The Girl In HIs Shadow by Audrey Blake

The Girl In His Shadow by Audrey Blake

12 hours, 52 minutes

Read by Susan Lyons

Published May 2021

Publisher's Summary: 

Rescued from a pandemic's wreckage and raised by the eccentric surgeon Dr. Horace Croft, orphan Nora Beady cares little for Victorian conventions. While other young ladies busy themselves with needlework and watercolors, Nora perfects her sutures and anatomical illustrations. 

Women face dire consequences if caught practicing medicine, but in Croft's private clinic, Nora is his most trusted-and secret-assistant. That is, until the new surgical resident, Dr. Daniel Gibson, arrives. He never suspects Nora is more qualified than he is, and to protect herself she'll have to play a new and uncomfortable role-a proper young lady. 

But pretense has limits. Confronted by suffering patients, Nora cannot hide her skill, even if it means giving Gibson the power to ruin everything she's worked for. And when she makes a discovery that could change the medical field forever, Nora faces an impossible choice: remain invisible and let the men around her take credit for her work, or let the world see her for what she is-even if it means being destroyed by her own legacy.

My Thoughts: 

I'm not entirely sure how I found out about the Big Library Read, hosted by Overdrive; but when I did, it felt like just the kind of book I'd enjoy - historical fiction, a strong woman breaking barriers. I think it also, subconsciously, made me think of my mom, a thought that come to me consciously almost as soon as I started listening to the book and stayed with me throughout. Oh how I wish she were still here so that I could recommend this one to her. I'm happy to say, though, that my dad is reading it as well; he has the luxury of not having having the book yanked back from him by the library after two weeks, so he's still reading. But we're enjoying having discussions about the book. Some quick thoughts about the book:

• While the Big Library Read was meant to be an ebook read, I listened to this one and would highly recommend Susan Lyons' work. She did a fine job with all of the voices, male and female.
• This book should maybe come with a warning that there are medical procedures which are very detailed. Not necessarily gory; just very detailed. Blake clearly knows what she's talking about, though; it definitely adds credibility to the story. 
• Blake shows readers the seamier side of medicine, a side as much about legitimate medicine as hacks. Here we can see that a lot of what we owe current day medicine to came by means that were considered distasteful and illegal even in the 19th century. 
• While I don't think it will be any surprise to any reader what develops between Nora and Daniel, Blake doesn't give readers the traditional happily-ever-after ending, which I very much appreciated. Likewise, another early contender for Nora's affections doesn't turn out to be the pat bad guy. 
• I'm always happy to read about strong women in history, even if they are made up. Here Nora struggles with finding her place even within the household she lives in but her strength never wavers. 
• One quibble I had with the book was, what felt like to me, an overabundance of comparisons in descriptions, often comparisons that I found a bit odd. 
• I couldn't help but compare Horace Croft to Henry Higgins and Nora to Eliza Doolittle (from My Fair Lady or Pygmalion). Again we have an eccentric specialist who takes on a lower class young woman and transforms her (although without the eventual coupling of the two). 
• This would make a really good book club selection; there is a lot to discuss here. 

Maybe what I liked most about this book was that it felt like my mom was with me throughout. Which may be just what I've been looking for in every book I've read in the past year and a half.