Mennonite in a Little Black Dress

By: Rhoda Janzen

Libby audiobook 8 hours

Read by: Hillary Huber

Published: 2009

Genre: Memoir

Janzen is a talented writer, no question. She is intelligent and has an impressive vocabulary (words are her thing!) Parts of this were funny, while other parts were intensely sad. It's her personal story, so who am I to critique?

I strongly disliked how dismissive she was about Jesus and Christianity. Her experiences growing up as a Mennonite are her own experiences, but it was hard to hear her rejection of faith in Jesus.

When she talked about her fifteen year marriage to Nick, I was horrified that she put up with him for so long and in so many ways. Him overspending on frivolities as an undergrad while she worked to support him. His verbal abuse and belittling. She acknowledges that it's different to be on the outside looking in - "Why doesn't she leave him?" - but then she goes on to be critical of others' life choices. 

The "wounding words" that her niece learned about in school came up in subsequent sections. It was wonderful how the author wove certain themes and phrases throughout the book.

When she talks about "what if" in regards to going back into the past, she acknowledges that she probably would still have ended up with Nick. Ugh. She also admits that she can be stupid. Can't we all?

I absolutely loved the relationship she had with her sister Hannah! It made me think of my sisters. 

There is much to like about this book, but if you love Jesus you may be sad about her perspective on religion. The Mennonite-specific content (about food, not being Amish, etc.) was interesting and entertaining. Her dismissal of Christianity was just sad.

While reading this, I wondered what her parents, siblings, and childhood friends thought of it. I'm not curious enough to go digging, but I wonder what their reactions were. Her mom is portrayed alternately as funny, clueless, sweet, and confining. Overall, I enjoyed reading this because the author wrote well and the reader did a great job.

I had originally read about this book in a 2010 Costco review . . . so many books, less and less time. Perhaps I need to be more selective. Right now, I'm forcing myself to finish a 450 page book that (like this one) has things I like and things I just don't care for . . . why do I do this to myself?!

The Surgeon's Daughter

By: Jaima Fixsen and Regina Sirois (united pen name: Audrey Blake)

Libby eBook  45 chapters plus historical note (plus first three chapters of The Woman with No Name)

Published: 2022

Genre: historical fiction

We continue the story of Nora (in Bolgna, Italy to become a doctor) and Daniel (in London, trying to help Horace Croft build his practice. Practicing medicine in the 1840s was not for the feint of heart - male or female. This book was less gory but still had interesting details. I like that one of the things Nora learned about medicine was the non-medical aspects of life and death.

The first half was kind of ho-hum and I thought about not finishing it. I'm glad I stuck with it.

My favorite parts were Nora finally being mentored and befriended by Magdalena, Harry and Julia joining the household, and two things that are spoiler alerts (So STOP now if you want to read it and be surprised).

I was confident that Lady Woodbine and her baby would survive, but the authors left enough couching and hedging room that it was suspenseful and satisfying.

I was so glad that Dr. Vickery was thwarted!

I was sad when Pozzi died. He was such a sweetheart and one of Nora's true friends in Italy.