From: Robin L. Gibson <rlgibso2>
Date: Fri, 17 Nov 1995 19:49:55 -0600

While it is still November, I did want to comment on _The Midwife's Apprentice_. I really enjoyed this book. It answered a thought I had had while reading _Catherine, Called Birdy_ (which I read first because I had heard so many good things about it, and also because I could get my hands on it first!). I really liked Birdy (the character), but at times I felt she didn't appreciate the good things that she had in her life, and that she really idealized the life and freedom (as she perceived it) of the villagers. Sometimes I felt she was just a wee bit spoiled, because I was thinking how well off she was compared to a majority of the population of her time. This population is given a presence and character in _The Midwife's Apprentice_.

After the first chapter or so of the book, I started thinking to myself, gee, is this going to be depressing? Do I really want to keep reading this?
(For all my talk about realism, I am a romantic/idealist at heart I'm afraid). And just about that time came along the wonderful chapter about the devil's footprints! This chapter completely turned the book around for me -I was completely hooked! I enjoyed following the development of Alyce -- and I was surprised when she wasn't able to deliver the baby successfully by herself, (as Katy talked about in her post in relation to folklore traditions) -- I did expect her to be successful. But the next time she ended up out in the cold, she wasn't there for long, didn't have to resort to a dung heap, and was able to more successfully fend for herself and make a new place for herself at the inn.

I also thought, as someone else did, that the one-dimensionality of the other characters was due to the book being entirely from Alyce's perspective. There must be more to the midwife than we see through Alyce's eyes, as evidenced by her encounters with the baker! The characters in Catherine, Called Birdy are similarly narrow--they're all seen through Birdy's eyes. Remeber how amazed she is when her brother Robert, who she despises, actually does a favor for her (saving the bear) near the end? And previously, all we saw of his character was nastiness and meanness--from Birdy's point of view. She views her suitors with similar narrowness of mind
. . . I don't think this is a fault, it's just how the books are written. Birdy's is a journal, so it should definitely present HER particular view of things.

I loved the annotations about which feast day/saint day it was in the journal--but at the same time, I found them distracting sometimes. I was so eager to find out what was going to happen next with Birdy, that I skipped them sometimes, and then had to come back to read them later! Did anyone else experience this?

I have read several other books about this period recently, and for anyone interested (I'm finding it fascinating reading), I would recommend _The Ramsay Scallop_ by Frances Temple (a young couple go on a pilgrimage to Santiage de Compostella) and also _A Proud Taste for Scarlet and Miniver_ by E.L. Konigsburg (about the life of Eleanor of Aquitaine -- what a fun, humorous book and what a woman!)

I'd love to hear any of your thoughts on the above, and Happy reading,

Robin
*%*%*%*%*%*%*%*%*%*%*%*%*%*%*%*%*%*%*%%*%*%*%*%*%*%* Robin L. Gibson Graduate Student, School of Library and Information Studies University of Wisconsin-Madison rlgibso2 at students.wisc.edu
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Received on Fri 17 Nov 1995 07:49:55 PM CST