Where the Light Enters by Sara Donati: Review

I’ve been known to read and review a women’s fiction a time or two and while they’re not my go to read daily, every once in a while I get sucked in by a synopsis and I just have to read it.

The synopsis that got me was the fact that several of the women in this story were all doctors back in the 1800s. Along with the plot is a murder mystery. So sucked in I was and here are my thoughts on this upcoming release.

Where the Light Enters by Sara Donati
Publisher: Berkley (September 10, 2019)
ISBN-13: 978-0425271827

Synopsis

From the international bestselling author of The Gilded Hour comes Sara Donati’s enthralling epic about two trailblazing female doctors in nineteenth-century New York

Obstetrician Dr. Sophie Savard returns home to the achingly familiar rhythms of Manhattan in the early spring of 1884 to rebuild her life after the death of her husband. With the help of Dr. Anna Savard, her dearest friend, cousin, and fellow physician she plans to continue her work aiding the disadvantaged women society would rather forget.

As Sophie sets out to construct a new life for herself, Anna’s husband, Detective-Sergeant Jack Mezzanotte calls on them both to consult on two new cases: the wife of a prominent banker has disappeared into thin air, and the corpse of a young woman is found with baffling wounds that suggest a killer is on the loose. In New York it seems that the advancement of women has brought out the worst in some men. Unable to ignore the plight of New York’s less fortunate, these intrepid cousins draw on all resources to protect their patients.

Where the Light Enters by Sara Donati Review

I have to start this off with a warning of sorts. This is a massive book. Easily 3 to 4 times the size of a normal fiction story.

With that said, the author did an amazing job developing infinite and minute detail in every piece of the story. In my opinion, this book is actually two books in one. Let me explain.

First of all, it would be helpful to read the first book in the series, The Gilded Hour, which I did not do. There are multiple details the author assumes you know that are coming in from the other book.

Secondly, the list of characters is quite large and it does take a bit to keep track of everyone. Even the housekeepers and other attendants have ample say in this story.

Now back to why this is two books in one. On one hand you have the murder mystery and all of that which surrounds the detail.

Then in the next chapter you’re learning about the women and their medical stories and their daily work. The murder mystery pieces are forgotten for many, many, many chapters. We get intricate conversation about daily happenings, the hopes and dreams of one character, even hiring people are detailed conversations. There’s also a side story of orphaned children tied into this whole humongous family unit.

I’m not saying this is a bad thing. But I was looking for a story about the murder mystery which to me was intensely interesting. The time, the history, the fact that the female doctors (including a black female) and midwives were involved greatly interested me.

But it seemed that portion was diminished amongst everything else surrounding it until the very end when it became key. The second part of the story and all of the supreme detail about the family unit was not what I was expecting. But some details did cross over into the murder mystery.

Overall, the story is beautifully laid out, very interesting to read, and perfect for someone that loves family sagas, with a twist of love, murder, and history. Just be prepared to dedicate quite a while to read this book.

I have to admit it was difficult for me but looking back, it was a pleasurable read with some nice twists that keep you engaged, especially the last half.

Disclaimer: Chris has personally reviewed the product listed above. She has not received any monetary compensation for her review but did receive a free ebook so she could evaluate and use it for this post. Her thoughts & opinions in this review are unbiased & honest and your opinions may differ.