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    The Midwife's Revolt
    The Midwife's Revolt
    The Midwife's Revolt
    Audiobook12 hours

    The Midwife's Revolt

    Written by Jodi Daynard

    Narrated by Julia Whelan

    4/5

    ()

    About this audiobook

    On a dark night in 1775, Lizzie Boylston is awakened by the sound of cannons. From a hill south of Boston, she watches as fires burn in Charlestown, in a battle that she soon discovers has claimed her husband’s life.

    Alone in a new town, Lizzie grieves privately but takes comfort in her deepening friendship with Abigail Adams. Soon, word spreads of Lizzie’s extraordinary midwifery and healing skills, and she begins to channel her grief into caring for those who need her. But when two traveling patriots are poisoned, Lizzie finds herself with far more complicated matters on her hands—she suspects a political plot intended to harm Abigail and her family. Determined to uncover the truth, Lizzie becomes entangled in a conspiracy that could not only destroy her livelihood—and her chance at finding love again—but also lead to the downfall of a new nation.

    Revised edition: This edition of The Midwife's Revolt includes editorial revisions.

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherBrilliance Audio
    Release dateApr 7, 2015
    ISBN9781501230813
    The Midwife's Revolt
    Author

    Jodi Daynard

    Jodi Daynard is the author of the bestselling novels The Midwife’s Revolt and Our Own Country. Her stories and essays have appeared in numerous periodicals, including the New York Times Book Review, the Village Voice, the Paris Review, AGNI, FICTION, and the New England Review. She has taught writing at Harvard University, at MIT, and in the MFA program at Emerson College. These days she divides her time between the Yorkshire Dales in Northern England and her home outside Boston.

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    Reviews for The Midwife's Revolt

    4/5

    201 ratings20 reviews

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    • 4/5
      Fantastic insight into a period of history I know very little about. Great narration by Julia Whelan.
    • 5/5
      "I absolutely loved it!!"
      I can't say enough about this book. It reminds me of the musical 1776, one of the few musicals I can tolerate, let alone love. Lizzie is a wonderful, love able character, and I was sad to let her go at the end... But wait! I just found out there's a sequel. Can't wait to tear it apart!
    • 4/5
      The Midwife's Revolt by Jodi Daynard is a very interesting piece of historical fiction set during the Revolutionary War. The story is quite good and the writing is exceptional. I did feel that there were a few stretches which either dragged on or were unnecessary in that they didn't contribute to the narrative. Perhaps a case of having done so much interesting research that it was hard to omit favorite bits of information. Even though I felt that the book was longer than necessary because of this, Daynard's writing did not let the book become a laborious read.The historical aspect of this novel was particularly interesting as it centered on the women and their daily struggles and hardships as well as their moments of happiness. This reminded me of doing archival research (way back in college) using Civil War journals, diaries and letters to learn what was going on on the farms. I would definitely recommend this to readers of historical fiction as well as those interested in a well-researched perspective on what a woman's life was like during this period where history has chosen to focus almost exclusively on the activities of the men.Reviewed from an ARC made available by the publisher via NetGalley.
    • 3/5
      This was a pleasant read, qualifies as one of my 'tweeners, lighter works I don't have to think too hard about. Good books for fans of historical fiction, female points of view, the Revolution and midwifery.
    • 5/5
      Another outstanding historical novel by a writer who has painstakingly researched the characters and the times when they lived. The narrative is crisp, the descriptions so vivid that the reader is immersed in the story.
    • 5/5
      What a great story from beginning to end. Thank you
    • 3/5
      Lizzie Boylston is a young widow in Braintree, Massachusetts, where she finds work as a midwife and friendship with Abigail Adams. As war and revolution puts a strain on everything, Lizzie works to make a life for herself and those closest to her, while also harboring suspicions about those who could be spying for the British forces. An interesting story, but also one I found disappointing at times. I wished there would have been more about Eliza, whose character and story I found fascinating.
