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The Midwife's Daughter #1
The Midwife's Daughter
A BBC Radio 4 Book at Bedtime. The new novel from Orange Prize listed author Patricia Ferguson is a deeply moving tale about two sisters and the young black orphan who changes their lives - for anyone who loves Call the Midwife or Andrea Levy.
Violet Dimond, the Holy Terror, has delivered many of the town children - and often their children - in her capacity as handywoman. But Violet's calling is dying out as, with medicine's advances, the good old ways are no longer good enough.
Grace, Violet's adopted daughter, is a symbol of change herself. In the place where she has grown up and everyone knows her, she is accepted, though most of the locals never before saw a girl with skin that colour. For Violet and Grace the coming war will bring more upheaval into their can they endure it, or will they, like so many, be swept aside by history's tide?
A moving tale of prejudice, struggle, love, tragedy, bravery and the changing lives of women in the twentieth century, The Midwife's Daughter grips the reader all the way to its heartstopping conclusion.
Praise for Patricia
'Strong, affecting, vividly depicted . . . It is a pure pleasure to read' Lionel Shriver, Telegraph (on Peripheral Vision by Patricia Ferguson)
'One of the most brilliant novelists around . . . funny, gripping, wonderfully shrewd' Independent
Patricia Ferguson trained in nursing and midwifery, and her first book, Family Myths and Legends, won the Betty Trask, David Higham and Somerset Maugham awards. Her most recent books, It So Happens and Peripheral Vision were both longlisted for the Orange Prize. She lives in Bristol.
Violet Dimond, the Holy Terror, has delivered many of the town children - and often their children - in her capacity as handywoman. But Violet's calling is dying out as, with medicine's advances, the good old ways are no longer good enough.
Grace, Violet's adopted daughter, is a symbol of change herself. In the place where she has grown up and everyone knows her, she is accepted, though most of the locals never before saw a girl with skin that colour. For Violet and Grace the coming war will bring more upheaval into their can they endure it, or will they, like so many, be swept aside by history's tide?
A moving tale of prejudice, struggle, love, tragedy, bravery and the changing lives of women in the twentieth century, The Midwife's Daughter grips the reader all the way to its heartstopping conclusion.
Praise for Patricia
'Strong, affecting, vividly depicted . . . It is a pure pleasure to read' Lionel Shriver, Telegraph (on Peripheral Vision by Patricia Ferguson)
'One of the most brilliant novelists around . . . funny, gripping, wonderfully shrewd' Independent
Patricia Ferguson trained in nursing and midwifery, and her first book, Family Myths and Legends, won the Betty Trask, David Higham and Somerset Maugham awards. Her most recent books, It So Happens and Peripheral Vision were both longlisted for the Orange Prize. She lives in Bristol.
395 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 2012
26 people are currently reading
387 people want to read
About the author
Patricia Ferguson
7 books13 followersPatricia Ferguson was brought up in Kent, read history at Leeds university, and completed a two-year graduate nursing course at the Royal London Hospital in Whitechapel. This was at rather the end of an era; she was perhaps amongst the very last young women shown how to coax starched linen hats into the requisite five pleats, or told that pillow cases must always face away from the ward entrance; but she was also taught many vital and graceful nursing techniques.
Pat loved the obstetrics part of the course, and completed midwifery training too. She had always wanted to write and finished her first novel, Family Myths and Legends, whilst working as an obstetric nurse in Canada. This won the Somerset Maugham Award, the Betty Trask, and the David Higham prize in 1985.
Working as an agency nurse in London Pat completed her acclaimed short story collection about nursing, Indefinite Nights.
Several more short stories have been broadcast on Radio 4, and Pat has published four further novels, two of them listed for the Orange Prize. She taught Creative Writing at the University of Bristol, for many years and was a Royal Literary Fund Fellow at Reading University. She is married with two grown-up sons, and lives in Bristol.
Pat loved the obstetrics part of the course, and completed midwifery training too. She had always wanted to write and finished her first novel, Family Myths and Legends, whilst working as an obstetric nurse in Canada. This won the Somerset Maugham Award, the Betty Trask, and the David Higham prize in 1985.
Working as an agency nurse in London Pat completed her acclaimed short story collection about nursing, Indefinite Nights.
