The Girl In His Shadow

By Audrey Blake

Adult Fiction

Reviewed by Wendi from the Altona branch

    The Girl In His Shadow by Audrey Blake is an historical fiction novel set in the mid 1840's, a time when women were still forbidden to practice medicine, childbirth had a high mortality rate and studying the dead was strictly illegal.  The main characters are strong and intelligent.  The plot is filled with suspense, loss, friendship and love, determination, courage and the progression of early 19th century Victorian medicine, grabbing the reader's attention from the very first page.

    The quote "I think a woman of your delicacy and age should hardly be left to haunt dissecting rooms.  It is a disservice done to you." goes to show how hard women needed to work to make space for themselves in history and the novel focuses on the hurdles the first female doctors faced when struggling to be accepted in the medical field.  I loved this book and I cannot wait to dive into the sequel, The Surgeon's Daughter.

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