The Midwife of Venice

I found The Midwife of Venice by Roberta Rich in a free little library at a nearby lake. Inside, I discovered it was an official book for BookCrossing.com—something I didn’t even know existed until that moment.

For anyone new to the term, BookCrossing is a community of book lovers who leave books in public places for strangers to find, read, and then pass along. The goal is to create a worldwide free library. Inside my copy was a sticker with a registration or identification number—almost like a passport for the book. Fun! I was able to register it online and, if I choose, I can follow its journey wherever it travels next.

I love the idea of books moving through the world—finding new hands to hold them, new eyes to read them, new minds to keep them.

A mini review

The novel takes place in Venice during a time when Jews and Christians lived divided, and outspoken women were often accused of witchcraft. Our main character, a Jewish midwife, leaves the ghetto to help a Christian noblewoman give birth. At the same time, her husband has been captured and enslaved. We follow both threads, hoping their paths will cross again.

Historical fiction is one of my favorite genres, especially when it’s set in places I’ve visited. I love when an author can bring a familiar landscape to life as it might have been centuries ago.

I’m also drawn to stories about women living in eras where simply being female was a struggle—facing a lack of rights, limited access to reproductive care, and constant inequity. Reading these stories always makes me pause and reflect on how, even today, women are still fighting many of the same battles. Female protagonists are inspiring. Full stop.

Now, I’m going to set this book free and wait for someone else to discover it. Hopefully, they’ll register it so I can see where The Midwife of Venice travels next.

As always, thank you for reading, Lovelies.