Several more short stories have been broadcast on Radio 4, and Pat has published four further novels, two of them listed for the Orange Prize. She taught Creative Writing at the University of Bristol, for many years and was a Royal Literary Fund Fellow at Reading University. She is married with two grown-up sons, and lives in Bristol.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 58 reviews
April 19, 2014
I really wanted to enjoy this book but I didn't feel it had a main focus ... It touched on racial issues, sibling rivalry, domestic violence, the perils of childbirth and the horror of war - yet seemed to attempt to cram too much in at once. So much so that I didn't feel an emotional connection with many of the topics as there was too much going on. Too much going on and yet nothing ground breaking really happening. The ending was odd and disappointing, I wasn't impressed overall.
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March 20, 2016
From BBC Radio 4 Extra - Book at Bedtime:
Set at the turn of the twentieth century, the new novel by Orange Prize listed author Patricia Ferguson is the compassionate and moving story of two sisters and the young black orphan who changes their lives.
1/10: Violet Dimond has a terrible nightmare about her dead daughter but wonders if the dream may not strictly be her own.
2/10: Violet has had a nightmare about her dead daughter, Ruth, and sets off to visit her twin sister, Be a, whose dream it may actually have been.
3/10: Violet has taken Grace home to Silkhampton where she causes quite a stir. And Violet receives an unwelcome visitor.
4/10: Grace is accepted as part of the Silkhampton community. At a school sports day, she catches a glimpse - for the first time - of another person who looks like her.
5/10: Violet hears about her sister's overreaction to a description of Grace and suspects that Be a has been keeping a secret from her.
6/10: Grace has caught the eye of young Tommy Dando. And Violet learns the astonishing truth about her adopted daughter.
7/10: Grace is injured in an unexpected attack while Violet is away. She becomes dangerously ill and is looked after by both her mother and her aunt.
8/10: The War is taking its toll on the young men of the community. Grace is recovering and is offered a job in a convalescent home in Patricia Ferguson's story of two sisters and the young black orphan who changes their lives.
9/10: Grace has met the injured soldier, Joe Gilder, and they plan their life together - with support from Aunt Bea.
10/10: There is wonderful news for Grace but joy is short lived. And the final truth about the past is revealed.
Abridged by Robin Brooks
Produced by Gaynor Macfarlane.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b01n9yg5
Set at the turn of the twentieth century, the new novel by Orange Prize listed author Patricia Ferguson is the compassionate and moving story of two sisters and the young black orphan who changes their lives.
1/10: Violet Dimond has a terrible nightmare about her dead daughter but wonders if the dream may not strictly be her own.
2/10: Violet has had a nightmare about her dead daughter, Ruth, and sets off to visit her twin sister, Be a, whose dream it may actually have been.
3/10: Violet has taken Grace home to Silkhampton where she causes quite a stir. And Violet receives an unwelcome visitor.
4/10: Grace is accepted as part of the Silkhampton community. At a school sports day, she catches a glimpse - for the first time - of another person who looks like her.
5/10: Violet hears about her sister's overreaction to a description of Grace and suspects that Be a has been keeping a secret from her.
6/10: Grace has caught the eye of young Tommy Dando. And Violet learns the astonishing truth about her adopted daughter.
7/10: Grace is injured in an unexpected attack while Violet is away. She becomes dangerously ill and is looked after by both her mother and her aunt.
8/10: The War is taking its toll on the young men of the community. Grace is recovering and is offered a job in a convalescent home in Patricia Ferguson's story of two sisters and the young black orphan who changes their lives.
9/10: Grace has met the injured soldier, Joe Gilder, and they plan their life together - with support from Aunt Bea.
10/10: There is wonderful news for Grace but joy is short lived. And the final truth about the past is revealed.
Abridged by Robin Brooks
Produced by Gaynor Macfarlane.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b01n9yg5
March 6, 2014
BABTBy Patricia Ferguson
Read by Joanna Tope
BBC Blurb: Set at the turn of the twentieth century, the new novel by Orange Prize listed author Patricia Ferguson is the compassionate and moving story of two sisters and the young black orphan who changes their lives.
Abridged by Robin Brooks
Produced by Gaynor Macfarlane.
