The Birth House

"Our parents and teachers say it's a miracle, but its not. It's going to happen no matter what, there's no choice in the matter. To my mind, a miracle is something that could go one way or another. How a mother comes to love her child, her caring at all for this thing that's made her heavy, lopsided and slow, this thing that made her wish she were dead.... that's the miracle."


Ami McKay's story was hard to put down. (Thanks Lacey). McKay's depiction of a Nova Scotian bay and the people who made their lives there was both inspiring and shocking.

Miss Babineau the village midwife trains the heroine of the novel - Dora - to attend to the females of the bay and ensure their safety while dealing with pregnancies, deliveries, and recoveries. As she stated, "All I ever wanted was to keep them safe."

There is plenty of love, but even more dislike embodied within the pages. I found myself wishing I could warn the women of the novel about the men and the mistakes they were making. I also do not recommend it if you are sensitive towards any sexual jargon, because there was a lot of that. But to me, it represented the strength of the women from this bay, and the sacrifices they made for women's rights.

Even more, this novel celebrated birth. It celebrated the pangs of motherhood, and the sacrifices women make for their children - even before they are born. It honored the duties of a woman and motherhood, which was very refreshing. I also felt it was appropriate for Mother's day.

"When I finished my tea tonight, I turned the cup over. One, two, three times round. I sees a pretty little house, right full with babies."