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Recently I was thinking about how I haven’t seen that many novels where the character was facing infertility issues. Many of us enjoy reading novels as an escape from reality from time to time. But I also like reading stories where the character is relatable on a deeper level. I want to see how characters handle a situation similar to my own. Perhaps I can even learn from the characters to help improve my life.
Eowyn Ivey has written two novels where the main character dealt with infertility and pregnancy loss, including “The Snow Child” her debut novel, and her second novel “To the Bright Edge of the World.” It’s been years since I’ve read “The Snow Child” and I’m about due to read it again. Infertility and pregnancy loss is such a difficult thing to live through and Eowyn Ivey has managed to delve into the hard emotions and resiliency of her character Sophie in “To the Bright Edge of the World.”
I found Sophie to be a very relatable character with her infertility struggles. I don’t want to give away too much of her story because I think you should read it for yourself. But I will say I was incredibly surprised by how well written the ending was for her character. One part of the book I will mention is that Sophie has learned to combine her hobbies into a good distraction from her infertility struggles. She loves bird watching and learns the new technology of the 1800s photography in order to capture beautiful pictures of the birds that visit her near her home. Pursuing hobbies, whether new or old, can be very therapeutic for anyone dealing with infertility. Sophie’s character reminded me of how important hobbies are for making us feel alive and happy.
There are many layers to Sophie’s character and you can see how she grows over time. Sophie’s husband Colonel Alan Forrester is on a potentially dangerous expedition to Alaska in the 1880s. While he is away for months on end Sophie has to learn how to cope not only with the loneliness of her husband being away but also how to deal with a fertility issue on her own. Although Sophie has acquaintances who try to be supportive Sophie ultimately needs to learn how to cope independently. Most of the book is written as letter correspondences between the different characters.
It took me a little while to get into the book at first, but then I became hooked and I was reading it daily until I finished it. I became attached to the characters and genuinely cared about what would happen to them. If you are dealing with infertility, this book can help bring a sense of solace and reassurance to you during your journey. I think this book was definitely worth the read and holds a special place in my heart.
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Today’s Question:
Have you read a novel where the main character was dealing with infertility? Please comment below the name of the book and how it helped you.
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