The Birth House [REVIEW]

Title: The Birth House
Author: Ami McKay
Pages: 408 pages

Summing it up: The Birth House is the story of Dora Rare, the first daughter to be born in five generations of Rares. As a child in an isolated village in Nova Scotia, she is drawn to Miss Babineau, an outspoken Acadian midwife with a gift for healing. Dora becomes Miss B.'s apprentice, and together they help the women of Scots Bay through infertility, difficult labours, breech births, unwanted pregnancies and even unfulfilling sex lives. Filled with details as compelling as they are surprising, The Birth House is an unforgettable tale of the struggles women have faced to have control of their own bodies and to keep the best parts of tradition alive in the world of modern medicine.

Reason I Decided to Read it: My Dad bought this for me at an auction because it came with a really cool mug. I had no clue what it was about, but after I got it my Gramma told me she read it and thought it would be something I would like. Needless to say this is one of my favourite books!

The Good: I know I tend to say this a lot, but this truly is one of my favourite books. As soon as I finished reading the first page, I was completely hooked. I think I may have put It down once the whole time I was reading.

The writing is amazing and can really pull you into the world of Dora rare. Ami McKay is a wonderful crafter of words and writer of books. When I was reading, it sounded like a song. The writing incorporated with the advertisements and newspaper articles were captivating. This book was the first time I had ever seen that strategy used. It was awesome to see what the ads were like back in the day.

I loved how the Halifax Explosion was an actual part of the book and it wasn’t just skimmed over. It was a large piece of Nova Scotian history. I also like how WWI was put in the book. It shows that war can touch even the smallest corners of the world.

It is interesting that she [McKay] added a little touch of everything that you might see in life back then (ie the family that everyone knows about, but doesn’t do anything about). She doesn’t sweeten the story; she tells it how it was.

The characters seem real. I could probably pick out each character and match them to a person that I know.

In the back of the book is a list of herbs and methods that you would hear from a midwife. For instance, Moon-bath: Lay naked in a crossroads in the light of the full moon. Makes the womb ripe. This made me laugh as did this one: Beaver Brew: A dose (straight or with tea) keeps a woman clear from babies for one moon-time. Steep the oysters of beavers in gin. Set out in the light of three full moons. I don’t recommend doing this.

The Bad: I didn’t like Aunt Fran or Brady Ketch or Grace (Grace Hutner isn’t the type of girl you take to church) or Archer (though I love his name).

The Over-All: I think anyone who likes history and medical knowledge would love this. You learn old wives tales and about what life was like back in the early 1900s.

Other: There are one or two scenes that are a tad questionable, but not enough to turn someone away from the book.

Rated: 5/5.