviews

The time is 1981, and Sibyl Danforth has been a dedicated midwife in the rural community of Reddington, Vermont, for fifteen years. But one treacherous winter night, in a house isolated by icy roads and failed telephone lines, Sibyl takes desperate measures to save a baby's life. She performs an emergency Caesarean section on its mother, who appears to have died in labor. ...more

Paperback, 374 pages

Published November 8th 1998 by Vintage (first published April 1997)

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Feb 10, 2010 Books Ring Mah Bell rated it really liked it

I'd give this book 5 stars, but there's that damn Oprah sticker on the cover and that kinda wrecks it for me. Kinda like meeting that perfect guy and discovering he has a vagina.
I hate when that happens.

Anyway.

This book was exactly what I needed. A great story. Thoughtful topic. (I highly suggest this book for book clubs - it is sure to generate some conversation)
This book was like a Grisham on steroids; meaty.

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Jan 07, 2011 Chana rated it it was ok

Shelves: literature-fiction

It was very well-written, but I read it with mixed feelings. When I was done I had to say that I didn't like it. The author says many positive things about midwifery but in the final analysis it really is an indictment of lay midwifery and home birth. I gave birth to 5 children at home: 1 with an old-time doctor and 4 with a lay midwife. I had 3 at the hospital: 1 without drugs, 1 with an epidural, and 1 with a C/S. So I feel qualified by experience to at least comment. My home births were by It was very well-written, but I read it with mixed feelings. When I was done I had to say that I didn't like it. The author says many positive things about midwifery but in the final analysis it really is an indictment of lay midwifery and home birth. I gave birth to 5 children at home: 1 with an old-time doctor and 4 with a lay midwife. I had 3 at the hospital: 1 without drugs, 1 with an epidural, and 1 with a C/S. So I feel qualified by experience to at least comment. My home births were by far my better birthing experiences, especially those with the lay midwife, and all of those children were born whole and healthy, thank G-d. Home is private and sacred and if your midwife is competent and you are in good health with a normal fetus and pregnancy then I am all for home birth. I'll try not to bore you with birth details but I have had a couple of bad experiences in the hospital: 1. doctor yelling "what the hell are you doing?!!" at me when I rolled onto my side during labor rather than staying flat on my back. That child was not in danger btw and was born healthy shortly thereafter. 2. nearly losing the C/S child because the hospital delivery staff didn't believe the lay midwife who said the child had to be born by C/S and thereby making us go through trial of labor before rushing me into a emerg C/S delivery like a Monty Python skit. My C/S child lived and there is no doubt that both of us would have died if not for the C/S as he was a PWS baby with very low muscle tone and he was a face presentation as well. Basically he was like a limp noodle in utero with his face against the cervix and he wasn't going to be born without surgical intervention. BUT the midwife knew he was face presentation at 8 months and suspected an anomaly as stress tests showed his heart rate was too flat. The hospital paid her no heed and my child's heart was slowing down and then stopping in 2nd stage labor in the hospital setting managed by hospital staff, hence the EMERGENCY C/S, which could have been performed without the emergency part if the doctors had listened to the midwife or me. Now how is this mis-judgment on the part of the hospital staff so different from the mis-judgements made on the part of the lay midwife in this book? She actually did pretty well, saving the life of the child. I guess what the author wants you to recognize is that if the hospital makes mistakes they have everything right there, surgical suites and all, to correct their error. But you know what? Hospital staff make mistakes all the time but they are better protected against the consequences of their mistakes. If lay midwifery were supported in this country with certification for midwives to deliver at home with a support system of doctors, hospitals and emergency transportation then we could have women deliver at home with less risk. ALL birth entails risk. There is an attempt in this book to link home birth with hippies and all that that lifestyle might entail. I really resent the idea that home birth is less hygienic than hospital birth when the fact is hospitals are home to a plethora of the very worst germs around. It is, as I said, a well-written indictment and no amount of story-telling and fictionalizing and choice of narrator changes that. ...more

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Jan 10, 2012 LeiAnn rated it liked it

The premise of the book is that a very experienced lay (not certified) midwife has a messy delivery in a patient's home in which the mother ends up dying. In order to save the baby when her efforts at CPR fail, she performs a cesarean on the mother. The baby, incidently, does live because of her efforts. However, her inexperienced assistant and the father of the baby both have their doubts about whether or not the mother was actually dead at the time of the incision, and the midwife goes to ...more

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Jul 01, 2009 Bonnie rated it really liked it

Shelves: reviewed-books, recommended, fiction

I’ve had Midwives, Chris Bohjalian’s fifth novel, on my to-read list for quite a while, but I resisted reading it until now because of some personal baggage: my only son was born, perfectly healthy, in a hospital; but the labour was prolonged, resulting in life-threatening complications that brought me back to the hospital in isolation for almost three weeks during which I was not even allowed to hold my own newborn child.