#1 Violet Dimond has a terrible nightmare about her dead daughter but wonders if the dream may not strictly be her own.
#2 Violet has had a nightmare about her dead daughter Ruth and sets off to visit her twin sister Bea, whose dream it may actually have been.
#3 Violet has taken Grace home to Silkhampton, where she causes quite a stir, and Violet receives an unwelcome visitor.
#4 Grace is accepted as part of the Silkhampton community. At a school sports day, she catches a glimpse - for the first time - of another person who looks like her.
#5 Violet suspects that Bea has been keeping a secret
March 18, 2015
I'd actually give this book 3.5 stars. It was a tale told with love and great heart and the strength and dignity of the characters shone through. It beautifully portrayed the time period and the strains of growing up different to everyone else. However, the ending let it down - the pace change was inconsistent and introducing a minor character at the end seemed pointless.
May 9, 2016
I did like the book a lot. Gripping, with a twist, keeps you up at night just to see what will happened. Especially her language! It is a bit like a roller coaster. You read through pages, carefully carried by the plot, and boom! Every time the tension heats up a sentence goes twist and turn and you have to go back and re-read it, wondering what just happened. I personally liked this a lot!
Yet, the second book of the series (that I read first) was better. Most of all because of the plot's developments. It feel like there were too many things in this book for too little pages. And I honestly feel like the main heroine Grace needed more space to develop out of everything that the author attributed to her. Not that I think something should be changed, the narration most of the time goes rather smooth and keeps one following a clear path. It can be just a regret of a reader who didn't want a book to end, but I think the heroes in the book needed more space and time. But that's my only 'khm'. So I guess 4,5 stars :)
Yet, the second book of the series (that I read first) was better. Most of all because of the plot's developments. It feel like there were too many things in this book for too little pages. And I honestly feel like the main heroine Grace needed more space to develop out of everything that the author attributed to her. Not that I think something should be changed, the narration most of the time goes rather smooth and keeps one following a clear path. It can be just a regret of a reader who didn't want a book to end, but I think the heroes in the book needed more space and time. But that's my only 'khm'. So I guess 4,5 stars :)
October 21, 2018
The book was okay, if not somewhat depressing, but it was the ending that made me downgrade it to a two star rating. The ending seems inappropriate and the book would have been better without it. Switching to the viewpoint of someone who had never been a main character was also disorientating.
May 7, 2014
I know a sad ending can be very powerful and poignent and meaningful.... but I think this book would have been better with a happier ending.
October 23, 2012
Very strange ending.
April 6, 2021
This was a really good novel set at the beginning of the XXth century. Realistically narrating the otherness of being of different colour, the author wove a story that will stay with me. Adopted at about 3 years of age (noone seems to know when she was exactly born), Grace has had to learn what it means to be considered different. In these days, having a darker skin meant being inferior, looked upon with pity on a par with physical and mental disability. Fortunately, not everyone reacted in this fashion. Grace will know love, from her family first, her adoptive mum (a midwife) whose twin sister seems to have some secrets of her own... Not much action as such as we follow Grace for twenty years but not one boring page whatsoever. It was also very interesting on the midwifery point of view: what their job involved exactly, their education, their social status and the change after WWI. I loved it!
March 8, 2018
I found the book difficult .. to put down. It is so well written and evokes passions of all tyes in the reader. It gives a fasinating insight into the 'the old ways', the roles that 'ordinary' women undertook. Roles that created life-long bonds, challenging ideas and relationships and local dynamics.
I did find that I understood some of the 'issues', particualry as I have lived as 'the only Black person/ woman' in a village, twice in my life. Being the 'other' and different to the norm, requires self-belief, social skills and a steadfast resilience that may not be required in more cosmopolitian environments.
This was a welcome and enjoyable read and one that I will continue to share.
I did find that I understood some of the 'issues', particualry as I have lived as 'the only Black person/ woman' in a village, twice in my life. Being the 'other' and different to the norm, requires self-belief, social skills and a steadfast resilience that may not be required in more cosmopolitian environments.
This was a welcome and enjoyable read and one that I will continue to share.
February 3, 2020
I'm torn with this book. I think the author has described the scenes and characters wonderfully well for this era. I didn't find this book gripping as reviews promised.
