I just finished Midwives. Loved it! The very first thing that struck me about this book is that the main story is set in the 1980's. I can't remember the last book I read (1984 doesn't count) that was set during that decade and for some reason that aspect made the book even more interesting to me.It seems to me that most authors either place their characters directly into a very specific year or time, as in a period piece or historical fiction, or they write the story as if it could take place during whatever decade you may be in while reading. I imagined that this particular story needed to be told during a time when home birth was still prevalent, yet also maligned. These days it seems pregnant women are on one of two opposite sides of the spectrum. They either want a birthing experience that entirely omits all medical intervention or they want to be completely surrounded by all that Western medicine has to offer.
So, besides the timing of the novel, this is a fast, easy read that I really enjoyed. I wasn't as invested in the story as I expected to be, but I did like the book overall.
