I freely confess it; this is exactly the kind of book I’m predisposed
to like. Which means my recommendation should be served with a good pinch of
salt as I’m biased. But if you happen to likewise have a soft spot for historical
tales about women that aren’t primarily romances, you might find it as
entertaining as I did.
Set in the
Revolutionary era, the midwife in revolt in this tale is one Lizzie Boylston of
Cambridge, recently moved to Braintree
(both next to Boston)
with her young husband Jeb, who, within a few pages, proceeds to die in the
opening skirmish of the brand new war. Lizzie and her neighbor Abigail Adams
and several other women are left to fend for themselves in Braintree while the war flares and ebbs and
creates hardships of every sort. Lizzie, a gifted midwife, saves babies and
mothers and takes in stray young women in need of shelter, all of whom band
together to outwit a set of British spies. Lizzie is courted by a Patriot but
falls for a Tory, after which a number of loyalties and allegiances are tested
and strained.
At one
point Lizzie convinces herself the only noble course is to dress as a man and
go into Boston to visit a tavern where known conspirators congregate. This,
easily, was my favorite part of the book, as Lizzie proved an utterly bumbling
spy whom everyone immediately recognizes. I thought Ms. Daynard did a nice job
of juxtaposing her heroine’s noble intentions with the reality of a situation
far outside her wheelhouse. And she had a dang funny mustache.
Overall I enjoyed the story and had the sense
the historical details were pretty spot on—though it’s not an era I know much
about. It reminded me of Cold Mountain in bringing to life the harsh conditions on
farms during war, where the women left behind did the work of the missing men
on top of their own. And when the weather fails the crops, scarcities are
compounded by wartime shortages.
One of the
more intriguing aspects of the novel is the exploration of the difficult allegiances
during this first war between Britain
and her colony, where neighbors and even families came down on different sides
of the war. The novel depicts how the level of mistrust among people living in
close proximity can induce as much—or more—strain than the physical hardships. Lizzie,
a staunch Patriot from a family of Tories, forges a friendship with her neighbor
Abigail Adams that serves to anchor the story in historical relevance, where
the spy plot revolves around John Adams and his doings. I can’t say I found the
characters fascinating but there were moments of excellent revelation.
Thus if
you’re not already tired of historical novels of the Revolution, I recommend
this one as a good read.
