The Midwife’s Tale

For generations, the women in Elizabeths family have brought life to their community. All the births and dates are recorded in tall black ledgers kept by Elizabeths mother, but there is also the red ledger. When Elizabeth discovers the true purpose of the red book, she is shocked and disturbed by the contents. As Elizabeth loses faith in her vocation, she also loses her heart, to the one man who will never return her love, even when she moves into his home to share his bed and raise his child. She finds solace in mothering Lauren, but Elizabeth, who has brought so many lives into the world, must also come to terms with the fact that she herself is barren.