Rating: 
Summary: Gripping
Review: I read this book early last year and was unable to put it down until I had read the very last page. Working in the nursing profession I found the medical/legal aspects a little chilling, every nurses nightmare. A perfect read for a cold autumn weekend. Hooray Oprah on your latest choice!
Rating: 
Summary: I couldn't put this book down!
Review: I stayed up hours past bedtime, unable to put this book down. It consumed me as I read it commuting on the metro to and from the office which, for me, is the sign of a great read. This story is a masterfully crafted drama dealing with the events before and after a trial, as narrated by a midwife's teen-age daughter. After reading this book, I better understand the reasons why some women choose a midwife instead of a physician for delivering their babies. In the book, the author captures the culture of midwives and the families that utilize their services very well. He creates a gripping story about how people can be involved in the same event and yet see and experience dramatically different outcomes--the emergency c-section at the heart of the story comes to mind. Mr. Bohjalian has written an intriguing, gripping novel -- and I hope he writes more of them soon!
Rating:
Summary: Incredible!
Review: What an amazing read. Although I've been disappointed with some of the other Oprah book club selections, this one was most certainly a masterpiece.
Rating:
Summary: A wonderfully written page-turner!
Review: The author adeptly explores the world of midwifery and explores the medical and personal ethics of a situation that continued to go from bad to worse. This is simply a great read - the characters are well-developed; the situations and reactions are totally believable. The novel is totally engrossing and touches upon many aspects of human behavior, consequences of misjudgements, and the way we tend to define ourselves by our work. The professional reviews are right on target. The novel IS as good as they say it is!!
Rating:
Summary: This is one of those "read in one sitting" books.
Review: I read this book, while pregnant myself, and couldn't put it down. It is very well written, and keeps the reader totally engrossed with the story, feeling as if you're there with the family. I am so proud of the Midwife, herself, for standing behind something she really believed, regardless of what might have been the easy way out. The ending is very dramatic and surprising. A must read!
Rating:
Summary: Couldn't put this one down!
Review: Oprah has made yet another excellent choice for her reading list. I couldn't bear to put this book down for anything. What a compelling story! I enjoyed every minute of it. I am rarely able to find books that grab my attention so much, and I have found it here. Thank you, Oprah!
Rating:
Summary: An emotionally moving, yet educational book on midwifery.
Review: Midwives by Chris Bohjalian is a book that I am thinking about sending to all my friends as a Christmas gift. You see, the majority of my friends are home birth midwives. The tale of Sybil Danforth, Northeast Kingdom, Vermont homebirth midwife, kept me turning pages fervently. Embedded within the defense attorneys' case in the trial was a resounding and accuarte testiment to midwifery in America. The statistics were correct, the representation of everything a midwife does and provides for home birth couples was validating, and the perspective of a midwives' daughter telling the story was compelling. All of my midwife friends have children who have grown up with the terror of losing their mothers to a vendictive and veneful medical/legal establishment. This book was real and it filled me with a grateful heart that I have been allowed to "catch" babies over the last ten years. Midwives have needed a best-selling book to bring them their due and here it is!!
Rating: 
Summary: Interesting, real page turner
Review: I enjoy reading books written from the perspective of teenagers. They are seen but not heard in everyday society. Still children, but really adults and depending on the child, sometimes more aware of the adult world than the adults.It was interesting book about a daughter's discovery of her mother's actions during a home birth gone awry. The combination of narrative by the daughter and a peek into the mother's journal gave the reader a two way perspective into the story's tale. It was an enjoyable read that made you think about doctors, births, and loyalty to family and friends.
Rating:
Summary: Don't Skip the Last Page!
Review: This is an interesting, page-turner kind of novel. I found myself caught up in the drama even though I'm usually suspicious of court-room dramas and tend to stay away from them. I was so caught up in it that I actually caught my breath at the last page, and I realized that he completely built you up for that moment. Start reading it when you have a lot of time because you won't want to put it down.
Rating:
Summary: Bohjalian is a modern master.
Review: MIDWIVES is a stunning literary achievement. The author unfurls bolt after bolt of lustrous, textured prose in a riveting, contemporary morality play. Recommended enthusiastically and without reservation. Bohjalian's is an enormously talented voice that will be heard well into the 21st century.
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