Midwives is a story about a pregnancy that goes wrong, but not in a hospi I’ve had Midwives, Chris Bohjalian’s fifth novel, on my to-read list for quite a while, but I resisted reading it until now because of some personal baggage: my only son was born, perfectly healthy, in a hospital; but the labour was prolonged, resulting in life-threatening complications that brought me back to the hospital in isolation for almost three weeks during which I was not even allowed to hold my own newborn child.

Midwives is a story about a pregnancy that goes wrong, but not in a hospital: in a home. The novel is mainly told through the eyes of Connie, the daughter of midwife Sibyl Danforth. Each chapter begins with an entry from Sibyl’s diary. Connie’s narration does require a degree of concentration from the reader. Bohjalian takes us back and forward in time, from Connie telling the story as an adult, going back to when she was fourteen. And because she was the point-of-view character, Connie had to overhear many, many conversations. Once I had the narrator, and the author’s narrative technique, firmly fixed in my mind, I was able to settle in to reading this compelling novel.

For years Sibyl enjoyed a thriving career as a “catcher” of babies. And then, one cold winter night, after a difficult and lengthy labour, Sibyl realizes she needs to get the mother, Charlotte to the hospital. But the phone lines are down, and Sibyl drives her car into a snow bank. She returns to continue to assist in the birth, and then Charlotte collapses. Believing Charlotte has had a stroke, Sibyl attempts CPR, and after some time, concludes that the mother has died – but that there may still be time to save the baby. She performs a caesarian section, and saves the baby, but did she kill Charlotte in the process? Sibyl’s inexperienced apprentice, Anne, and Charlotte’s husband, Asa, later contend that she did: that Charlotte was still alive before Sibyl performed the operation. The coroner comes to the same conclusion, and Sibyl is charged with involuntary manslaughter. The book is the story of the trial and the events leading up to it.

As I read this novel I was never bored; and as I approached the end it became, for me, more and more of a nail-biting page-turner. I found the trial and the complementary battle outside the courtroom – medical community against midwifery – very interesting reading. Throughout the story Bohjalian casts doubt even as he leads the reader – sometimes “astray” – to certain assumptions. For example, Charlotte hid her medical history from Sibyl. Did this contribute to her prolonged labour and resulting collapse? Then there’s our discovery, before the end of the book, that Connie is now, as an adult, a certified OBGYN. We must assume that this is because of her mother’s experience. Finally, we never really know what happened that night until the very end of the book. Clearly that was Bohjalian’s intention, and he pulled it off very well.

Read Midwives with an open mind, and you’ll form your own ideas about why and how Bohjalian decided to write this story. He certainly did his research, and he makes us think: the major issues surrounding midwifery and the dangers associated with any birth are presented without the author taking sides.

For myself, in the end, I feel I didn’t so much read Midwives, as ingest it. Looking back, I think that if I had had a certified midwife, along with a doctor, working with me during my pregnancy, things might well have turned out better. Interestingly, Chris Bohjalian himself has been quoted as saying that “in a heartbeat” he and his wife would be comfortable having a baby at home, or using a nurse-midwife at the hospital.

...more

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Sep 14, 2012 smetchie rated it really liked it

Shelves: book-club

DAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAANG!

I have no idea how Chris Bohjalian wrote the voice of a 14-year-old girl so well that it actually made me remember what it felt like to be 14. AND against my will, mind you. I would do anything to never feel 14 again. There are many other wonderful things about this book. But it's enough to say read it because here is a man writing in the perfect 14-year-old-girl voice and that's some amazing motherfucking writing.

