Books The birth house

The novel is an unforgettable tale set in a primitive and superstitious rural community in Nova Scotia around the time of the First World War. It follows the story of Dora Rare, who becomes an apprentice to the local Acadian midwife, Miss Babineau. Through Dora's experiences, the book explores the struggles women have faced to have control of their own bodies, dealing with infertility, difficult labours, and unwanted pregnancies, while navigating the tension between traditional midwifery practices and the arrival of modern medicine.