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aubrey_the_explorer's review
5.0
I read this book for a local bookclub who was hosting the author for the event (later today!). I enjoyed it thoroughly. I didn't discover it until the very end of the book, but the author did a lot of research into the history surrounding this time period, the cities involved, the schools, students, doctors, etc. I was thrilled to find out that the characters were, at least to some extent, based on real people.
I was also very cautiously reading the end of the book. I had expected that it would end one way, leaving me frustrated and disappointed with the choices that I thought the author was going to have the main character make. (In fact, there were a few times throughout the book where I had expected the author would take it in a certain direction...) However, it felt like the correct choices were made and they aligned with the main character's personality. I was thrilled with the ending. Thankfully.
I was also very cautiously reading the end of the book. I had expected that it would end one way, leaving me frustrated and disappointed with the choices that I thought the author was going to have the main character make. (In fact, there were a few times throughout the book where I had expected the author would take it in a certain direction...) However, it felt like the correct choices were made and they aligned with the main character's personality. I was thrilled with the ending. Thankfully.
mamasin's review
5.0
I was given a free copy by NetGalley for my honest review. This was Janis Robinson Daly's debut novel. I have found a new historical fiction author!! The book is based in Philadelphia during the late 1800's and early 1900's. Eliza Edwards is our main character and she is at the crossroads of her young life. Through a family occurrence she decides that being a debutant is not for her. She decides to carve out a career in medicine joining the 5% female doctors in her pursuit. Eliza attends medical school and becomes a doctor. We see her life develop apart from medicine and this creates an unforgetable and likeable character for the reader.
Daly touches on life in Philadelphia. The book also give us a look into medicine at this time period and the developments during this period and the conditions the doctors dealt with. Also, some world events are touched on which adds a frame of reference to the story.
The writing in the book enables the reader to see all in the characters, scenes and every aspect clearly. It is descriptive without losing the storyline. I cannot recommend this book highly enough. It is a wonderful read that is hard to put down.
Daly touches on life in Philadelphia. The book also give us a look into medicine at this time period and the developments during this period and the conditions the doctors dealt with. Also, some world events are touched on which adds a frame of reference to the story.
The writing in the book enables the reader to see all in the characters, scenes and every aspect clearly. It is descriptive without losing the storyline. I cannot recommend this book highly enough. It is a wonderful read that is hard to put down.
marianeedstoread's review
4.0
If you're looking for a historical fiction novel set at the turn of the 20th century with strong female characters, look no further. Eliza Edwards is not your typical teenager preparing for her debut into society. She yearns for a life with more meaning. Upon finding her grandfather's copy of Gray's Anatomy, she is determined to become a doctor and help women with their medical needs in a compassionate and discrete manner.
As the years pass, Eliza defies societal norms and becomes a respected female obstetrician, delivering babies and caring for women's specific needs. For her success at overcoming sexism, she still yearns to have a family of her own while continuing her work. The novel progresses through Eliza's life as she experiences WWI, the Spanish flu epidemic and the victory of the women's suffragist movement.
I enjoyed the historical aspects of this novel and learning about the Women's Medical College of Pennsylvania. I liked the fact that the novel wasn't cluttered with silly romantic side stories as women's fiction novels often are. I especially enjoyed the strong female characters who were prominently featured in this novel.
Thank you to NetGalley, Darcie Rowan PR and Black Rose Writing for this review copy in exchange for any honest review. This review can also be found on IG @maria.needs.to.read
As the years pass, Eliza defies societal norms and becomes a respected female obstetrician, delivering babies and caring for women's specific needs. For her success at overcoming sexism, she still yearns to have a family of her own while continuing her work. The novel progresses through Eliza's life as she experiences WWI, the Spanish flu epidemic and the victory of the women's suffragist movement.
I enjoyed the historical aspects of this novel and learning about the Women's Medical College of Pennsylvania. I liked the fact that the novel wasn't cluttered with silly romantic side stories as women's fiction novels often are. I especially enjoyed the strong female characters who were prominently featured in this novel.
Thank you to NetGalley, Darcie Rowan PR and Black Rose Writing for this review copy in exchange for any honest review. This review can also be found on IG @maria.needs.to.read
halkid2's review
4.0
NOTE: I received early access to this book in exchange for writing an impartial review. Thank you netgalley and Black Rose Writing. Publication: August 25, 2022.
