Title: The Midwife's Tale Author: Gretchen Moran Laskas type of book: Fiction call number: Fic

This book is strong in character, story, language and setting.

Summary:
For many generations, women in Elizabeth Whitely's family have been midwives in Kettle Valley, West Virginia.

Set during the early 1900s in the Philippi, West Virginia area, this novel chronicles the life of Elizabeth as she attends - and befriends - the foreign wife of the man she loves, becomes his lover and the stepmother to his daughter Lauren, and then moves on with her life when he and Lauren must leave the valley because of the awesome gift Lauren possesses.

I would recommend this book!

Why?
I have always had an interest in books set in or about West Virginia, being as it is my home state. That is why I picked up this novel. I am very glad I did. The characters are fully developed, the language is near perfect for that area, the setting is vivid and beautiful, and the story is wonderfully written, beautiful, heart wrenching and joyous down to the very end.

I think this is a debut novel by this author. It was published in April 2003. I am already waiting for the next book by her.

Other suggested reading:
Two other books set in this region:

Follow the River by James Alexander Thom

Time Steals Softly by by Virginia Jones Harper

Employee Initials: ALSM Review Date: May 2003

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