There was also lots of jumping around between character view points which I sometimes found confusing to keep up with.
Time passed very strangely in this book. It starts off with the main character a young person and then jumps back to the beginning of Grace's life.
I didn't enjoy this book. I don't think it was my type.
There was also lots of jumping around between character view points which I sometimes found confusing to keep up with.
Time passed very strangely in this book. It starts off with the main character a young person and then jumps back to the beginning of Grace's life.
I didn't enjoy this book. I don't think it was my type.
September 1, 2019
Overall I did enjoy reading this book. However the ending was very strange. I can see what the writer was trying to bring my attention to but it could have been better. I still enjoyed the story and following the characters of Gracie, Violet, her twin sister Bea. I would recommend this book to my family and friends.
March 21, 2021
Beautifully written and very evocative of the era. However, as others have written, switching character viewpoint 4 times near the end (3 of which were minor characters) took away from pace, story development and our empathy for the protagonists.
February 26, 2022
Absolutely loved the book. Has a mix of racial abuse, mixed race marriage, historic midwifes tales and family secrets. Set in the early 1900s, I normally do not go for period books but this was a really good read.
August 6, 2017
I enjoyed this book tremendously, I thought that her great success with the other children was good. I
won't reveal what happens but suffice to say I thought it was a good read.
won't reveal what happens but suffice to say I thought it was a good read.
January 23, 2018
A good read but I found the ending a bit untidy
February 7, 2018
Loved this book. Great sense of time and place and so much interesting social history. Sad, gritty, uplifting.
May 9, 2021
Brilliant writing
First half gripping but then jumps about so much I kept thinking I’d turned four pages. Unfortunately disappointing ending too.
First half gripping but then jumps about so much I kept thinking I’d turned four pages. Unfortunately disappointing ending too.
December 29, 2022
It's boring.
Did not finish.
Did not finish.
March 26, 2023
Good story.
The ending could have been better.
The ending could have been better.
August 8, 2024
The characters shone clearly however the storyline was disjointed. It touched on so many important issues that there wasn't a clear narrative. The ending felt brutal and yet confused.
October 22, 2012
I Loved It - almost certain this one will be high on my list of top 10 books for the year!
Set during the early years of the 20th century in an isolated village in rural Cornwall the story centres around Vi, the village woman/midwife and the child that she adopted after a visit to an orphanage that her twin sister Bea has charge of. The child is of mixed race and very sickly but Vi, seeing in her a resemblance to her own deceased daughter, nurses her back to health. We follow Grace's growing up in a narrow minded community where racism and prejudice abounds, but beating all odds Grace gradually becomes accepted through her own abilities and skills. During this time Vi's midwifery experience and skills count for nothing when it becomes necessary for midwives to have qualifications. Therefore Vi may no longer attend village births, leaving her with a need to keep a roof over her own and Grace's heads.
Race, class, courage, sibling rivalry and above all love are handled with amazing dexterity in this, the first novel that I have read by this author. I found it to be very cleverly written as every time that I thought that I had the measure of the direction of the story another little nugget of information altered the course of my thinking. This held my attention and kept me turning the pages to find out more. I have no hesitation in recommending The Midwife's Daughter to others and I will be looking out for more of Patricia Ferguson's books in the future.
Thank you to Newbooks Magazine and Penguin books for giving me the chance to review this Uncorrected Proof Copy.
Set during the early years of the 20th century in an isolated village in rural Cornwall the story centres around Vi, the village woman/midwife and the child that she adopted after a visit to an orphanage that her twin sister Bea has charge of. The child is of mixed race and very sickly but Vi, seeing in her a resemblance to her own deceased daughter, nurses her back to health. We follow Grace's growing up in a narrow minded community where racism and prejudice abounds, but beating all odds Grace gradually becomes accepted through her own abilities and skills. During this time Vi's midwifery experience and skills count for nothing when it becomes necessary for midwives to have qualifications. Therefore Vi may no longer attend village births, leaving her with a need to keep a roof over her own and Grace's heads.
Race, class, courage, sibling rivalry and above all love are handled with amazing dexterity in this, the first novel that I have read by this author. I found it to be very cleverly written as every time that I thought that I had the measure of the direction of the story another little nugget of information altered the course of my thinking. This held my attention and kept me turning the pages to find out more. I have no hesitation in recommending The Midwife's Daughter to others and I will be looking out for more of Patricia Ferguson's books in the future.