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Feb 03, 2010 Stephanie rated it it was amazing

Recommends it for: women, esp. mothers

Recommended to Stephanie by: Stephanie Hodnett

I LOVED this book, which was totally unexpected. It was absolutely riveting for me. There wasn't a slow part in it.
I really enjoyed the organization, with the journal entries, and the tone associated with the author's reflections (kind of "if only..."). It made the whole book feel like you were hearing an exciting story first hand, where the story-teller felt compelled to add little bits of insight or extra information along the way to help enhance your experience. I really enjoyed how it begin ...more

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Jan 04, 2008 Kristen rated it really liked it

Shelves: fiction

So the Washington Post Book World says that this will keep readers up late until the last page is turned. I started the book this morning, and only had hopes that it'd be as good as the last few books I've read. Didn't think I'd do all 370 pages today. LOL

I guess depending on how you feel about midwives and home births, you could view this book as an injustice upon Sibyl, or an injustice against the woman who died. Personally, I feel that a woman has the choice as to whether she wants a home bir ...more

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Feb 26, 2008 Amy rated it it was amazing

I would like to preface my comments with a recommendation that if you are pregnant or are planning to have children sometime soon this would NOT be a good book choice. Having said that, I thought this book was exceptional. I was definitely drawn to this book, having delivered both of my children with a nurse midwife. This story is told from the adult daughter's perspective regarding her mother's role ( a midwife) during a home delivery gone bad. As I noted in someone else's review, I had to stop ...more

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Dec 31, 2012 Kathryn rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: general-fiction, own, need-to-review, buddy-reads, 2012-read

Well, I finished my adult beverage I wanted to finish before writing this last review of 2012 of the last book I read in 2012. I also wanted to make sure I kissed my husband at midnight, so, I delayed this review.

I'm going to give Midwives 4.5 stars. I initially was going to give this 4 stars, but the end kind of "wowed" me, and it deserved a half star.

Initially, I didn't know much about midwifery until I read Midwives, and there really is a lot to learn about it. This read definitely gives yo ...more

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Jun 29, 2011 Tyler rated it really liked it

my mom insisted i read this book for years. now it's on the oprah book club so i feel lame saying i read it, because i find oprah's book club to be lame and i find the 'oprah book club' logo on a books front cover detrimental. But it was an interesting book. I liked it; a quick read. It follow the court case of a midwife in vermont who delivers a baby via an emergency c-section in which the mother dies and then they discover that the mother wasn't actually dead before the c-section occured. it's ...more

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Oct 17, 2007 Silvana rated it liked it

This book is told by the prespective of a 30 year old woman who is recalling her life and turmoil at age 14. The cause for the turmoil...her mom, a self-appointed 70's-throwback-midwive who preforms a C-section on a patient in an extreme situation, to save a dying baby from his alreay dead mother. Why the drama? Well, maybe the birthing mother wasn't dead..so the court drama begins. Will her mothr be convicted of involuntary manslaughter or will the jury find her innocent?

All I can add was that ...more

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Jun 10, 2008 Kristen rated it it was ok

Recommended to Kristen by: Jenny P

I read this book when I was on business travel in Zimbabwe and it definitely kept me turning the pages. As someone who values very strongly the role of midwives in healthcare, this was a tough book to read. The midwife at the center of the story is faced with a very dangerous (and statistically incredibly unlikely) situation and the outcome makes her a pariah in the community. She becomes a scapegoat and a target of all sorts of anger, most of which is misdirected and misguided and often comes ...more

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Jun 13, 2012 Britany rated it liked it

Midwives goes into detail about the practice of midwifery, following Sibyl Danforth as she catches babies. Sibyl's 14 year daughter, Connie tells the story of a home birth gone terribly wrong. What really happened to Charlotte bedford? Did she die on her own, or was still alive when Sibyl tried to save the baby??

This book started out extremely strong for me. I didn't want to put it down and the content was really interesting to me. Each chapter started out with an excerpt from Sibyl's journals, ...more

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Jul 22, 2008 Joann rated it really liked it

Recommends it for: Mothers- Home Birthers- OBGYNs?

Shelves: fiction

As a home-birther I was very intrigued by the topic of this book. I know the risks that accompany both home and hospital births and, after much study and prayer my husband and I know that home births are the way to go. I have gotten many different reactions from the "fish eye" look to anger from people who find out our girls were delivered naturally, at home, by a midwife.

