5 stars!

The Path Beneath Her Feet by Janis Robinson Daly is the sequel to The Unlocked Path, which I loved. This historical fiction novel is based on the author’s own family, specifically her great-great-grandfather, who helped establish the Women’s Medical College in Philadelphia. True to Daly’s style, the book centers on themes of female empowerment, resilience, and self-discovery.

Set in the 1930s, the novel follows Dr. Eliza Edwards, a real historical figure, as she defies the societal norms and expectations placed on women of that era. Daly emphasizes the importance of these women's stories, saying, “their stories needed to be heard.” I love reading about real women who break away from society's constraints, and in this case, women who used education to carve out their independence in a male-dominated world.

Character-driven and rich with strong female protagonists, the story highlights how perseverance and inner strength allowed women like Dr. Edwards to challenge the status quo in the medical field. These trailblazers played a crucial role in shaping the fight for women's rights as we know them today.

One of the best narrators I have ever listened to! Thank you, Janis Robinson Daly, for providing me with an audio copy of your newest novel for my honest review. As always, this is a 5-star read! I highly recommend it to anyone interested in historical fiction that highlights the women who paved the way for the future we know today.

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Dynamic of Tension and Tenderness

Love and pain coexist with familial bonds and the author captured it so well. Beautifully crafted novel that offers so much emotion and insight. She captures truth in self-discovery and the power of transformational love. Beautiful, well written story coupled with the best narration. Loved the various accents AND SINGING that brought it all together.

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Outstanding

The book was beyond five stars. The last half just put it over the top. The only thing I didn’t care for was at the end of each chapter the narrator said the name of the next chapter like it was part of the previous chapter. For example, blah blah blah chapter 4 blah blah blah, No space in between at all. Just kind of weird. But maybe that’s nitpicking. Don’t know if it was an editorial thing or the narrator.

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Wonderful sequel

For me, a really good book is one that I not only enjoy reading but leaves me thinking about it for some time afterward. If I learn some history along the way, so much the better. Janis Robinson Daly’s debut novel, The Unlocked Path, definitely met these criteria and I eagerly awaited the sequel; The Path Beneath Her Feet did not disappoint. I loved this second book even more than the first. It is beautifully written and demonstrates both the author’s growth as a writer and her emotional intelligence. Her thorough research is also evident throughout the book. One only has to read the lengthy list of resources and Acknowledgements to confirm this.
The Path Beneath Her Feet begins sixteen years after the end of The Unlocked Path. Eliza and her close friend and partner, Olga, are forced to close the practice they opened in 1920 because it was no longer feasible to continue in the economic climate of 1936. While Olga had secured other employment, Eliza’s attempts to obtain a position were more difficult as she faced the same kind of sexism, even misogyny, she had encountered since her medical school days. But opportunities, some unexpected, do come her way allowing her to continue to serve those who needed her most. One of the things I love most about good historical fiction is not only a well-written story, but also learning about people and events of which I had little or no knowledge previously. Two examples were the existence of the American Women’s Hospital organization, an organization that gave Eliza the opportunity to provide essential medical care in communities in the eastern Tennessee region of Appalachia, and the devastating fire at Cocoanut Grove nightclub in Boston in 1942.
The book recounts eleven years of Eliza’s life beginning with the significant struggles during the Depression, the US involvement in WWII, and ending in 1947. The two books span Eliza’s amazing journey from a young woman in her teens to an older woman in her late sixties. During the war, Eliza’s sons, who were young children in The Unlocked Path, were now serving in the US military. It was the things that resonated with me that I found most compelling. I remember family stories of WWII, stories of the anxiety experienced when a loved one was serving overseas at a time when communication was limited to letters that often took months to arrive. There was so much happening in Eliza’s personal and professional life, but I never felt that the story was overly complicated. I found this book to be historical fiction at its best; a novel that was not just set in an historical period, but one in which historical events and real characters were an integral part of the story. At the same time, some of the issues addressed in both books, always in a non-preachy way - misogyny, racism, social injustice, women’s access to health care, and coping with aging family members are just as relevant today. Books like this are important reminders of how far we have come since Eliza’s time, but how sometimes very little has changed. I loved Eliza for her spunk, determination, intolerance of any kind of prejudice, dedication to her family, and overall decency. The origin of the title is explained in the author’s acknowledgments. It was inspired by a keynote address she heard that was given by fellow author Libbie Grant (Olivia Hawker). How perfectly this quote describes the path of Eliza’s life:
“Sometimes the path doesn’t even exist until you begin walking. But if you keep moving forward, if you take whatever next step presents itself to YOU, by and by you’ll discover a path is creating itself beneath your feet.”
Lara Terco’s is a new narrator for me. Her interpretation of The Path Beneath Her Feet is excellent, a perfect complement to the book. I love a narrator whose range of voice and emotions, plus tuneful singing, makes me feel like I am listening to a radio play with multiple actors.

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