    • 4/5
      Despite my interest in the topic, it's been a very, very long time since I've read a Revolutionary War book, so I was very excited to read this one. Here in Daynard's first novel, we meet Lizzie Boylston, midwife and owner of a small Massachusetts farm. The story follows her through the death of her husband in the Battle of Bunker Hill, her close friendship with Abigail Adams, the highs and lows of her medical work, espionage, and her struggles through the war years in general. Even though I got through this book in just two sittings, I wouldn't call it a fast read. It is more one to be savored with some tea, snuggled up in bed. I can see how some readers may be put off by the pacing, and while I agree that some of the more slower portions of the book could have been omitted, I never felt bored or disinterested in the story.Also, the second half of the book picked up a bit, complete with poisoning, a murder mystery, more than one mysterious suitor, and espionage. I enjoyed the character of Lizzie, strong and thoroughly independent while still remaining a woman of her time, rather than a 21st Century girl taped into a historical setting. As a child, Lizzie requested that her father provide her a tutor, which, more in carelessness than love, her did. She learned Greek and Latin, developed a fondness for Shakespeare, and became learned in medicine. Everyone in the story is aware of her intelligence, but she lives in a world where it is generally viewed as a strike against her rather than one in her favor. Sad, but triumphant Lizzie rises above this thinking.Her development as a character was well written, and I especially thought that the way she handled her grief over her husband's death was marvelously realistic, allowing us to catch glimpses of all the things that made her come alive as a character - her flaws and best qualities.Besides her new life as a widow, Lizzie's life is far from easy. She obviously longs for a family, she is at first shunned as a possible witch in her community, her farm does not exactly prosper, and she goes through multiple times of near starvation and sickness. In one hopeless instance she tells us "At times we felt as if God were on the other side."Another thing that drew me to this book was the involvement of Abigail Adams. Abigail's unabashed honesty, clear-headedness, and tough love make for a great friendship between her and Lizzie. I love John and Abigail Adams, and from the other things that I have read about her, this seems a good re-imagining of what she may have been like with her closest confidantes. Another thing that I greatly appreciated about this book was that it truly seemed set during the Revolutionary War. This is clearly a book for readers of historical fiction, by a fan of the genre. There are dashes of old fashioned words through-out the book, though not enough to seem forced. Daynard isn't afraid to use words such as "breast" or "gay" with their original meanings attached (and no, neither have anything to do with sexuality). Two women share a bed because that is what women of the time did, with no gratuitous lesbian undertones attached. There are also fainting spells, fancily worded scenes, and some melodramatic speeches. At times, it strongly reminded me of a book of the period - and to do that successfully is to be applauded.There were a few grammatical errors, or words left out of sentences, such as "Jeb and me," using "sheer" rather than "shear," and incorrect sentences such as "that he will instrumental in..." Which would be perfect except that the little "be" managed to slip out. But, disclaimer, I read an advance review copy, so these things may likely be tweaked once the book is released.Overall, a lovely book that really takes you back in time. Thanks to Opossum Press and NetGalley.com for providing me with an advance review copy of this book.
    • 5/5
      Beautiful writing, if you adore historical fiction you'll love this tale!
    • 4/5
      This book did a really good job of drawing me in. It uses actually figures from the history of America. In my far from expert opinion, the author does a good job of making the settings realistic. I felt an emotional connection with the story. I was interested in what would happen in situations and figuring out the mysteries.
    • 4/5
      Thoroughly enjoyed every minute of this. Great characters, I really did feel for the women in the story. They were incredibly strong independent women yet lived in a time that it was not something that people supported. Very good book
    • 4/5
      Worth reading

