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Jennifer Worth
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Book
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Publisher | Orion | ||
ISBN | 978-029784465 | ||
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Reviewer
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Vicky
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Synopsis
This final book in Jennifer Worth's memories of her time as a midwife in London's East end brings her story full circle. As always there are heartbreaking stories such as the family devastated by tuberculosis and a ship's woman who 'serviced' the entire crew, as well as plenty of humour and warmth such as the tale of Megan'mave, two women who shared the same husband! Other stories cover backstreet abortions, the changing life of the docklands, infanticide, as well as the lives of the inhabitants of Nonnatus House. We discover what happens with the gauche debutant Chummy and her equally gauche policeman; will Sister Monica Joan continue her life of crime?; will Sister Evangelina ever crack a smile? And what of Jennifer herself? The book not only details the final years of the tenements that but also of Jennifer's journey as she moves on from the close community of nuns, and her life takes a new path.
Jennifer Worth
Review
I felt sad that this book is the final story of Jennifer Worth's brilliant trilogy set in the East End of London where she worked as a midwife under the auspices of the nuns at Nonnatus House. However she has packed in so much of life that you wonder how she coped!
The one story that stands out to me is the surgical rape of Nancy a 13 year old girl - it truly made the hairs stand up on the back of my beck it was so horrific. Jennifer does not spare us from the detail on whoever she is talking about.
Some of her characters as extremely funny with others that make you glad that times have moved on. This is social history at it's very best and Jennifer has brought us full circle by telling us what happened to the nuns and how she herself transited from district to hospital, marriage and children and finally by ending up having a second career as a music teacher.
A brilliant book that I highly recommend.
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