At the beginning of the Civil War, Mary Sutter is widely acknowledged as the best midwife in Albany, New York. She follows a long line of generations of midwives in her family. She longs, however, to be a surgeon, a doctor, to learn more about how the human body functions. In a time when women are still relegated to traditional roles, this is a goal that seems insurmountable.
Denied admission to the Medical College of Albany, she turns for help to a local doctor, James Blevens. Stunned by her request and by the outbreak of war (but not by Mary's courage and stubbornness) he denies her but remains haunted by her.
Denied the chance to follow her dream at home, Mary heads off to Washington, D.C. when Dorothea Dix issues a call for nurses. Her life becomes intertwined, once again, with James Blevens as well as his mentor, William Stipp.
I have to admit that I skipped a couple of the gorier scenes, from a childbirth gone wrong to the battle surgery scenes. The author works in real life people (from Dorothea Dix to Abraham Lincoln) into the story and it helped me to understand the bigger picture.
I liked this book a lot. Mary's story of trying to fulfill her dream and what it costs her is a story as true today as it was then. The author's descriptions of the battlefield and how primitive the hospitals were are heart-breaking. As I read them, I had to wonder yet again why war seems to be an option. I wanted Mary to achieve her dream - but was frustrated when she couldn't see past it.
One of the reasons I read this book was to see if it would be a good gift for my sister. It will.
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