Book Review Midwife's Journey

 BOOK REVIEW-A MIDWIFE'S JOURNEY

Niomi Rohn Phillips' newest book, historical fiction “A Midwife's Journey,” begins in 1894 with a diphtheria epidemic that has devastated the White Russian colony of Molotschna (present-day Ukraine). Margaretha Rahn has just buried three of her four children. Her husband Abraham decides that emigrating to the United States to build a new and better life is what the family needs.

Margaretha's husband Abraham has been a successful farmer, and, unlike most emigrants, they leave Russia with the financial resources to buy a home and farmland in an established Mennonite community in Minnesota. But in little more than three years, restless Abraham decides he must take advantage of the free land available for homesteading in North Dakota despite Margaretha not wanting to resettle somewhere else.

Margaretha Rahn is a hebamme (midwife) and comes from a tradition in which midwives are formally trained and considered blessed by God. She delivers babies and sometimes helps prevent pregnancies, using her midwifery and healing skills in snowstorms and fires, in the bitter cold of long winters, which was not always met with the approval of her church community. A recurring theme of hope with the promise of spring each year was prevalent in the storyline.

For Phillips, writing Margaretha's story was personal, as she delved into her family's history, which ultimately became “A Midwife's Journey.” As Margaretha's great-granddaughter, Phillips reimagined what her life might have been like living on the Dakota prairie. Phillips is a gifted wordsmith whose writing brings Margaretha's story to life. Her meticulous research on Mennonites and their culture provided invaluable resources for the story on midwifery in the late 1880s. She also accessed family journals for information on North Dakota homesteading during this time period.

I found the characters fully developed, which enhanced the narrative and made them relatable and engaging for the reader. Phillips excelled at capturing Margaretha's voice throughout the story as she experienced emotional upheavals, leaving her family and homeland to resettle on the prairie, the heartbreak of losing three children to an epidemic, and coping with unpredictable North Dakota weather. One can't help but admire Margaretha's determination and commitment to use her midwifery skills despite some resistance from church members over certain expectations and rules. Margaretha felt strongly that she needed to support women in her community through their transformative experience of childbirth and help empower them to make informed choices about their own bodies and their babies.

Phillips wisely included a section at the end of the book titled Margaretha's Notebook. It's a glossary of commonly used herbs in midwifery practice and how these herbs helped women during pregnancy and childbirth. In addition, these herbs helped combat a variety of illnesses and diseases facing settlers. I found the information helpful in understanding their usage throughout the story.

Author Niomi Rohn Phillips (left) and Sharon Harris (right) editor, Jackpine Writers' Bloc, Inc., at the 31 Northwoods Art and Book Festival, August 8, 2026

Tarah Wolff, designed the book cover (not pictured)