Sunday, April 10, 2011

The Midwife's Confession: My Review

The Midwife's Confession


About the Book:
Dear Anna,
What I have to tell you is difficult to write, but I know it will be far more difficult for you to hear, and I'm so sorry…
The unfinished letter is the only clue Tara and Emerson have to the reason behind their close friend Noelle's suicide. Everything they knew about Noelle—her calling as a midwife, her passion for causes, her love for her friends and family—described a woman who embraced life.
Yet there was so much they didn't know.
With the discovery of the letter and its heartbreaking secret, Noelle's friends begin to uncover the truth about this complex woman who touched each of their lives—and the life of a desperate stranger—with love and betrayal, compassion and deceit.

My Comments:
The suicide of a close friend sends two women on a search to discovery why this seemingly happy woman took her own life.  Going through the papers Noelle left behind, Tara and Emerson learn that Noelle had many secrets, and as readers we learn of even more than they do.

Chapters are told in the point of view of different characters and are headed with the character's name, and sometimes, with the date and place as Chamberlain frequently takes us back to past events.

I found this to be an engaging read that kept me unsettled the whole time I was reading it.  Chamberlain does a good job of setting a mood.  My only complaint is that there are just too many secrets and too many things that come together in the end.  Things look like they are headed one way, but then turn out another in a couple of cases.  I guessed one secret long before it was revealed; with another I felt somewhat manipulated.

The relationship between mother and daughter is an important part of this book and I think Chamberlain did a great job of showing the complexities therein.

Overall, I enjoyed the book and thank the publisher for providing a review copy via NetGalley.  Grade:  B.

5 comments:

  1. sounds better than the midwife memoir I just finished last night... need to write my review today

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  2. Sounds intense -- and sometimes I'm in the mood for that sometimes I'm not. The writing really does make a difference -- and I hate overly secretive plots/stories. Still, you have me curious -- I'll have to check this one out at NetGalley.

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  3. Thanks for sharing your thoughts. I'm really looking forward to this one.

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  4. A friend recommended Diane chamberlain books to me. I have read one and really loved it. I have this one on my wish list. It sounds very good. Great review.

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  5. This does sounds good! Going on my list!

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