I loved the author's portrayal of midwives; his description of their mannerisms, their education, and their outlook was righ ...more

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Sep 12, 2014 Penny rated it really liked it

In this book we follow a US midwife who is at a home birth during a storm when all communication is cut off. The mother dies and the midwife performs a Caesarian section to save the baby. She is later charged with murder as there is some confusion as to whether the mother had actually died or was killed by the operation.

The book follows all of this through the eyes of the midwife's 14 yr old daughter. As such some of what we view is not necessarily a reliable account. The story then becomes esse ...more

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Aug 13, 2007 Jennifer rated it it was amazing

Recommends it for: anyone

Shelves: my_favorites

I didn't read this book because it was an Oprah read...I don't think I even knew this was one until today. I found it at a little independent bookstore in Monterey years ago. This was one of those books I couldn't put down but... because of the intense emotional content of the book I ended up stepping away from the book a couple of times. I was amazed by the authors ability to write about such an emotional subject(home childbirth gone wrong)and had to remind myself numerous times that it was ...more

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Jan 17, 2016 Sharon Huether rated it it was amazing

Shelves: novel, chick-lit, family

A very unexpected story. Sibyl the midwive and her patient. Sibyl is accused of murder, but she saved a life . The majority of the story took place in the court room, with all the drama. Sibyl's life changes forever. The story was very well written .

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Oct 17, 2011 Jessica rated it it was ok

I felt like I really couldn't connect with the characters well. It didn't go into other characters head and how they felt. We only knew how Connie felt. I could not sympathize with Sybil ( the midwife) or her husband. I felt she was so selfish. She did what she wanted and didn't care how anyone else felt.
#1. She couldn't give up "catching" babies for the sake of her marriage when she and her husband fought over it.
#2. She knew her daughter was upset when she couldn't make it to dinner, but she ...more

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Apr 20, 2013 Bea rated it really liked it

This was a book that I started several years ago and then lost interest. As it is a popular book, it remained on my TBR list, but somehow I just never found the motivation to pick it up again - at lest not until GR challenges came along for which it was an ideal choice.

This is the story of a young girl's family, particularly her mother and the singular event of her mother's life which helped to form hers.

Sibyl Danforth was a dedicated midwife who one horrible night had a mother to die giving b ...more

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Dec 19, 2009 Megan rated it it was ok

Sorry, what was this book about? Because if the author stuck to what I believe to be the original idea, a courtroom drama-esque debate of ethics and assumptions surrounding homebirth and modern medicine, it would have kept my interest. These are certainly things that interest me. Well, there is that, but this book is also littered with totally irrelevant tangents, dead-end storylines, rambling emotions and love-life details of a 14 year old, and weird wavering between timelines.

It also drove me ...more

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Mar 05, 2008 Heidi rated it liked it

Okay I really did like this book. I actually think it deserves 4 stars, but the circumstances that surrounded the reading of this book insist upon a 3 star rating. Here are a few of those reasons:

1. I am pregnant! What was I thinking reading a book about a tragic home delivery 4 months before I'm due? It was all a little too close to home for me. And although I am not planning on having a home delivery (not that there's anything wrong with that) Just the description was a little to vivid for me ...more

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Dec 22, 2008 Judith rated it did not like it

This book tells the story of a modern day midwife who is on trial for involuntary manslaughter when a patient dies during labor. This is a home birth set in a rural area in a snowstorm, making contact with a hospital or emergency assistance impossible. The midwife performs an emergency Caesarean with a kitchen knife to save the baby after the mother dies. The story is told through the eyes of the midwife's 14 year old daughter, as the case goes through the trial, with flashbacks of the event and ...more

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Aug 31, 2014 Casee Marie rated it really liked it

