The Surgeon’s Daughter (Nora Beady #2) by Audrey Blake

 Breaking barriers in medicine and surgery

A compelling fusion of meticulous medical history and a defiant coming of age narrative. 

The second in the series follows Nora Beady as she navigates the transition from a clandestine surgical prodigy, trained by the prominent man who took her into his home and made her his daughter, to a formal medical student at the University of Bologna in Italy in 1840. In a time where women are not welcome in roles of doctor and surgeon in most countries, Nora has to leave her home in England to study there. She comes under the tutelage of a brilliant surgeon, Dr. Magdalena Morenco, who helps her prove her worth in a field designed to exclude her. As Nora becomes more proficient in delivery of ether anesthetic and in surgical techniques, especially the C-Section, there are those who wish to see her fail. Meanwhile, her foster father, Dr. Horace Croft, is beset with financial woes along with his worsening health. Nora’s romantic interest, Dr. Daniel Gibson, who works with Horace, is experiencing heartbreak treating the children dying of diphtheria. 

I enjoyed all the historical details though also railing at the injustice of Nora’s situation of being held in a legal limbo as the establishment wants to deny her the opportunity and ability to practice. In a time where women were constrained by the opinions of laws of men, she had a lot to overcome. Their egos and belief in their own superiority were terribly frustrating and Nora had to navigate the situation very carefully. It was also interesting to read about the perception differences between England and Italy as far as women in the medical field. I loved the medical descriptions of the operations and the diseases and conditions of the patients. I can’t help but be amazed at how far advanced the treatment of care of patients evolved through research, trial, and error. The needless suffering and death that has been eradicated by procedures we now take for granted including antibiotics and surgical techniques. How lucky we are to be alive in these times. I am looking forward to the next installment.

I was able to listen to the audio book while also following along in the e-book. The narrator, Susan Lyons, did an excellent job voicing the characters with her masterful command of languages and accents. Her ability to differentiate voices made the listening experience such an immersive experience. 

This is the second in a series featuring Nora Beady.

Genre - historical fiction, 19 century, England, Italy, surgery, women in medicine