The Book of the Unnamed Midwife by Meg Elison

The Book of the Unnamed Midwife by Meg Elison

                She was a registered nurse and midwife at the hospital when the plague began, with fevers affecting women and children more than men. Babies were stillborn or died shortly after being born as the mother’s fever spiked. Many women didn’t survive the birth either. She was sick for days as well. She passed out and woke up alone in the hospital. Everyone she knew was dead or missing. She traveled from then on. She was Karen once, then realizing that life would be easier passing as a man she changed. Women were too rare these days. The men were more likely to enslave you, or die trying to protect you.

                I cannot even provide an adequate blurb for this novel. This story was so engrossing. I’ve read my share of dystopia. This one was different. It’s the story of one of the last remaining women on Earth, and she is educated, resourceful, witty and careful. She was an incredible character. Some of the story is told in the diary entries left by the unnamed midwife, but Elison chose to tell part of the narrative in third person which was extremely effective. Not only were readers intimately drawn into the midwife’s character, but we are also aware of what was going on in many other places and to many of the other characters introduced in the story. It broadens the story and created a much larger scale than just our midwife. I enjoyed that choice. It made the story limitless and gave it so much depth.

                I couldn’t put this book down. When the story first began I honestly wasn’t sure where it was going. But very early on, the danger became palpable and I realized this was going to be a darker dystopia that would really look at the depths that humans were willing to go to survive. I really enjoyed this book, which is the first in a trilogy. Elison is an extremely talented writer and I am very intrigued. I give this 5 out of 5 stars. I devoured this story.