Four stars feels like a bit of a gift; 3.5 feels more on target. It's a debut novel from Janis Robinson Daly, with a lot of promise and a decent storyline ...but also with a few beginner mistakes. (Ones I would have expected a good editor to have helped point out.)
As the author explains in her Afterword, Daly draws from her own family's history and extensive other research to create this novel.
On the plus side, this is the story about a group of determined women who become some of the first female doctors (in the early 1900s) in the United States. The bonds of friendship and sisterhood, formed during their studies, sustain each one throughout their lives.
Eliza Edwards, whose mother is hoping her debut in Philadelphia society will result in a promising marriage, is the main protagonist. Eliza, not surprisingly, must overcome not just family expectations but many more obstacles to earn her credentials. And even then, still faces years of doubts from male colleagues and prospective patients.
As years pass, it's clear that Eliza and her fellow students make considerable personal sacrifices but great contributions as well, as they navigate some of the most dramatic events of this era -- urban poverty, widespread misogyny, women's suffrage, religious and legal restrictions against abortion and contraceptives, sinking of the Titanic, World War I, the Flu Epidemic of 1918, and more. And all the time, they are continually weighing professional aspirations against the deeply ingrained societal expectations for women of this period.
Now, on the minus side, there’s quite an overuse of similes and metaphors in some heavy-handed descriptions. And a few seemed clumsy to me (example: "Silence engulfed the room, frozen stiff as a blanket on a winter clothesline."), Some descriptions to me did little more than slow the pace of the book. Fortunately, this is particularly true in the beginning of the novel, becoming much less of an issue as the plot unfolded. There are also a few places where it feels like extraneous but well-researched information about the time period is forced into the story, even when it has little to do with advancing the plot.
This is subject matter that interests me. So I kept reading. And I'm glad I finished the book. I learned a lot about the lives of ambitious women in the early 20th century and about the limited opportunities for women to study medicine. It's also an interesting picture of the country's healthcare system and the differing level of care available, depending on social class. Overall, good story. Hoping Daly’s next book is even stronger.
Four stars feels like a bit of a gift; 3.5 feels more on target. It's a debut novel from Janis Robinson Daly, with a lot of promise and a decent storyline ...but also with a few beginner mistakes. (Ones I would have expected a good editor to have helped point out.)
As the author explains in her Afterword, Daly draws from her own family's history and extensive other research to create this novel.
On the plus side, this is the story about a group of determined women who become some of the first female doctors (in the early 1900s) in the United States. The bonds of friendship and sisterhood, formed during their studies, sustain each one throughout their lives.
Eliza Edwards, whose mother is hoping her debut in Philadelphia society will result in a promising marriage, is the main protagonist. Eliza, not surprisingly, must overcome not just family expectations but many more obstacles to earn her credentials. And even then, still faces years of doubts from male colleagues and prospective patients.
As years pass, it's clear that Eliza and her fellow students make considerable personal sacrifices but great contributions as well, as they navigate some of the most dramatic events of this era -- urban poverty, widespread misogyny, women's suffrage, religious and legal restrictions against abortion and contraceptives, sinking of the Titanic, World War I, the Flu Epidemic of 1918, and more. And all the time, they are continually weighing professional aspirations against the deeply ingrained societal expectations for women of this period.
Now, on the minus side, there’s quite an overuse of similes and metaphors in some heavy-handed descriptions. And a few seemed clumsy to me (example: "Silence engulfed the room, frozen stiff as a blanket on a winter clothesline."), Some descriptions to me did little more than slow the pace of the book. Fortunately, this is particularly true in the beginning of the novel, becoming much less of an issue as the plot unfolded. There are also a few places where it feels like extraneous but well-researched information about the time period is forced into the story, even when it has little to do with advancing the plot.
