Call the Midwife - Jennifer Worth

As a Christmas present, I received a beautiful illustrated hardback copy of Call the Midwife by Jennifer Worth. Having been a fan of the BBC series for years now I was so excited to read the book that the show was based on, and I enjoyed every minute of it! The novel is a series of memoirs from Jennifer's early life as a young midwife working in the impoverished East End of London in the post-war period. The volume contains a series of photos and illustrations from the 1950s and 60s, mostly of the landscape of London during this time and also some lovely photos of new mothers with their babies!

This book is one of those novels that you'll be laughing out loud at one minute, and then sobbing at the next, and then giggling again. The character of Chummy, played by Miranda Hart in the BBC adaptation, was as hilarious in real life as she is in Miranda's portrayal - and the London dialect used throughout the novel (it's hard to read the cockney accent at first, surprisingly!) makes the contrast with her plummy private-school accent even funnier. Jennifer's writing style is so gripping and easy to read, you forget that you're even reading a novel as you just become so absorbed into the world of the midwifes at Nonnatus House. It was quite emotional to see photographs of the real nuns and nurses that the characters are based on, and hear their stories which are so recognisable from the TV programme.

And yet, some of the anecdotes are so harrowing that I found myself frequently in tears. In particular, the tale of the young Irish girl who becomes sucked into a life of prostitution due to her poverty and desperation is such a shocking passage to read - when you remember that these are Jennifer's real memories you almost can't believe that this actually happened frequently in those days. Some of the birth scenes are extremely graphic (I got quite a shock in the first few pages at how descriptive it is!), so be warned that she does not hold back on the anatomical details! Saying this, I actually learned a lot and found the book educational as well as enjoyable, so that's a bonus. If you're a fan of the series, I would definitely encourage you to read this book!

It's a great one if you don't want to take the time to read a heavy novel, because most of the chapters are separate little anecdotes so you can just dip in and out of the book whenever you like. Plus, there are lots of charming photos (of old health posters, Jennifer's family, the London cityscape, and ladies in their post-natal exercise classes!) which makes the process of reading much more visual and engaging! An excellent book!