Shelves: reviewed, 2014

Across the landscape of his career, author Chris Bohjalian has written novels about a murderer’s plight against a privileged family in World War II Italy, about a young social worker driven into Jazz Age Long Island by a homeless man’s photographs, of an American woman’s love for an Armenian man in early-twentieth century Syria, and more. In his contemporary classic, Midwives, he tells the unforgettable story of midwife Sibyl Danforth and a home birth gone tragically wrong. Narrated by Sibyl’s Across the landscape of his career, author Chris Bohjalian has written novels about a murderer’s plight against a privileged family in World War II Italy, about a young social worker driven into Jazz Age Long Island by a homeless man’s photographs, of an American woman’s love for an Armenian man in early-twentieth century Syria, and more. In his contemporary classic, Midwives, he tells the unforgettable story of midwife Sibyl Danforth and a home birth gone tragically wrong. Narrated by Sibyl’s fourteen year-old daughter Connie, Midwives is a chilling and evocative account of what one woman will endure for the sake of protecting her name and standing by her choices. When Sibyl Danforth experienced challenges in the delivery of a client’s child, she would have called the hospital and sent for an emergency rescue squad. But in a small Vermont town in the throes of a winter storm, help is an impossible distance away and Sibyl finds herself the only hope of a helpless, unborn child. After the mother has expired, Sibyl takes matters into her own hands and performs an emergency cesarean section to save the child. But what if, as the prosecutors of her court case are determined to prove, the mother had still be alive when Sibyl cut the baby from her?

With the sort of harsh but deeply emotive freedom that makes his work so singularly compelling, Bohjalian unravels the story of Sibyl’s journey to clear herself of being labeled a murderer. Is she suffering vulgar mistreatment at the hands of others, or did she truly make an atrocious mistake? There’s something quiet and vulnerable about Sibyl as a character, which makes her no less vivid, but where the novel really excels in its character depiction is in narrator Connie. In Connie we see a strong, determined young woman represented with the same clarity and depth as many of Bohjalian’s other memorable characters, whereas Sibyl sometimes seems to be hiding behind a smokescreen (a necessity, I think, if we readers are to form our own judgments of Sibyl’s story).

Much like The Double Bind, Midwives plays very steadily on Bohjalian’s knack for psychological mischief; through a fairly quiet and unhurried story he seems to know how to guide his reader into a false sense of security before sweeping revelations come in to knock us off our feet. Also as with The Double Bind, I’m left to wonder exactly how he manages to know what to put in and what to leave out. For me, Midwives worked really well from beginning to end; it had me riveted, yet never able to guess exactly how the ending would play out – and then thrown for a few final loops just when I thought I couldn’t be caught by surprise.

Additionally, the level of research that Bohjalian undertook to make Midwives such an engrossing novel is quite fascinating. Not only does he explore the details of midwifery in 1980s America with astonishing acuity, but the novel’s two acts documenting the subsequent manslaughter trial include some aggressively researched and impressive court room drama. This is an interesting novel in its many assets and its many areas of strength: once again the narrative carries off of the pages to envelope the reader in the setting, and young Connie – thirty at the time of her narrative, but fourteen in her memories – is as vividly imagined as the midwife at the center of the plot. Bohjlaian has proven himself as a masterful storyteller and as particularly adept at creating multi-faceted, deeply intellectual drama, but Midwives delves also into an element of the profoundly human, glimpsing the vulnerabilities of human nature and exploring the emotional ways in which we deal with those imperfections. At times challenging, often raw in its uninhibited exploration of truth, Midwives relays much heart and determination even amid the most devastating of tragedies.

(© Casee Marie, originally published on August 29, 2014 at LiteraryInklings.com.) ...more

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Jun 20, 2013 Lana Del Slay rated it it was ok · review of another edition

Shelves: done-reviewed

Right. Midwives. Which I had been looking forward to since it came out and I spotted it on a grocery store bookshelf (yes, really).

Alas.

Bohjalian wrote four books before this one, but you wouldn't know it from the awkward prose. His dialogue isn't bad. His characters are... more or less realistic (I buy everyone except the narrator). So much of the writing meanders into tangential places that have little, if any, bearing on the story as it stands.

Either we needed less of this book or different ...more

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Apr 18, 2009 Stephanie rated it liked it

I thought this book was a compelling read, but also felt it supported and fed into a lot of the paranoia surrounding midwifery and homebirth in the U.S.

Most midwives - whether direct entry (lay) midwives or certified nurse midwives - are highly trained professionals. In the case of a low-risk pregnancy, homebirth is typically a very safe option. In fact, worldwide, most babies are born at home (yes, even in developed countries. The U.S. is an anomaly in this regard.)

