Reviews

The Book of the Unnamed Midwife by Meg Elison

gina1223's review against another edition

4.0

Such a unique premise for a book, and I really found myself rooting for the midwife. I loved the different stories and the way the tragedy struck 

meiviev's review against another edition

5.0

wow.

candaceonline's review against another edition

4.0

The Book of the Unnamed Midwife by Meg Elison is an intense read. A mysterious fever has swept across the world, decimating the population. Women and children are killed at higher rates than men. The women who do survive are unable to give birth to living children. We follow a midwife who is trying to survive in this new world, where everyone is desperate and hopeless. The midwife chooses to dress as a man to protect herself and her freedom. She tries to help the people she can as she travels across the country, seeking a reason to keep going. I think I have been pretty clear that I don’t like rape in my stories. This book has a whole bunch of rape and attempted rape. It’s not graphically portrayed in most instances. Mostly someone says it happened to them and the details aren’t given. There is one scene where the midwife has to fight off a man and it gets a bit too detailed. Despite my issues with this content, it felt like a necessary evil for this particular book. This is a dark, dark story. I truly began to wonder if there was going to be an ending that wasn’t horribly depressing. It paints a scary picture, but also explores the power dynamic between genders. It was bleak, and brutal, but absorbing. I became attached and wanted these characters to find some kind of happiness. When one of them killed themselves, I cried. I think someone wanting to read this should investigate trigger warnings. I ended up liking this enough to continue reading this series. It was grim, but ultimately hopeful. I look forward to seeing how it continues. 4/5 stars.
Instagram book reviews @CandaceOnline

caitibeth's review against another edition

5.0

Dark, powerful take on a post-apocalyptic world that feels very realistic. Definitely a "can't put it down" type of book for me, although its unrelenting grimness might be too much for some readers.

spensacanread's review against another edition

4.0

I've never been a fan of post apocalyptic books, but this was written so well. I've also listened on audiobooks so that might have enhanced my reading experience more.

readwithke's review against another edition

4.0

This was my first time reading a book like this and it frightened me. I was very paranoid after reading it. It is a real page turner if you like these type of things.

kyraliagal's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious tense slow-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? No

5.0

books_tea_and_fantasy's review against another edition

4.0

4.5 ⭐️

Characters: 8
Atmosphere: 10
Writing: 8
Plot: 7
Intrigue: 9
Logic: 8
Enjoyment: 8

Some parts made me feel sooo uncomfortable... So of course I love it!

raoulgonzo's review against another edition

challenging dark medium-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? No

4.5

bizzels's review against another edition

dark mysterious tense medium-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

4.5