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jenmangler's review against another edition
3.0
I chose to read this one because it won the Newbery, and I'm trying to read as many of the Newbery honor books as I can. I liked it. It gives a very good sense of medieval life. Alyce is the kind of character you definitely root for.
sork's review
2.0
1.5 stars- from what i remember this novel was incredibly dull, the protagonist was not likable and the general mood of the novel was a fair challenger to watching paint dry
and just for fun here's the essay i wrote years ago after finishing this book:
In every novel character makes a mistake, it makes them seem almost real. However, some authors like Karen Cushman take character flaws too far. Karen Cushman's ' The midwife's Apprentice' follows a girl who goes by the name of Beetle. The book follows and describes the so-called 'evolution' of the character Beetle as she goes from being known as the village scum to a dull midwives apprentice. However, during her so-called evolution Beetle shows her true colors as self-absorbed, and escapist, and even as a narcissist. If there's anything I've learned from this book it's to not be like Beetle.
In the book, The Midwives Apprentice Beetle, the apprentice is a girl who has terrible control of her emotions. One of the emotions she has the most trouble controlling is her pride. Beetle, as seen before in the last paragraph has trouble with fear and failures but the trouble is only mirrored when it comes to her pride. There is nothing wrong with taking pride in work or being proud of an accomplishment. However, Beetle carelessly decided that she was qualified to deliver a child without asking the midwife, a clear professional at her craft if Beetle was prepared enough to go in on her own. Beetle developed this overwhelming false pride after she assisted with one successful birth. Instead of taking a professional standpoint, Beetle decided that she is now certified to deliver children on her own whenever she pleases. Evidence of this can be found on page 60, "Alyce felt so much pride....she felt so good she thought she just might do it again."(page 60, Cushman)This quote shows Alcye's boiling false pride. Which takes present after she helped with the birthing of a single child. Though it is ok to take pride in work Alyce decides that she want to lead a birthing again not even because she might just be lucky to have the birth work out. This tells me that Alyce takes luck and assumes that it is sheer talent, which could either hurt her clients or hurt her relationship with the midwife. By delivering one child successfully Alcye becomes extremely prideful and narcissistic.
Beetle, the so-called protagonist of Karen Cushman, ' The Midwives Apprentice' Has made numerous mistakes based on her self-pity and past misfortunes. In this particular chapter, Beetle lets her negative emotions get the best of her due to a failure in child delivery. She causes an unnecessary scene, takes the failure unprofessionally, and runs away. Leaving behind her past success long with the midwife and even the woman's that baby was meant to be delivered. This shows immaturity. It also tells the reader that Alyce tends to run away from her problems, because of this tendency and utter carelessness the baby and the mother could have lost their lives. Page 70 clearly states,"...Alyce could hear the cries of a baby, the moans of a tired mother, and the laughter of the triumphant midwife. Alyce backed out of the cottage to the side of the road,...Behind her in that cottage was disappointment and failure." (Page 70, Cushman) In this quote Beetle or Alyce is running away from her failure of unsuccessfully delivering the baby. Her tendency to run away when life gets difficult shows that she is an escapist. A greedy escapist who let her problems take a higher place of importance them her clients, leaving her client despite the fact she could have easily still helped with the delivery. This greed could have left the mother and baby without life. This quote also establishes the fact that Alyce inclines to obsess over failure. It establishes this fact during Alyce's sprint, "Alyce backed out of the cottage to the side of the road,...Behind her in that cottage was disappointment and failure." (Page 70, Cushman) During this scene, Alyce is so fixated on her current failure that she doesn't even stop to think once about apologizing to her client, or even the midwife, which in this scenario would be the logical thing to do. Alyce didn't even bring herself to think about where she would be getting food or water. Which of course could ultimately lead Alyce to more hurt. As you can see Alyce's fear of failure has let her demote herself to a point of stupidity and nonsense.
Beetle is everything that a human shouldn't be. She is showered with flaws throughout the book, making her seem an object of pity. Throughout the Midwife's Apprentice, the reader can witness the many flaws of our "protagonist" Beetle. These flaws such as her tendency to be an escapist and run from her problems or her false pride in her abilities only bring down Beetle as a protagonist. This makes her seem extremely inhuman. Over the time of processing this novel the theme has become clear, don't be like Beetle.
and just for fun here's the essay i wrote years ago after finishing this book:
In every novel character makes a mistake, it makes them seem almost real. However, some authors like Karen Cushman take character flaws too far. Karen Cushman's ' The midwife's Apprentice' follows a girl who goes by the name of Beetle. The book follows and describes the so-called 'evolution' of the character Beetle as she goes from being known as the village scum to a dull midwives apprentice. However, during her so-called evolution Beetle shows her true colors as self-absorbed, and escapist, and even as a narcissist. If there's anything I've learned from this book it's to not be like Beetle.
