Book Review: “The Birth House” Ami McKay
I hesitated for awhile before picking up “The Birth House” by Ami McKay. It just didn’t sound like something that would tickle my fancy. But then I started hearing good things about it — really good things. And I’ve been known to pick up books that I thought I would love but was extremely disappointed. Besides the rule is don’t judge a book by its cover, right?
Words cannot express how glad I am that I picked up this book.
McKay artfully wove the story of Dora Rare’s life with a simple poignancy that pulled me into the very fabric of pages. Starting with the knowledge that Dora is the only daughter in five generations of Rares and moving smoothly down the road of her life, there were no overly contrived plot twists or absurd moments that distracted me from the tale. Every detail felt authentic and served to further the story.
One of my favorite moments in the book takes place at Dora’s wedding shower. Her mother frets that she did not keep her wedding dress but used it to make christening clothes for Dora’s older brothers. Her aunts confide that they all did the same. It’s simple but sweet moment that helps develop the characters from merely words on a page to individual personalities.
McKay made it easy to forget I was reading a piece of fiction and not a biography. I was emotionally invested in what happened to Dora and those in her life. The only complaint I had was over something that is, alas, a problem in every great book. It eventually has to end. And while “The Birth House” ends in a satisfying and entirely appropriate manner, I was sad to say goodbye to Dora and crew.
