Set in the late 1800s, this book tells the story of what women were up against when they wanted to be more than just a wife and mother. Tucia Hatherley went to school and became a doctor, but the men around her made that an almost impossible task. She had to find other work to take care of her son, Toby, but finding care for him was a challenge as he had Down's Syndrome. Then along comes Huey, a traveling medicine showman, who offers to take care of her debt but she must join his show and use her medical degree to give the show a doctor. Tucia became Huey's assistant and had to perform other parts of the traveling show much to her dismay. The other performers became her friends and helped to take care of Toby and give him some sense of family. When the show took a break in Galveston, 1900, it was hit by a devastating hurricane that took out most of the city. In the final fourth of the book, Tucia finally got the opportunity to use all of her training and medical knowledge to help the people of the city and her show family.
This book felt like two stories-Tucia and the traveling medicine show and Tucia and the hurricane. I find stories of women finding their passion, such as being a doctor, when the norms say otherwise empowering. I also liked that Toby was treated as just another boy by the traveling show family and another character, Fanny, with her gigantism, had her own story to tell in a positive way. The author has detailed notes at the end that describe the research and information that went into writing the book.
If you are looking for a good female-centered book, I would recommend this one.

#NetGalley #TheMedicineWomanofGalveston
Thank you Kensington Publishing and Net Galley for a complimentary copy. All opinions expressed are my own.

Much slower than I am used to from Amanda Skenandore; this book is my least favorite of hers. That’s not to say it wasn’t good – there’s a lot of world building and character development = but it was difficult to get invested in the story when it moved as slowly as it did. It didn’t pick up until the very end and by that point I had given up liking anything about this story.

I wanted badly to enjoy this book but I just really didn't. I really struggled to get through it because the beginning is just so slow. I felt misled by the description because I thought it was mostly about a woman doctor surviving the 1900 Galveston hurricane but it's not. They don't even arrive in Galveston until 75% through the book! Tucia had the opportunity to be a compelling character but her anxious hair pulling really detracted from her character. While representation is important, I just felt that this was really not needed. Once I got to the hurricane, the story seemed really rushed to the end. I would have enjoyed more about Tucia's work after the storm and her getting back into being a doctor and cleaning up after the storm.

Thank you to Netgalley and Kensington Books for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

*2.75 stars*

Missouri 1900, A Doctor’s struggle!

Uplifting, often sombre story of a woman doctor in the 1900’s who’d been let go from a hospital after an operation resulted in the death of a patient.
As a recently graduated doctor Tucia Hatherley was being supervised by the hospital surgeon Dr. Archibald Addams. He’d bullied Tucia into performing an operation she wasn’t ready for, a situation where she’d froze.
Blackballed Tucia fought for her and her son’s survival, taking a job in a mill.
Answering an advertisement for a Doctor, she’s employed by Hugh Horn aka the Amazing Adolphus, a snake oil seller, to look after his troupe. Tucia’s son Toby has Downes Syndrome. All Tucia wants to do is protect him. She takes the position.
Their journey to the travelling show and subsequent involvement with the show folk is an eye opener for Tucia.
Even more so when she realised their employer has something on everyone
During the show’s long journey Tucia connects with troupe members and learns each person’s story.
Despite protests Horn insists on taking the show to Galveston
No one was prepared for what happened next.
This story winds its way into the consciousness, never letting up. A story of retribution, of reconciliation and of love.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I didn't expect to.

A Kensington Books ARC via NetGalley.
Many thanks to the author and publisher.
(Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.)

A beautifully written historical fiction account detailing the trials and joys of some of the first women doctors. We follow our freshly minted doctor through the south as she was forced to become part of a traveling “medicine” show which is really a traveling side show because she is unable to pay her debts. People just didn’t trust a woman doctor. The intricacies of this story are on point with rich character development. And the story comes to a head when they winter in Galveston, and that decision meets up with a horrible hurricane. This is where the decisions - both in medicine and life - culminate in a terrific storm. Thanks to NetGalley for the read.

