Read with Sharon - September 2024
The Medicine Woman of Galveston - Amanda Skenandore
I loved Amanda Skenandore’s The Nurse’s Secret that we read a few years ago, and her newest release, The Medicine Woman of Galveston doesn’t disappoint.
It’s a short read, but a heavy one as Tucia Hatherley struggles though abuse and trauma to find her confidence again. I found myself feeling as if I was reading a Kristin Hannah novel at the emotion this story evokes. I fell in love with Tucia and found myself completely engaged in her character. The period detail of Amanda’s writing is fabulous. But be warned, the plot does meander a bit as Tucia suffers one setback after another. But the story is worth it! You’ll find yourself cheering for Tucia as she regains her self-esteem and finally finds
happiness
Inside this reader guide you’ll find recipes for Mini Lemon Drop Cakes and a Elixir Cocktail as well as discussion questions for our book club meeting on Thursday, September 26th at 7 PM Eastern via Zoom when author Amanda Skenandore joins us.
Until then, I hope you enjoy The Medicine Woman of Galveston. I can’t wait to hear what you think!
P.S. And please post a photo of yourself reading The Medicine Woman of Galveston on Facebook or Instagram with the hashtag #ReadWithSharon
I encourage you to click here to read reviews and buy your own copy.
Buy the Book
Reviews
Caught in the great Galveston Hurricane of 1900, a female doctor who’s joined a traveling medicine show to support her disabled son is forced to weather the storm and its aftermath in a town hostile to the troupe’s unconventional ways but desperate for their help.
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/197522445-the-medicine-woman-of-galveston
A downtrodden female doctor takes up with a traveling medicine show to support her disabled son, joining a German giantess, a bowlegged musician, an indentured Creek poet, and a handsome tinker under the thumb of a charismatic but menacing swindler on a collision course with the deadliest natural disaster in American history – the Galveston Hurricane of 1900.
The Medicine Woman of Galveston - Amanda Skenandore
Book Club Questions
THE CHARACTER’S JOURNEY
- What did you think of Tucia?
- How is Tucia changed by the end of the novel? Do you think she’s cured of her “hysterical attacks,” or will aspects of that trauma always be with her?
THE STORY PLOT
- By 1900, there were over seven thousand women physicians in the U.S. (almost 6 percent of all physicians). Does that number surprise you? What did you think about Tucia’s experiences as a woman doctor during this era?
- Medicine shows relied heavily on racial and ethnic stereotypes—both in the form of entertainment they offered and the way they advertised their medicine. Why do you think this was?
- Much of what motivates Tucia throughout the novel is her desire to keep Toby out of an asylum. How have our attitudes and understanding of people with intellectual disabilities changed since 1900?
THE ENDING
- Did it work for you? What would you have changed?
- What do you think is the author’s message to readers of The Medicine Woman of Galveston?
- What did you take away from the book?
- Are you left with any questions?
SYMBOLISM AND FORESHADOWING
- Did you notice any symbolism?
- What foreshadowing did you notice?
THE WRITING
- Use one adjective to describe the writing itself.
- What would you change if you could rewrite The Medicine Woman of Galveston?
DEFINING CHARACTERISTIC
- What did you love most about the book?
- Did the book change any views/opinions that you have?