Complications do arise and I thought this book was a compelling read, but also felt it supported and fed into a lot of the paranoia surrounding midwifery and homebirth in the U.S.

Most midwives - whether direct entry (lay) midwives or certified nurse midwives - are highly trained professionals. In the case of a low-risk pregnancy, homebirth is typically a very safe option. In fact, worldwide, most babies are born at home (yes, even in developed countries. The U.S. is an anomaly in this regard.)

Complications do arise and sadly, sometimes moms and babies do die. Of course, this is true in the hospital as well, and studies have shown that the risk for infection is actually GREATER in the hospital than at home.

A hospital birth does not guarantee a good outcome. In terms of infant mortality - as of 2006 - the US (where most babies are born in the hospital) ranks 29th in the world. Far below - say, The Netherlands - where most babies are in fact delivered by midwives - many at home. I think most Americans would be surprised to learn that even Cuba has a higher "success rate" than the United Stated when it comes to infant mortality, despite the fact that over 90 percent of births in the U.S. take place in the hospital.

Am I saying that hospital births are bad? Absolutely not! But I do believe that women should have the option to decide where and how to give birth, and as with any other endeavor, they should educate themselves as much as possible before making a decision about what's best for their families.

Finally, I would implore anyone who came away from reading this book with negative view of midwifery and/or homebirth to keep in mind that it is a work of FICTION, written over a decade ago, and written to be a page-turner. It isn't an accurate representation of ALL home births.

And for anyone who has actually read this far and wonders: no, I am not a midwife. Yes, I do have children. No, I did not give birth to them at a hospital. But I did not give birth at home either. I chose a third option - a hospital-sponsored off-site birthing center staffed by both lay and certified nurse midwives. And I should probably add that my older daughter did experience breathing issues shortly after birth (which would have been the case whether she was born at home, in the birthing center or in the hospital) and needed to be transferred to the hospital via ambulance. She spent 12 days in the NICU, the hospital staff was lovely, and I was extrememly grateful for their care and expertise. So I am well aware that things can go wrong with births that happen outside of the hospital. However, things can also (and often do) "go wrong" in the hospital as well. One need only look at the out-of-control (sorry - inflammatory word choice and admittedly MY OWN biased opinion on the matter) c-section rate in the United States (currently close to a third of all births!)for proof of that. ...more

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Dec 19, 2011 Moses Kilolo rated it really liked it

For a number of reasons this book was a complete surprise for me. Could be because I never really thought about the whole issue before I began reading it, but the very idea of midwifery in America sounded strange. And to take some liberty in a cliché; we still consider America the very epitome of modern civilization. Don’t jump to conclusions now! My feeling is well founded.

I grew up in a Kenyan village. I still spend lots of time [here] when I am not locked up in a university library sinking my For a number of reasons this book was a complete surprise for me. Could be because I never really thought about the whole issue before I began reading it, but the very idea of midwifery in America sounded strange. And to take some liberty in a cliché; we still consider America the very epitome of modern civilization. Don’t jump to conclusions now! My feeling is well founded.

I grew up in a Kenyan village. I still spend lots of time [here] when I am not locked up in a university library sinking myself ever deeper into literary masterpieces. I no longer really hear much about the practice of midwifery, not that I am very keen at it. But in my younger days home births were the rule, not the exception. And I still remember having witnessed one when I was in class 2 (second grade – or the equivalent.) From what I recall, any mother with a bit of experience was well in position to help deliver the baby. There were, however, the proper midwives, but the one I knew, personally, painted a grim picture of the whole practice. She was old and dirty - -> somewhat weird looking too. And this made me wary of midwives – in that childlike fear that most are apt to develop at something repulsive.

It was in this frame of mind that I ventured into this book, though my open mind had me prepared to expect anything.

First thing out of this book is that Chris Bohjalian knows what he’s talking about, and even more important, how to put it down – making his book very readable. Don’t compare it with To Kill a Mocking Bird, its wrong to do so, no book can near Harper Lee’s craft, as well narrative and emotional power. But all the same Bohjalian’s style is generous enough to keep the reader hooked, sparse enough to bring the reader to his own judgment and an extent of restraint enough to make this not merely a text book on midwifery (despite offering so much detail.)