In the book, The Midwives Apprentice Beetle, the apprentice is a girl who has terrible control of her emotions. One of the emotions she has the most trouble controlling is her pride. Beetle, as seen before in the last paragraph has trouble with fear and failures but the trouble is only mirrored when it comes to her pride. There is nothing wrong with taking pride in work or being proud of an accomplishment. However, Beetle carelessly decided that she was qualified to deliver a child without asking the midwife, a clear professional at her craft if Beetle was prepared enough to go in on her own. Beetle developed this overwhelming false pride after she assisted with one successful birth. Instead of taking a professional standpoint, Beetle decided that she is now certified to deliver children on her own whenever she pleases. Evidence of this can be found on page 60, "Alyce felt so much pride....she felt so good she thought she just might do it again."(page 60, Cushman)This quote shows Alcye's boiling false pride. Which takes present after she helped with the birthing of a single child. Though it is ok to take pride in work Alyce decides that she want to lead a birthing again not even because she might just be lucky to have the birth work out. This tells me that Alyce takes luck and assumes that it is sheer talent, which could either hurt her clients or hurt her relationship with the midwife. By delivering one child successfully Alcye becomes extremely prideful and narcissistic.
Beetle, the so-called protagonist of Karen Cushman, ' The Midwives Apprentice' Has made numerous mistakes based on her self-pity and past misfortunes. In this particular chapter, Beetle lets her negative emotions get the best of her due to a failure in child delivery. She causes an unnecessary scene, takes the failure unprofessionally, and runs away. Leaving behind her past success long with the midwife and even the woman's that baby was meant to be delivered. This shows immaturity. It also tells the reader that Alyce tends to run away from her problems, because of this tendency and utter carelessness the baby and the mother could have lost their lives. Page 70 clearly states,"...Alyce could hear the cries of a baby, the moans of a tired mother, and the laughter of the triumphant midwife. Alyce backed out of the cottage to the side of the road,...Behind her in that cottage was disappointment and failure." (Page 70, Cushman) In this quote Beetle or Alyce is running away from her failure of unsuccessfully delivering the baby. Her tendency to run away when life gets difficult shows that she is an escapist. A greedy escapist who let her problems take a higher place of importance them her clients, leaving her client despite the fact she could have easily still helped with the delivery. This greed could have left the mother and baby without life. This quote also establishes the fact that Alyce inclines to obsess over failure. It establishes this fact during Alyce's sprint, "Alyce backed out of the cottage to the side of the road,...Behind her in that cottage was disappointment and failure." (Page 70, Cushman) During this scene, Alyce is so fixated on her current failure that she doesn't even stop to think once about apologizing to her client, or even the midwife, which in this scenario would be the logical thing to do. Alyce didn't even bring herself to think about where she would be getting food or water. Which of course could ultimately lead Alyce to more hurt. As you can see Alyce's fear of failure has let her demote herself to a point of stupidity and nonsense.
Beetle is everything that a human shouldn't be. She is showered with flaws throughout the book, making her seem an object of pity. Throughout the Midwife's Apprentice, the reader can witness the many flaws of our "protagonist" Beetle. These flaws such as her tendency to be an escapist and run from her problems or her false pride in her abilities only bring down Beetle as a protagonist. This makes her seem extremely inhuman. Over the time of processing this novel the theme has become clear, don't be like Beetle.
vtsarahd's review
4.0
The young girl who is the main character of this story, Brat, Beetle, or Alyce (depending on your page number) has to be admired for her perseverance. This is her story, as she goes from drifter to mid wife's apprentice, with a few bumps and twists along the way. I enjoyed the many details Karen Cushman included that make her historical fiction read so true. The old-fashioned language of the characters would still be readable to young readers. I enjoyed this and would recommend it for middle school aged readers.
megsoap_'s review
adventurous
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
5.0
shaunie991's review
4.0
4 stars:
My first introduction to Karen Cushman's writing. A classic. Very enjoyable.
My first introduction to Karen Cushman's writing. A classic. Very enjoyable.
applegnreads's review
4.0
I've read this before and I'm still not sure what to make of the character of the midwife.
legalois's review
adventurous
dark
informative
medium-paced
3.0
Content Warnings
Minor: Bullying, Animal cruelty, Child abuse, Infidelity, Sexual content, and Sexual harassment