Take a photo of a barcode or cover
A review by rebjam
My Name is Mary Sutter by Robin Oliveira
3.0
This is a solidly good book, not great but good. A woman's struggle to be taken seriously as a surgeon in the Civil War era of course harkens to my feminist sentiments. Her time attending the wounded during the War reminds me that though things are politically difficult these days in America, is has been far worse and we've survived.
I also liked the discussion of medical practices of the time and the lack of respect for research.
I found the interludes with Lincoln unnecessary and unbelievable. The author should've just stuck with Hay a lesser known, easier utilized historical figure. The idea that Mary would (unawares of course) march into a Presidential meeting and Lincoln would instantly admire and grant her all she wants was a stretch for me.
I also found that she had these three male admirers somewhat unbelievable.
I did think it rather clever of the author to plummet Mary's feelings of guilt over family deaths during the war, and longing for intellectual growth but the reader kept guessing until the very end who it was that Mary truly cared for--the young doctor who refused to initially help her; the older doctor who taught her everything he knew or the brother-in-law whose marriage to her sister drove Mary to the battlefield?
I also liked the discussion of medical practices of the time and the lack of respect for research.
I found the interludes with Lincoln unnecessary and unbelievable. The author should've just stuck with Hay a lesser known, easier utilized historical figure. The idea that Mary would (unawares of course) march into a Presidential meeting and Lincoln would instantly admire and grant her all she wants was a stretch for me.
I also found that she had these three male admirers somewhat unbelievable.
I did think it rather clever of the author to plummet Mary's feelings of guilt over family deaths during the war, and longing for intellectual growth but the reader kept guessing until the very end who it was that Mary truly cared for--the young doctor who refused to initially help her; the older doctor who taught her everything he knew or the brother-in-law whose marriage to her sister drove Mary to the battlefield?