THE SURGEON’S DAUGHTER (Audrey Blake) – Historical Fiction Sequel

Easy-to-Read, Excellent Sequel

After reading Audrey Blake’s The Girl in His Shadow, I waited eagerly to get my hands on the sequel The Surgeon’s Daughter. I read it in an afternoon (which is becoming a much more difficult feat to pull off!) and enjoyed it just as much as the previous book.

Overview

Picking up a couple of years after The Girl in His Shadow, The Surgeon’s Daughter starts in Bologna where our protagonist Nora Beady is studying medicine. She’s the only female student in her class and faces a myriad of obstacles – her successes being ignored and her failures being highlighted. When she meets Dr. Magdalena Morenco – the only female doctor on staff – she begins viewing her medical studies in a different light. The two work together, developing a groundbreaking new procedure: the Cesarean. 

As Nora struggles with homesickness and finding her place in a field overwhelmed by men, her beau Dr. Daniel Gibson is struggling to stay afloat in London. With his mentor and fellow doctor’s health failing and a diptheria epidemic brewing, the financial and physical burden is great. He wrestles to manage these things solo, waiting for Nora to come home.

What I Liked about The Surgeon’s Daughter

There are many things I liked about this book.

1. Just like in the last one, I found the writing quality to be exceptional, especially surrounding the medical procedures.
2. The characters were well developed.
3. The plot moved at a good pace.
4. Supporting characters were also fleshed out with arcs and backstories that led to you either loving or hating them.
5. I really enjoyed the different relationship dynamics (Horace-Daniel, Nora-Morenco, Nora-Pozzi, Daniel-Harry). Each one of these were unique friendships that brought something special to the book.
6. I also enjoyed the setting of Bologna and learning about a different culture in the 1800s. 

I was a Little Disappointed…

I wouldn’t have minded a little bit more romantic development with Daniel and Nora. Although romance is not the main point of the books, it feels like the ratio is just not quite right. Blake gives the reader enough to know their relationship is important, enough to root for them, but not much more. I always find myself wanting more between them.

However, I do like the quality of their relationship. In our current media’s storm of unhealthy relationships, this one stands out to me. I would simply like more of it.

Final Thoughts

Once again, I really enjoyed this novel. If you’re squeamish, you may want to gloss over the medical procedures, but bear in mind Blake handles all of them quite tactfully. Her books continue to stand out in its uniqueness and its quality in the realm of historical fiction. 

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Copyright Audrey Blake and Sourcebooks Landmark. Image from Amazon.