THE MIDWIFE'S REVOLT

Julia Whelan narrates this first-person historical fiction about a Revolutionary War widow. A contemporary of Abigail Adams, Lizzie Boylston finds a new calling in nursing injured soldiers and delivering babies after her young husband succumbs to battle. Whelan portrays Lizzie's unconventional zest--riding astride rather than side saddle, shouldering the chores of the farm--but also the fragile assurance that carries her through her grief. When Lizzie suspects a political scheme is underway to harm Abigail and her family, Whelan dramatizes Lizzie's resolve to put a stop to it. In conversations, Whelan's renderings of key characters are engaging, though some of the dialogue between Lizzie and Abigail doesn't clearly distinguish between the two. Overall, Whelan's lively pace carries the listener through a few slow sections, resulting in a satisfying historical story. N.M.C. © AudioFile 2015, Portland, Maine [Published: MAY 2015]