Thank you to Newbooks Magazine and Penguin books for giving me the chance to review this Uncorrected Proof Copy.
September 28, 2012
It’s 1900, in Cornwall, England, twin sister’s Bea and Violet attempt to work through their strained relationship. A severely ill orphaned child lies in a lonely cot. Her eyes hold Violet, how alike they are to her own daughter that has passed away. There’s just one big difference; the nameless child is black. Regardless of her colour Violet claims the girl as her own, raising her along the seaside.
Christened as Grace, she grows up in a racist world, praying to God that he turn her skin white. Time passes as Violet and Grace age. History evolves around them as they redefine the structure of family during a period of war and medical progression. Love knows no colour in this beautiful historical novel.
Although not a YA novel, this book was given to me for an honest review. Thus I’m making a onetime exception (although throughout the middle of the book Grace is a teenager – classic YA?). I am a fan of historical fiction and the book is fantastically written. With accents and language that bring the reader across any ocean to Cornwall, Ferguson has clearly down her research. Touching on sensitive topics as race and class, The Midwife’s Daughter will make you think about the past and how the future has progressed.
The Midwife’s Daughter hits stores today! Buy your copy now!
I was given this book as an ARC from Penguin Books, many thanks to the marketing and publicity team at Penguin Books UK!
Christened as Grace, she grows up in a racist world, praying to God that he turn her skin white. Time passes as Violet and Grace age. History evolves around them as they redefine the structure of family during a period of war and medical progression. Love knows no colour in this beautiful historical novel.
Although not a YA novel, this book was given to me for an honest review. Thus I’m making a onetime exception (although throughout the middle of the book Grace is a teenager – classic YA?). I am a fan of historical fiction and the book is fantastically written. With accents and language that bring the reader across any ocean to Cornwall, Ferguson has clearly down her research. Touching on sensitive topics as race and class, The Midwife’s Daughter will make you think about the past and how the future has progressed.
The Midwife’s Daughter hits stores today! Buy your copy now!
I was given this book as an ARC from Penguin Books, many thanks to the marketing and publicity team at Penguin Books UK!
August 17, 2015
This is a wonderful book set in England in the beginning of the 20th century. It is about a midwife, Violet Dimond, who lives in a small town. Her husband is dead and her son has emigrated to America. Her twin sister Bea, with which she has never been of equal terms lives nearby and is running a home for orphans. On one visit Bea shows her a black girl of 2 years that has been found on the street. Violet is connecting to the girl since she reminds her of her dead daughter and decides to adopt her. She names her Grace.
The story tells of the difficulty to grow up in a small community being black at the time when people had hardly seen a black person in their lives. But also how difficult it is to be different. Prejudices and narrow mindedness is part of the life. But it is also a story about the changing times coming up towards the first world war. The poverty and the strife to survive the day.
The story follows Grace, Violet's and Bea's lives. Things are not always what they seem to be. The relationship between the sisters are coming to a point where they finally can talk to each other and look back to how their different lives developed. Is maybe Grace someone they know? Was there a purpose that she came in to their lives?
Review from my book blog thecontentreader.blogspot.com
The story tells of the difficulty to grow up in a small community being black at the time when people had hardly seen a black person in their lives. But also how difficult it is to be different. Prejudices and narrow mindedness is part of the life. But it is also a story about the changing times coming up towards the first world war. The poverty and the strife to survive the day.
The story follows Grace, Violet's and Bea's lives. Things are not always what they seem to be. The relationship between the sisters are coming to a point where they finally can talk to each other and look back to how their different lives developed. Is maybe Grace someone they know? Was there a purpose that she came in to their lives?
Review from my book blog thecontentreader.blogspot.com
August 11, 2014
This is a wonderful story, very readable, good on the history. While enjoying the story itself, you pick up on how midwifery was practised and changing in the period (early 20th century) , on social attitudes towards women, and towards anyone who is different. Gracie (the midwife's daughter of the title) doesn't realise for a while that others viewed her as different along with the children who were physically disabled (a boy with a club foot), had learning difficulties, or were 'not like the rest' in any way - she was coloured - but hadn't seen herself as the same as this other group ... gradually, she does.
