One summer read I recommend is The Midwife’s Confession by Diane Chamberlain
A definite read for defining the complexity of close friendships, and even more the complex relationship between mothers and daughters. I only gave it 4 stars because throughout the book it was hard to follow the characters. Each chapter is from a different character’s perspective. I had thought it would’ve been helpful for Chamberlain to outline the characters in the beginning but it becomes clear at the end of the book why she didn’t.
As you read the story, you get a sense of predictability but there is no predicting the ending of this book. The plot thickens and by the time you reach the middle of the book, you can’t put it down. There is love found, love betrayed, and love lost. There is mourning and there is hope. There is hope for the birth of a child and the fear of losing a child. There is a midwife so complex, so giving and loving, and yet so mysterious with secrets so dark she could not reveal them to her husband, her sister, nor her best friend.
I would highly recommend this book for any book club. Upon completing the novel, the reader finds a wonderful list of inquiries about the reader’s own journey and understanding of the book. These inquiries would make for wonderful, deep conversations about the characters, our reactions, and how the plots would be handled in real life. If one had the time to completely dissect a book – Chamberlain provides the framework and the invitation to do so with “The Midwife’s Confession”!
More About Elaine
As a first year SLIS student at SJSU, I am excited to be on the board of the ALASC as Program Coordinator. I look forward to networking with fellow students while providing valuable programs to help us all enhance our educational and professional experiences. My scholastic focus will be in research libraries and competitive intelligence. Outside of school, I am a mother of two young children, a wife, and work part time as an Event & Communications Manager for a non-profit organization in Seattle, WA.
Q: If people browsed your personal bookshelves, what impression would they have of you?
A: Upon review of my personal bookshelves, I think people would see that I am a self-taught goal setter who enjoys reading about reaching your goals, reducing stress, and living a healthy (physical and mental) life. They would also wonder about the complexity of my family relationships as many of the novels in my collection portray complex family relationships (and they would not be surprised when I provide additional information about my motivation to write fiction based on complex real life family dramas). There would also be no secret to my hobbies of gardening, writing, and cooking.