Reviews with content warning for Rape - The Book of the Unnamed Midwife

First things first, check the content warnings. This book is rough. I listened to the audiobook, so the content was even more jarring.
The book starts right off at the beginning of a plague that has wiped out humanity, and then we followed the "unnamed midwife," who takes on several different names and personas to protect herself, as she seeks to survive in a post apocalyptic hellscape. The majority of the population have all died, and the remaining men have taken to raping and enslaving the women whenever they find them. As a woman, I found this book equal parts touching and terrifying. What happens to women's rights and reproductive justice in a post-apocalyptic landscape? The Book of the Unnamed Midwife goes for answers to that question. I don't normally go for post-apocalyptic fiction but I would definitely recommend this one. Again, check the content warnings if you are sensitive to graphic content, especially violence against women.

Content Warnings

v_nerdbooks's review against another edition

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challenging dark emotional sad tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.0

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maxx_'s review

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dark tense fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? Yes

5.0

This book is amazing. If your looking for something that is a realistic take on what would happen to women in the event that the world collapsed, this is for you. It’s not an easy read because it is pretty graphic but I couldn’t put it down once I started reading it.

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inky_cap's review against another edition

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dark emotional tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

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katrinarose's review against another edition

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dark reflective tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.0

Extremely bleak and tough read but I could not put it down. I loved the character of the unnamed midwife and the how well the author also developed even minor characters as they appeared. I also like the alternating style of her journal and omnipresent narrative. I was taken aback at first when we learned about characters and events that the midwife did not know about but it was satisfying (although sad). I like that the author didn’t shy away from the brutal realities of this post-apocalyptic world, and didn’t sugarcoat her view of human nature, as depressing as it was. This book is definitely not for everyone (between the triggering content, narrative style, and somewhat bare plot) but I really liked it.

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