And then, after a bad fright that leads to tragedy, as she recovers, she deals with it ... but is her tragic end also a consequence of her difference, of her colour? That's not stated... it is implied ...
An affectionately told story, very real, pleasing, and not pushing a contrast between the 'ignorant' past and us who are more enlightened ... I shall be looking for more of Patricia Ferguson's novels.
And then, after a bad fright that leads to tragedy, as she recovers, she deals with it ... but is her tragic end also a consequence of her difference, of her colour? That's not stated... it is implied ...
An affectionately told story, very real, pleasing, and not pushing a contrast between the 'ignorant' past and us who are more enlightened ... I shall be looking for more of Patricia Ferguson's novels.
February 23, 2016
I thought I would like this book but I was very disappointed. I could not work out what was the main story , it lost its focus. Violet Dimond was the local untrained midwife. She had delivered many of the local children. Set in the early 1900's Violet was gradually being replaced by Registered Midwives and not allowed to practise. Violet was a twin and there was considerable sibling rivalry. Her twin worked in a children's home, where Violet was allowed to 'adopt' a toddler. Gracie Dimond was mixed race. In the home she was practically hidden away.
The book is a moving tale of prejudice, love, tragedy and family drama, it is based in Cornwall. I didn't like the many different aspects, there was too much going on. Towards the end, the story focused on WW1. I didn't feel a connection, most books have a central character. The end was disjointed. It had the makings of a great story, it just didn't deliver.
The book is a moving tale of prejudice, love, tragedy and family drama, it is based in Cornwall. I didn't like the many different aspects, there was too much going on. Towards the end, the story focused on WW1. I didn't feel a connection, most books have a central character. The end was disjointed. It had the makings of a great story, it just didn't deliver.
August 26, 2014
Very mixed feelings about this book. I started off enjoying the beginning of the story about Violet, the local unqualified midwife who delivered babies and laid out people from not so wealthy town folk. Violet adopts a black daughter and this brings huge upheaval to her life. The story starts of well, with issues of race, class and kindness, but I found the middle of the book a little boring and the ending was such a disappointment. I did expect a happy ending for Grace after her hard childhood but sadly this wasn't to happen. I felt the ending was rushed and that the author went in a direction that shocked not only me but all those in bookclub. We all felt let down with the ending. It's such a shame as the book was well written.
If you have nothing else to read, then I would recommend but otherwise not. There are a lot better books - it's the ending that let's it down.
http://whatrebeccasread.blogspot.co.uk/
If you have nothing else to read, then I would recommend but otherwise not. There are a lot better books - it's the ending that let's it down.
http://whatrebeccasread.blogspot.co.uk/
March 29, 2013
The Midwife's daughter tells the story of Gracie, a foundling adopted by a midwife in turn of the nineteenth century Cornwall. The trouble is - Gracie is black. Patricia Ferguson has a rich, vivid writing style, and the characters leap off the page. She tackles a number of issues in the book: racism and difference, the jealousy and love been Gracie's adopted mother, Violet and her sister, Bea and the tragedy of the first world war and what this meant to ordinary young men. What stopped me awarding 5 stars was the ending, which I cannot say more about without giving too much away. But I will be reading more by Patricia Ferguson.
December 21, 2012
I thought this book ticked all my boxes, being a black/mixed race child being brought up in a very white environment in the early part of the twentieth century - and being about a handywoman/midwife around the time that midwife registration was being brought in - both of interest to me. I really enjoyed the first two-thirds of the book but the last part seemed disconnected and unrealistic. Having been quite engrossed in the story, I then became quite detached and disbelieving. It had such potential up to that point.
February 10, 2013
This was an interesting read but not a memorable one. Started off well, the story builds and builds, touching on sensitive topics as race and class, but pretty anti-climactic at the end. The narrative is slow to get going, and it took me some time to get into the novel. About half-way through, there is a dramatic incident, and the story picks up pace. Then just as suddenly, it seems to flag again. Lacked structure. Plot unsatisfactory. The book may have benefitted from editing in places. Disappointed as I was expecting great things.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 58 reviews