Two covers, because depending on the country, you were either reading the blue dress cover (Canada) or the profile picture cover (US). Thank you to our fellow hoarder, Elizabeth, we all read the US version.
As all three of us read this book, perhaps we should all insert our “reviews” here! Although Jackie removed a star because she was not as satisfied by the ending as we were. ☺
(From Goodreads) An enthralling historical novel about a young woman’s struggle to become a doctor during the Civil War
In this stunning first novel, Mary Sutter is a brilliant, headstrong midwife from Albany, New York, who dreams of becoming a surgeon. Determined to overcome the prejudices against women in medicine-and eager to run away from her recent heartbreak- Mary leaves home and travels to Washington, D.C. to help tend the legions of Civil War wounded. Under the guidance of William Stipp and James Blevens-two surgeons who fall unwittingly in love with Mary’s courage, will, and stubbornness in the face of suffering-and resisting her mother’s pleas to return home to help with the birth of her twin sister’s baby, Mary pursues her medical career in the desperately overwhelmed hospitals of the capital.
Mary, and well everyone really, in this book, are so richly characterized it was so hard to come to the end and realize you would no longer be able to spend more time with them. I repeated over and over my wish that this was a 5-part, 2 hour each part mini-series! You were so quickly and easily immersed in to this story, and formed such a strong bond with Mary!
It was very interesting to read about the lives (suffering) of soldiers during the Civil War, especially from the medical standpoint and I really enjoyed how she personalized President Lincoln throughout. Jackie was disappointed in the ending, and although it may have seem “rushed” right at the very end or “just ended quickly”, I was honestly pleased with how things turned out for Mary and the person that she ends with as her love interest. I don’t want to discuss it too much, because it would give too much away, but I was pleased to see that she is with a person that loves, respects and honours her committment to becoming a surgeon.
It also got me to thinking that should that have been how the book ended? Wasn’t Mary’s main goal to become a surgeon? Why concern herself with a love interest? But no, as I said above, she is with the right man and is very deserving of a strong love! Don’t you think?
Never once did I feel this book dragged, or went on too long, or bored me at some points. No way, I still seriously want a Mary Sutter mini-series! (Penny)