THE PHYSICIAN’S DAUGHTER
BY MARTHA CONWAY
Publication Date: September 1, 2022
Zaffre
Genre: Historical Fiction
From the author of The Underground River comes this compelling new novel of female perseverance. Set in the aftermath of the Civil War, The Physician’s Daughter is the story of two people trying to make their way in a world that is struggling to escape its past.
It is 1865, the American Civil War has just ended, and 18-year old Vita Tenney is determined to pursue her lifelong dream of becoming a country doctor like her father. But when her father tells her she must get married instead, Vita explores every means of escape – and finds one in the person of war veteran Jacob Culhane.
Damaged by what he’s seen in battle and with all his family gone, Jacob is seeking investors for a fledgling business. Then he meets Vita – and together they hatch a plan that should satisfy both their desires. Months later, Vita seemingly has everything she ever wanted. But alone in a big city and haunted by the mistakes of her past, she wonders if the life she always thought she wanted was too good to be true. When love starts to compete with ambition, what will come out on top?
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Praise
“In the proud tradition of female characters from Jo March to Meredith Grey, Vita Tenney takes her place as a determined woman unwilling to let society or her family control her destiny. I was captivated by The Physician’s Daughter. The novel stays with you.”
–Tony Phelan, executive producer of Grey’s Anatomy and Council of Dads
“Vividly realised, and impeccably researched, with a determined female lead”
–Kayte Nunn, author ofThe Botanist’s Daughter
“A riveting read set during the American civil war about a pioneering young woman dead-set on becoming a doctor.”
–Inga Vesper, author of The Long, Long Afternoon
About the Author
Martha Conway is the author of several novels including The Underground River, which was a New York Times Book Editor’s Choice (titled The Floating Theatre in the U.K. and Europe). Her novel Thieving Forest won the North American Book Award for Best Historical Fiction.
Martha’s short fiction has appeared in the Iowa Review, Mississippi Review, The Quarterly, Carolina Quarterly, and other publications. She has reviewed fiction for the San Francisco Chronicle and the Iowa Review, and is a recipient of a California Arts Council fellowship in Creative Writing. In addition to writing, Martha is an instructor of creative writing at Stanford University’s Continuing Studies Program. She received her BA from Vassar College in History and English, and her MA in Creative Writing from San Francisco State University. Born and raised in Ohio, she now lives in San Francisco with her family, where the fog reminds her of lake-effect cloud cover in Cleveland.
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REVIEW BY COFFEE & INK
A truly excellent story—well written and with the perfect amount of historical detail. The setting of how people adjusted to the war and afterwards is very interesting to me.
I loved Vita and her struggles to educate herself and perhaps gain her father’s approval. Vita learns so much through the course of the novel and her persistence pays off, though not without sacrifices and trauma. Jacob, too, has more than his share of struggle. The author did a wonderful job weaving the arc of these two characters together—how they meet, come to terms, and lose each other again. Their experiences and personalities drive the plot forward. It’s almost as if Vita has to go through a growing up period in order to appreciate Jacob, when she can truly help him. And he can do the same for her.
This is a remarkable story. I could gush on and on, but I don’t want to spoil it. Highly recommended for lovers of history and a damn good story.
Blog Tour Schedule
Monday, September 26
Review at Gwendalyn’s Books
Tuesday, September 27
Review at Amy’s Booket List
Wednesday, September 28
Review at Bookworlder
Friday, September 30
Review at Reading the Past
Monday, October 3
Review at Books, Cooks, Looks
Tuesday, October 4
Review at Novels Alive
Excerpt at What Is That Book About
Wednesday, October 5
Review at The Page Ladies
Friday, October 7
Review at Cover Lover Book Reviews
Sunday, October 9
Review at Older & Smarter
Monday, October 10
Review at Reading is My Remedy
Tuesday, October 11
Review at History from a Woman’s Perspective
Friday, October 14
Review at Coffee and Ink
Excerpt at A Darn Good Read
Review at Reading Is My SuperPower
The Other Side of Certain by Amy Willoughby-Burle
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