The Midwife's Revolt

I recently attended a workshop that Roberta Rich gave on historical fiction. I was so impressed by her talk that I had to read her first book in the series. What a fantastic read! Once I started, I couldn't stop as the story is so rich in detail. It took me back to a Jewish ghetto in 16th c. Venice, where we meet Hannah, an exceptional midwife, whose skills and talent have become known in the Christian quarter. She's an appealing protagonist–brave, resourceful, and honourable in her quest to find and free her husband Isaac.

I kept thinking as I read the story about what literary agent and master teacher, Donald Maass, says about writing. An author needs to keep putting their protagonist in danger and raise the stakes and keep raising them higher and higher. Roberta Rich does this so well. There are no shortcuts in this novel. She's done her homework and woven in imaginative details that ring true.

Historically moderately interesting, but one-dimensional characters and deadly dull narrative. We know nothing really about Hannah and Isaac. How did they meet? Why do they love each other? How did Hannah become a midwife? What happened to her parents? I have no reason to root for either character (other than the fact that the author tells me I should) because they don't come alive at all. If this wasn't a book club selection I would never have finished it.