Reviews

The Book of the Unnamed Midwife by Meg Elison

kitkat1701's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional hopeful reflective sad tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

koalathebear's review against another edition

4.0

Incredibly bleak and depressing. I wasn't expecting a cheerful read, but this really was a heavy and sad novel ...

There are some rather frank and graphic accounts of rape, sexual slavery, mutilation and suicide - so definitely not for the faint of heart. I think a lot of the post-apocalyptic novels I've read tend to have a thread of hope in them despite the darkness. This take on the aftermath of an apocalypse does not try to varnish things at all ... I thought it was well written and interesting but I'll not be reading the next in the series.

jaw417's review against another edition

4.0

Elison does an good job of taking the current cultural variations and power dynamics that exist in today's society and asking how those elements would interact with the collapse of modern civilization. She raises questions of what drives people to carry on, and what intrinsic motivations are strong enough to keep a person moving forward when there's no sign of anything worth going toward. The protagonist is smart, conflicted, and determined, and I appreciate that the book addresses serious, practical questions about how life goes on when technology is upended. This book set itself apart within the post-apocalyptic genre with its candor, practicality, and examination of how sociological influences continue to impact people event after that society is gone.

optimiste's review against another edition

challenging dark sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a good adult sci fi, dystopia, or feminist fiction. Gripping and tense for most of the story, I listened to this over the course of a day or two - I was completely engaged from the very beginning. The characters all feel very real and the story feels incredibly plausible. The fact it was written in 2014 and I’m reading it in 2023 - it spoke to human behaviour during upheaval superbly. Definitely dark and pretty grim, but with some humour and for the most part, not terribly graphic. Liked the ending!

msmoodyreader's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective sad tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

bisayareader's review

adventurous challenging dark hopeful mysterious sad tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

chyse's review against another edition

challenging dark sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

shelbyegaines's review against another edition

3.0

This is the most violent fucjed up book I’ve ever read but probably does accurately describe a post-apocalyptic world with more men than women left. I wish there was more action tho - would have kept me glued to the book

jasminejes's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional funny hopeful inspiring sad tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

mayrad's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional reflective sad tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.0

This is a solid start to the series. It was a fast read that had my attention from beginning to end. The beginning and ending were the strongest. The section with the LDS couple was a bit tedious and that's the only reason it doesn't get a higher rating. It seemed that part of her journey lasted way longer than necessary and seems so unlikely they would go undisturbed for so long. I also found the women hives a bit silly. But those are minors issues and the novel was a definite strong start.