The River Midnight

In her stunning debut novel Lilian Nattel brilliantly
brings to life the richness of shtetl culture through the
story of an imagined Blaszka Poland. Myth meets history
and characters come to life through the stories of womens
lives and prayers their secrets and the intimate details
of everyday life. When they were young four friends were
known as the vilda bayas the wild creatures. But their
adult lives have taken them in different directions and
theyve grown apart. One woman Misha is now the local
midwife. In a world where strict rules govern most
activities Misha an unmarried independent spirit becomes
the wayward heart of Blaszka and the keeper of town
secrets. But when Misha becomes pregnant and refuses to
divulge the identity of her babys father hers becomes the
biggest secret of all and the village must decide how they
will react to Mishas scandalous ways. Nattels magical
novel explores the tension between men and women and
celebrates the wordless and kinetic bond of friendship.