The Midwife's Tale

May 15, 2015
Widow Martha Cade finds her faith greatly challenged when her daughter, Victoria, runs away with a theater troupe. Martha has always assumed Victoria would follow in the family tradition of midwifery. Besides, in 1830, western Pennsylvania isn't the safest place for a young girl to be out on her own. More trouble comes for Martha when a college-educated doctor moves to town, questioning the necessity of midwives and challenging her methods. As the last straw, a small, abused boy Martha has taken under her wing is accused of theft. Parr (Love's First Bloom, 2012) masterfully shows a mother's anguish, the range of emotions a midwife experiences on a daily basis, and the doubts even a person of deep faith can feel. Popular television shows featuring midwifery, such as Call the Midwife and 19 Kids and Counting, will enhance the popularity of this novel, the first installment in Parr's At Home in Trinity series.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2015, American Library Association.)