Midwife of The Blue Ridge...Review

About the book:
They call her Dark Maggie for her thick black hair, but the name also has a more sinister connotation. As the lone survivor of an attack on her village, she was thought to be cursed and unfit for marriage. Maggie is also gifted with quick wits and skilled in medicine, trained as a midwife. Venturing to the colonies as an indentured servant, she hopes to escape the superstitions of the old country and find a home of her own. But what she discovers is a New World fraught with new dangers.

Set in 18th century Scotland, Maggie Duncan is the sole survivor of a horrific massacre. She is taken in by a midwife and learns the woman's healing skills. After her foster mother's death, and seeing her own prospects for a happy life in Scotland dim, Maggie voluntarily goes to Colonial America as an indentured servant. What follows is an adventure beyond any she could have imagined.

Maggie is indentured to Seth Martin and his family. She finds love and acceptance within their world. Her skills as a midwife and healer are in demand. Indian raids are a threat, but even more so are the threats from disgruntled Englishmen. Maggie finds friendship and love, but also tragedy and horror.

This would be classified as a historical romance, and is hard to put down. The history of the early colonists has always fascinated me. And, having my own interest in natural healing and herbs, I found the accounts here fascinating. What herbs and techniques Maggie uses to help with healing and childbirth, and how she brings her Scottish knowledge and blends it with what she learns about healing from the colonists and Indians is interesting.

Christine Blevins certainly doesn't do anything to soften the roughness of the frontier life, including death and rape. I was disappointed, however, that she used so much vulgarity. I'm sure that hunters and farmers from this era weren't refined, but the prolific use of two words in particular was frustrating, and not always necessary.

The story is compelling and grabs your attention quickly. At some points I wished for more details and at other times, I wished for less. Overall an interesting read.

Thanks to my local library for having a copy I could borrow.  You can purchase your own copy here.

Read 10/08

* * *
3/5 Stars

Comments

  1. Great review, Holly! This sounds really good and I will be adding to my ever growing list!

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  2. Great review Holly. This one has been on my list for a while. I'd really like to read it.

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  3. I think this books sounds pretty good. I am looking for a few books to read that are outside the box for me. This just might be the one!

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