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Summary: Haven't finished it yet but...
Review: I am on page 100 but I must say getting through the first 50 pages took me a few months. I picked it up several times but it didn't keep my attention until around page 50. I am now "into" the book, the gruesome scene of the crime caught my attention but I am still bewildered about all the fuss about this book. I am eager to finish this book so I can find out. I'm hoping it lives up to all the 5 Star ratings I see on this review board. I'm not sure if anyone else is experiencing this same problem of "having a hard time getting into the book" but I am also experiencing this with Wally Lamb's, This Much Is True. Again...tons of hype about this book but I just can't get into it and believe me, I'm trying...I'm on page 309!! Please post any comments you may have. I will follow up with my final rating when I finish the book.
Rating: 
Summary: Stunning, mesmerizing, addictive
Review: Before you crack the spine of this book, clear your calendar. You will be compelled to do nothing except focus your mind on this story. The writing is hypnotic, and the characters so finely crafted you feel you are caught in the center of the storm. Get this book, shut the world away, and devour a great story.
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Summary: best book ever
Review: I went to Panama city this past spring break. Too bad I didn't get an even tan because I spent the whole trip curled up with this book!
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Summary: what a shocker.
Review: A really good story with a clincher at the end. This book stayed with me for days after I finished it. It was hard to put down and it is very fast reading.
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Summary: This book makes you think.
Review: Whether it's a conscientious midwife or scrupulous obgyn, tragic mistakes happen. If only the weather was better, and if only Charlotte provided an accurate health profile, and if only they had more money for hospital care, the disasterous outcome may have been avoided. Even though this novel left me feeling dolor, it still held my interest. It's a very well written novel.
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Summary: "Timeline story-telling" weaves you into the drama.
Review: I lived this book as I was reading it. Told by the now grown woman who was the 14 year old daughter of the main character at the time of the story, this "timeline story-telling" wove me right into the family. "Midwives" is a story of tenderness, compassion, morality and human foibles. Though the author is male, he does an excellent job of writing as a female adolescent and female adult. His understanding of the relationship between mother and daughter is surprising and at the same time, he wisely limits that understanding to the clarity it would have from a 14 year old point of view. I was impressed that this male writer did not try to make the men in the story more important than they were to this decidedly womanly tale.
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Summary: Exciting and engrossing story worth a read.
Review: I read this book in 6 hours straight on a cloudy Saturday afternoon. It was the perfect book for that atmosphere because it is an exciting read that won't let you go until you've finished. And even then it leaves you with something to think about for the next few days.There are some moral/philosophical questions addressed that are left up to the reader to decide, something I appreciated. The author actually respects his audience when he lets us make up our mind on these issues. In addition, there is the story of a mother/daughter relationship that grows and changes with the realization that parents don't always make the right decisions. The narrator has to confront this idea and must make a judgment of her mother's behavior, and then cope with her decision. I found the story of the relationship between the two women to be the most compelling, and wished the book focused more on it. I recommend reading Midwives, but be prepared to spend a day doing so because you won't be able to put it down!
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Summary: Fabulous! Fabulous! Fabulous!
Review: It has been 15 years since I was assigned "To Kill A Mockingbird" in 8th grade english class. Ever since, I've searched for a novel that could compare to Harper Lee's truth, beauty and emotion--THIS IS THE BOOK! Told in the riveting, yet simplistic voice of a daughter looking back at the most profound moment of her life, "Midwives" will keep you reading from start to finish. The final entry in Sibyl's journal will take your breath away--as I'm sure Mr. Bohjalian intended. Highly recommended!
Rating:
Summary: A compelling novel, difficult to put down.
Review: While maneuvering through the prime of her adolescence, Connie Danforth, mature beyond her years, watches as her family slowly begins to unravel under the stress of her mother being accused of murder for the death of a woman that Sybil Danforth had assisted with childbirth. Sybil heroically saves the baby from the dead mother. Unfortunately for Sybil, her young, inexperienced assistant insists that the woman was still very much alive and goes to the authorities. What transpires is enough to take down the strongest of families. But the Danforth's stick together, in spite of all. As a rather free spirit that has been encouraged by her ex-hippie parents who still embrace the 60's, Connie is right there for the entire trial with her parents. Now she is grown and writing about the ordeal as an adult who has chosen to become an Obstetrician. As an OB nurse, I found the book a good read, entertaining, difficult to put down even though some parts were slightly unbelievable. The book is making the rounds of my coworkers at the hospital.
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Summary: Wonderful book, that makes you ask, what would I have done?
Review: It was hard to believe this book was written by a man. Bohjalian did an excellent job writing this novel using a woman's perspective. This book takes you on a journey through your own conscience. However, when you reach the end of the book your journey doesn't end, and you find yourself asking; what would I have done if I were Sybil or Connie? This book definitely deserves to be read!
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