I was fascinated by a male writing from a female view point, somewhat afraid that it would affect the power of the story, but Bohjalian did one hell of a good job.
...more

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Jun 19, 2013 Danielle rated it did not like it

Shelves: abandoned

I only read two chapters of this book, so I can't write a completely useful review. I couldn't read this book for two reasons: one, I found the prose unreadable right from the beginning. It has a lot of awkward phrasing that could have been avoided- really inexcusable bad writing. Coupled with poor word choice and much more narration than necessary. I guess I've spoiled myself by getting used to reading actual literature, because I'm sure there was a time when I would have found nothing wrong ...more

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Jun 25, 2008 Jennie rated it really liked it

I have two opinions on this book.

First of all, it really does a great job of explaining why some women choose to have their babies at home, why it is safe, why we should have that choice. I feel passionately about my own homebirth experience. It is not, for the most part, dangerous or an unwise decision. For most people. I don't think most pregnant women are sick and therefore do not need hospitals. So many women have been trained by OBs to think things like: "My body doesn't go into labor on it ...more

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Feb 27, 2013 TamElaine rated it really liked it

Shelves: favourites, read-in-2013

I wrote this review below, and then before posting it, I realized how negative it sounds, so please let me start this by saying: The book was a solid 4-star book, one that I will think about long after I turned the last page....a book with a huge WOW factor.....then let the remainder of the review tell you how it didn’t get 5 stars.....

I found the first 3 or 4 chapters hard to get through and honestly might have stopped reading the book had the author not been recommended to me by someone with w I wrote this review below, and then before posting it, I realized how negative it sounds, so please let me start this by saying: The book was a solid 4-star book, one that I will think about long after I turned the last page....a book with a huge WOW factor.....then let the remainder of the review tell you how it didn’t get 5 stars.....

I found the first 3 or 4 chapters hard to get through and honestly might have stopped reading the book had the author not been recommended to me by someone with whom I have shared tastes in fiction....and to be honest, the story and the writing style did seem quite promising. These first chapters were slow and provided information that seemed unnecessary and all over the place – no direction, as if written from the point of view of a child with ADHD, which in all honesty would have been perfectly fine if that had been the character, but it wasn’t at all....it’s told from Connie’s perspective - the adult daughter of a midwife, recounting the story as it happened when she was 13.....I found myself wishing the story was told from the perspective of the mother.

While I found some of the beginning information tiresome, scattered, and unnecessary, I absolutely loved and appreciated the focus and detail of the court case, and of the jury members....in fact, I honestly felt like I was sitting right in the back of that court room. And I came to realize why it was necessary for the story to have been told from the daughter’s perspective....Other than the necessity of it all, I think she also allowed the story slightly more open-mindedness, more emotion, and more curiosity. – thus gaining back the star the story lost from me in the beginning.....

Where the story lost a star more permanently was for what I felt like were “sneaky spoilers”....how the author would be describing something and then add a gasp-worthy, yet abruptly quick, point of time in the future and say something along the lines of, “but that would come years later” or “but that would come after the conclusion of the trial.” It spoiled the emotion for me when that information came out in more realistic timing.

I look forward to reading more stories by Chris Bohjalian. His writing gets the character’s feelings across to the reader in a concise way, without resorting to clichés (and this statement is a bit ironic as cliches are outwardly avoided). ...more

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Sep 11, 2016 Oona Price rated it did not like it

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About Chris Bohjalian

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Chris is the author of 19 books, most of which were New York Times bestsellers. His work has been translated into over 30 languages and three times become movies.

His new novel, "The Sleepwalker," a story of a mother of two with a very rare form of parasomnia who disappear ...more

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“Everything about [chance] scares the bejesus out of so many people; it's the this thing they try to avoid at all costs. Don't travel to the Middle East these days - there's a chance something could happen. Don't get involved with that new fellow on Creamery Street - I hear a lot of mud was scraped off his floor after the divorce. Don't have your baby at home - there's a a chance something could go wrong. Don't don't don't... Well, you can't live your life like that! You can't spend your entire life avoiding chance. It's out there, it's inescapable, it's a part of the soul of the world. There are no sure things in this universe, and it's absolutely ridiculous to try and live like there are!” — 17 likes

“No one said living isn't a pretty chancy business, Sibyl. No one gets out of here alive.” — 14 likes

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