The Midwife of Hope River

By Patricia Harman

The Midwife of Hope River - Patricia Harman
  • Release Date: 2012-08-28
  • Genre: Historical Fiction
Score: 4.5
4.5
From 402 Ratings

Description

A remarkable new voice in American fiction enchants readers with a moving and uplifting novel that celebrates the miracle of life. In The Midwife of Hope River, first-time novelist Patricia Harmon transports us to poverty stricken Appalachia during the Great Depression years of the 1930s and introduces us to a truly unforgettable heroine. Patience Murphy, a midwife struggling against disease, poverty, and prejudice—and her own haunting past—is a strong and endearing character that fans of the books of Ami McKay and Diane Chamberlain will take into their hearts, as she courageously attempts to bring new light, and life, into an otherwise cruel world.

Reviews

  • Researched Legacy of Time

    5
    By reading aunt
    Easy to read. Writing style switches easily between characters . Set in the time between WW1 and the Depression.
  • The Midwife of Hope River

    5
    By Cappyjane
    This book is a keeper. I’m sure I will read this book again. Great writing and believable characters. I laughed and cried and wished I had another thousand pages to read!
  • The runaway midwife.Very good!

    5
    By author Patricia Harman
    The Midwife of Hope River. Excellent!
  • Great Read!

    5
    By Kmb1122
    Loved it! I'll admit it took me a few chapters to get into it but then I was hooked! Captivated by the characters and the stories. I was sad when it ended! Hopefully there will be more to come
  • The Midwife of Hope River

    5
    By PushpushStable
    As a retired RN, with 43 years in labor and delivery, I read this in 12 hours. Simply was unable to put it down. Texted former colleagues and encouraged them to read this beautifully written and accurate work. One of my favorite books of the year.
  • Disappointed

    2
    By Carol CNM
    I wanted to like this book. I really did. But the formulaic writing and predictable story lines make that a real challenge. Terms like "boobies", "enlarged organ", "man parts", and poor grammar like "I"as object instead of subject make this pretty difficult to slog through. I expected more.
  • The Midwife of Hope River

    5
    By WAWebster
    This book was absorbing, realistic, and enjoyable. The author's experience as a midwife allowed her to create believable birth stories, as the main character, a midwife in the 1930s, struggles to deal with her past, the poverty and racism in her environment, and the care of women as they give birth. This book was thoughtful and powerful, and a good read as well.
  • The Midwife of Hope River

    4
    By nothing comes to mind
    Good read.
  • Unique historical perspective

    5
    By DBecker607
    A well told story about a midwife in depression WVa. The main character tells some socially conscious tales about haves, have nots, and a detailed array of birthing stories. The prose is fine, but there is a lack of emotional or explicable depth in some characters and more than a little stereotyping re race and rednecks. Still, it was entertaining and worth the read.
  • The Midwife of Hope River

    5
    By Charlene V
    Loved this book....I could see it as a really good movie too! The characters were so strong in such a scary time in our history.