The Midwife's Apprentice

Bibliography

Cushman, Karen. 1996. The midwife’s apprentice. Performed by Jenny Sterlin. Prince Frederick, Md.: Recorded Books. ISBN 1402523203

Plot Summary

Brat, a 12 or 13-year old orphaned girl, roams from one medieval village to another begging for food. When Jane the Midwife discovers Brat burrowing into the dung heap for warmth she gives Brat a new name, Beetle. Jane offers Beetle scraps to eat and a cold floor to sleep on in return for work. Beetle soon becomes the midwife’s apprentice; one the midwife is sure is too stupid to ever offer competition. Once Beetle is no longer scrabbling for food and warmth, however, she slowly begins to blossom. Beetle finds a real name for herself, Alyce, and develops a fascination with the midwife’s work. After suffering the disappointment of failing with a difficult delivery, Alyce runs away believing that she is too stupid to ever become a midwife. Alyce finds work at an inn and begins to rebuild her self-confidence. When a laboring woman arrives at the inn, Alyce finds the confidence to deliver the baby, and the courage to ask Jane to take her on as a real apprentice.

Critical Analysis

Filled with detail, The Midwife’s Apprentice draws the reader into the life of a medieval village. Through Alyce’s story the reader learns about the superstitions of the time, healing remedies (both effective and absurd) used in midwifery, and the day-to-day existence of people from the village beggar to the cook at the manor.

Jenny Sterlin gives this historical tale an extra layer of authenticity by bringing the medieval dialect, and each distinct character, to life. Less than 3 hours in length, this unabridged recording on 3 compact discs was absorbing and left me wanting to know more about Alyce and her village. Unfortunately, the audiobook does not include the Author's Note which offers more insight into the history of medieval midwifery.

Review Excerpts

School Library Journal: “Earthy humor, the foibles of humans both high and low, and a fascinating mix of superstition and genuinely helpful herbal remedies attached to childbirth make this a truly delightful introduction to a world seldom seen in children's literature.”

Horn Book Magazine: “The graphic and convincing portrayals of medieval life and especially the villagers given to superstition, casual cruelty, and duplicity — afford a fascinating view of a far distant time.”

Connections

* For further exploration of medicine, healing, and midwifery in the Middle Ages:

Eastwood, Kay. Women and girls in the Middle Ages. Crabtree Pub. Co., 2003. ISBN 0778713784

Elliott, Lynne, 1968-. Medieval medicine and the plague. Crabtree Pub., 2006. ISBN 0778713903

Strom, Laura Layton, 1962-. Dr. Medieval : medicine in the Middle Ages. Children's Press, 2007. ISBN 0531187977

* More historical fiction by Karen Cushman:

Cushman, Karen. Alchemy and Meggy Swann. Clarion Books, 2010. ISBN 0547231849

Cushman, Karen. Catherine, called Birdy. HarperTrophy, 1995. ISBN 0064405842

Cushman, Karen. Matilda Bone. Random House Childrens Books, 2002. ISBN 0440418224