      My preference would be to give this a 3.5. It was laced with interesting historical detail and quite well written. It was very slow at the start however and took a while to gain momentum. I will look for other books of this author's however.
    • 4/5
      I love reading about the John and Abigail Adams, so this story suited me very well, even though it's classified as "historical fiction." I found it intriguing and thoroughly enjoyable.
    • 4/5
      I love reading about women from past time periods so that was a plus for me. Although very engaging, I do not know how historical this book actually was.I do recommend this book to anyone looking for a good read, this book had a wonderful message about women and the power of unity.
    • 3/5
      Enjoy historical fiction and enjoyed the book. The problem was it was a little too predictable. Also a few ends that were not tied up and left you wondering about some of the characters.
    • 4/5
      Overall, I liked this tale of a young widowed midwife living in Braintree, MA during the American Revolution. Elizabeth Lee Boylston (Lizzie) begins the novel as a relatively new bride whose in-laws were opposed to the marriage. Jeb and Lizzie are trying to make a go of a farm of their own when he hears the call to arms. When he dies in the Battle of Bunker Hill, Lizzie extends her efforts to get work as a local midwife while trying to keep the farm going with the help of young Martha Miller, whose parents have left her an orphan and whose brother is suspected of being a spy for the British. Lizzie is befriended by Abigail Adams, whose husband and son have sailed to France to negotiate assistance for the colonists. As the was continues, Lizzie becomes more deeply embroiled in political espionage.The author has done excellent research and presents a fascinating picture of what life must have been like for the women left to fend for themselves while their men went off to war. She brings in a number of historical figures and events as well. Many of the secondary characters, such as Martha and Lizzie's old family servants Giles and Bessie, are well-drawn and engaging. The only flaws for me were a swoon into romance about 2/3 through the novel and some rather silly episodes where Lizzie goes in disguise.A pretty good and fairly light read with a lot of interesting background research.
    • 4/5
      I was drawn to this book heavily due to a recent discovery of an ancestor who was a locally well-known midwife and doctor of the Revolution in back-country North Carolina. My expectations were met for the most part by this wonderfully written historical fiction work.A vivid portrayal of the American Revolution from a unique POV, the author’s research shines through in its extent and wealth of details. The novel portrays the Revolution from the point of view of a local midwife and wannabe spy, giving us an insight into how the regular Joe dealt with this momentous historical event. The role of women in this timeframe, the hardships of civilians just trying to survive, and the roles that well placed spies played all shine through in this novel. This area of the novel will be a treat to any lover of historical fiction.Believable and well-developed, Lizzie and her family/friends made me feel like I knew them. The author took the time to make the people that inhabit her world have personalities and quirks all their own. I enjoyed the main character Lizzie for the most part; she’s a strong and practical individual who takes life as it comes and tries her best in a harsh world.However, there were times where she came off as almost stupid and bone-headed in her actions. The main debacle that comes to mind when getting this impression is her inept tries at spying. Her disguises are see-through, her choice of locale for information gathering seemed to come out of the blue, and she’s recognized more than she is not by her targets. She even gets drunk while spying! I mean, really?!? Let’s lose our senses while gathering information on the enemy and trying to disguise our incompetent efforts, sure!Still, I enjoyed the other portions of the book that showed a seldom seen POV for the Revolution, that of a regular citizen just trying to survive it and make their own small contribution. The author took her time to get the details right, making this a treat for any lover of historical fiction. The characters were strong and vivid; yet, the main character did tend to slide into stupid territory with her spying. Overall, though, still a treat of a book.Note: Book received for free from publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
    • 3/5
      I received this book from NetGalley as an e-book for my kindle. It was released in January of 2013. This book takes place during the Revolutionary War. Lizzie Boylston is a friend of Abigail Adams, the wife of John Adams. The story takes place before John Adams becomes president. Abigail was very independent. She ran the farm and raised her children by herself during the many absences of her husband.Lizzie is also a strong woman. She runs her farm and is a midwife after the death of her husband. She is not afraid of hard work. Martha comes to help her on the farm and Lizzie fears that Martha’s brother is a Loyalist. Will she fall in love with him or the mysterious new comer in town Mr. Cleverly? Little is known about Mr. Cleverly and his doctor friend. Later she believes that Mr. Cleverly and the doctor are poisoned, but who did it and why?When Lizzie senses that things are not quite what they seem and that there maybe spies among them she dresses up as a man to visit the local pub to get information. She is not your conventional stay at home, noble lady!! Eliza, her sister-in-law, becomes pregnant and goes to Lizzie’s to deliver her baby. Eliza’s child is of mixed race. Lizzie allows Eliza to stay with her and Martha on the farm. This would have been quite outrageous for the times, three unmarried women and a mixed child living together! Abigail Adams and Lizzie are ahead of their times in their attitudes and beliefs.While there was a conspiracy against John Adams, Lizzie’s role was a minor one. She was able to gather helpful information for the cause. She did not however lead a revolt, except against the conventional ideas of the period. It was her own personal revolt against the norms.I give this book 3.5/5 stars. I liked the book. It had a good plot. It contained mystery, intrigue, a happy ending for all, and novelty. There were strong female characters. I think that the epilogue was a bit too long. It seemed to take a while to wrap the story up. I didn’t really get the title of the book. While she was unconventional, she was not part of a revolt. I thought of some alternatives:The Revolutionary MidwifeThe Independent MidwifeThe Midwife of IndependenceThis is Jodi Daynard’s first novel and hopefully the start of a promising writing career!
    • 4/5
      After her husband dies during the American Revolution, Lizzie Boylston is left to run their farm alone. A practiced midwife, she befriends the women in town and is often called on for all types of sickness and disease. A close friend of Abigail Adams, the wife of John Adams, the book weaves fiction with history.The author definitely did her homework about birthing babies and the herbs and medicine of the time. I thought this was a good book. It was slow at times and even seemed to drag in places. Despite this, it was well written and the characters were engaging.
    • 3/5
      Jodi Daynard's The Midwife's Revolt takes place in Massachusetts during the Revolutionary War. The story is told by Lizzie Boylston, a young, recently widowed midwife. Through Lizzie's eyes, the reader is given the chance to see the times through a woman's eyes. The novel has intrigue and romance and I was thoroughly engaged throughout. I particularly liked the first parts of the book, which show some of the inevitable conflicts that occur during this kind of civil war. Lizzie is a staunch Patriot, while her father, being employed by the Crown, sails back to England. Martha, another supporter of "The Cause," has a beloved brother who does dangerous work for the Tories. These relationships were fascinating and made the situation very real and human.Unfortunately, Daynard does not continue in this vein. By the end of the novel, every conflict is resolved in a very tidy and convenient manner, making the story less believable, as well as less interesting. As a side note, I am familiar with the Boston area, but think a map included in the book would make the story more enjoyable for those who are not.