This is subject matter that interests me. So I kept reading. And I'm glad I finished the book. I learned a lot about the lives of ambitious women in the early 20th century and about the limited opportunities for women to study medicine. It's also an interesting picture of the country's healthcare system and the differing level of care available, depending on social class. Overall, good story. Hoping Daly’s next book is even stronger.
dwkiley's review
4.5
Thank you Net Galley for the ARC of The Unlocked Path by Janis Robinson Daly in exchange for an honest review. As a fan of historical fiction, I enjoyed this story of Eliza Edwards forging a new path as a doctor in the late 1800s when the choices for women were few and far between. Eliza did not want the traditional path of coming out in Philadelphia's society. She explored other paths with help from her aunts which included visiting City Hall and the Naval Asylum. Eliza found the text, Gray's Anatomy, in father's library and was intrigued by its contents. Going against her mother's wishes, she enrolled in the Women's Medical College and became one of the first female doctors in 1901. This story touches on many female issues of the time, with many continuing even today, including voting rights, working women, birth control, and abortion rights. Woven throughout the story is how family can make you feel connected and loved, whether it is biological or those people you consider family. The author did her research for this book. I thought this book was timely for the many women's issues incorporated as well as the Covid pandemic similarity to the 1918 Spanish flu pandemic. If you are a fan of HF, women's issues, and family connections, I recommend The Unlocked Path.
chelz286's review
adventurous
challenging
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
fast-paced
5.0
I loved this novel! This novel follows the Edwards family and life during the end of and into a new century. Eliza the main character is bound and determined to become something and not someone’s housewife. She has bigger dreams and knows her mother has other plans for her. Bound and determined, she is able to pass a very strenuous exam and obtains a spot in one of the only medical colleges for women. Putting everything into her studies and classes, Eliza is a successful graduate and she soon finds out that may not have been the hardest part, but obtaining the trust of patients and proving that a woman is just as capable as a male and in certain situations would be better suited as the doctor. Eliza and her family are very involved in their community and fighting for the rights of women and others. This novel was so well written, and it touched on all of the major historical events during these decades as well as celebrated the changes that also came for the good. I really loved the small details the author put into this story and how it flowed from event to event. Thank you to Suzy Approved Book Tours for the invite and to the author for the free novel. I really look forward to reading more of her books.
ems_rxlibrary's review
adventurous
hopeful
inspiring
medium-paced
4.0
In a time when much of a woman’s path is predetermined by societal norms, can Eliza unlock her own path and realize her own dream?
This book opens with Eliza attending to her aunt who is refusing to see a male doctor. Soon after Eliza receives an invitation in the mail for her society debut, but is desperate to avoid it and go her own way. After much debate her mother allows her to apply to medical school and Eliza starts down the path she has always dreamed of.
In the beginning of this book I thought this book was headed toward a much more “I don’t need a man” kind of storyline, but that isn’t what this book was about at all. This was about a woman having the right to choose when and how things happen to her- when she gets married, when she has children, when she enters the workforce, etc.
I really liked this book! It was full of historical accuracy, with a few minor details bent to fit the story’s timeline. I loved Eliza’s independent attitude and the friendships that she made throughout the book. I felt many of the side characters were well developed too (many of them were based on actual historical characters).
I did struggle a bit with the names of at least three of the female characters all starting with the letter E- it just made it a little harder to keep them straight.
One piece of the storyline- the abortionist piece- didn’t quite feel completed to me. At this moment I can’t remember if there was any real resolution there.
Overall, I found this to be a good book and I would recommend it to historical fiction lovers!
This book opens with Eliza attending to her aunt who is refusing to see a male doctor. Soon after Eliza receives an invitation in the mail for her society debut, but is desperate to avoid it and go her own way. After much debate her mother allows her to apply to medical school and Eliza starts down the path she has always dreamed of.
In the beginning of this book I thought this book was headed toward a much more “I don’t need a man” kind of storyline, but that isn’t what this book was about at all. This was about a woman having the right to choose when and how things happen to her- when she gets married, when she has children, when she enters the workforce, etc.
I really liked this book! It was full of historical accuracy, with a few minor details bent to fit the story’s timeline. I loved Eliza’s independent attitude and the friendships that she made throughout the book. I felt many of the side characters were well developed too (many of them were based on actual historical characters).
I did struggle a bit with the names of at least three of the female characters all starting with the letter E- it just made it a little harder to keep them straight.
One piece of the storyline- the abortionist piece- didn’t quite feel completed to me. At this moment I can’t remember if there was any real resolution there.
Overall, I found this to be a good book and I would recommend it to historical fiction lovers!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Abortion, and Pregnancy
Moderate: Racism and Racial slurs
Minor: War
More...