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audreychamaine's review against another edition
2.0
This book is set in the late 15th to early 16th centuries, roughly the period of the Italian Renaissance and the early stages of the Spanish Inquisition. While mainly about the development and protection of medical knowledge and midwife herbal remedies, the novel addresses such major historical events as the plague and the witch burnings that swept Europe. Also discussed are the Malleus Maleficarum and the advent of the printing press. This is a rather fast-paced read, covering nearly a century in a mere 240 pages.
At times, Wells' dramatic writing and historical subject matter reminded me of some of Anne Rice's non-horror novels. The whole book operates on a tenor of high drama and danger, which can make it a bit taxing at times. I understand that this is to make the reader aware of what women faced during that period, but I think it would have helped pacing if there were more parts of the story with a bit less tension. In fact, I think overall the book could have stood to have been a bit longer, in order to create more time between major plot points. I'm giving it two stars to indicate that I thought it was okay because I was incredulous that the main character could have done so much. I felt that she was given far too much importance in the history of medicine, and would have liked to have seen it spread throughout more characters, perhaps of more generations.
At times, Wells' dramatic writing and historical subject matter reminded me of some of Anne Rice's non-horror novels. The whole book operates on a tenor of high drama and danger, which can make it a bit taxing at times. I understand that this is to make the reader aware of what women faced during that period, but I think it would have helped pacing if there were more parts of the story with a bit less tension. In fact, I think overall the book could have stood to have been a bit longer, in order to create more time between major plot points. I'm giving it two stars to indicate that I thought it was okay because I was incredulous that the main character could have done so much. I felt that she was given far too much importance in the history of medicine, and would have liked to have seen it spread throughout more characters, perhaps of more generations.
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