One of my favorite books of the year, The Medicine Woman of Galveston is the fascinating tale of a young woman who turns her back on her dreams after a fatal error and through a series of events finds herself as the medicine woman in a traveling road show. Dr. Tucia Hatherley is scarred by an accidental death and leaves medicine to take a series of increasingly menial positions. Afflicted by PTSD (or something like it) she joins a traveling medicine show accompanied by her young son. But there is no real medicine in this so-called medicine show. Instead Tucia finds herself reading palms and peddling snake oil (literally!) and in debt to the owner of the show, a nasty character who uses the secrets of the troupe members to keep them from leaving while not bothering to pay them.

Well written and well researched, The Medicine Woman of Galveston gives good insights into the traveling medicine shows. Tucia is a flawed but compelling character dealing with a tragic accident that ends of shaping her life and that of her son; it’s a pleasure watching Tucia grt through her struggles and see her grow. I really loved this book!

By the end of the first chapter, I was thrust firmly into Tucia's world. Scrambling to make a living and putting enough food on the table for her young son Toby. She had not always been a part of this hard scrabble world. Tucia grew up in a home that never left her stomach aching for food, allowed her to go to school, and to dream big. Dream she did, becoming a woman doctor in the late 1800s was not easy feat. She had determination and gumption to make anyone believe that a woman could in fact be a doctor. That all changed in the hands of one doctor. Who did not want women near his operating table, or in the profession of medicine. He had it in his mind that women were weak, inferior, unintelligent, therefore unable to be a doctor. He turned his sights on Tucia and he completely destroyed her. Leading her to this life where she is willing to do just about anything to make sure her son is fed, dressed, and has a roof over his head.

When a man named Huey steps into her life and offers her a way out, she grabs at the offer. Not really knowing what will be in store. She just knows she will be a part of the Amazing Adolphus Medicine Show. Her desperation and naive disposition lead her into the best and worst situation of her life. She meets people who become like her family. Different yet protective of one another, willing to stand up and fight for each other. Even if that means irritating Huey. They travel all over the country. Setting up camp, selling their snake oil, and getting out of town as quickly as possible. As Huey becomes greedier and leads them into a situation that turns into a natural disaster. All bets are off on how the group will survive.

I could immediately tell that Amanda Skenandore took a deep dive into the history of medicine shows. What they were, who was involved, and why people spent their hard-earned money on their crazy tonics. Skenandore also tied in how people with down syndrome were looked down upon and were normally left by their family. The threat of asylums was always at the back of the Tucia's mind as her son Toby grew. Thank you to Amanda Skenandore and Kensington Press for my gifted copy of this enthralling read.

The Medicine Woman Of Galveston
By: Amanda Skenandore

4 Stars

Tucia finds herself down on her luck and in need of a way to care for herself and her son, Toby. Soon, she finds herself traveling by wagon with a medicine traveling show. She lives on the road, traveling place to place until reaching the one place that will forever change her, her friends, and her sons life forever. Galveston.

This was an awesome novel of hardship, survival, and redemption. Tucia and the other characters made this a very colorful and powerful novel. It told of a world where being different is not looked good upon, but you have to keep going. It showed a world where sometimes you have to do what you must to simply survive. This story was entertaining and captivating from the stories of Tucia to Fanny to Huey. Each gave the story depth and feeling.

I loved this world. This story was written with such feelings and such descriptions that I felt like I was there. On the road with the locals. In Galveston. I don't want to give too much away, but this book is moving and easy to love. It kept me engaged, and I loved the history of it all. This story is one to read and cherish.

*I want to thank Netgalley and the author for this book in return for my honest review*

Stormi Ellis
Boundless Book Review

I am not sure how i feel about this book. Was it entertaining? Yes. Did it make me think? Yes. Did I learn something new from it also yes. Did I like the Main characters ? Yes, well most of them. It was something about the choices in this book, that did not sit well with me. But I still highly recommend this book. Thank you to netgalley for letting me read this e arc in exchange for an honest opinion

A story of dealing with people who have faults that are visible. There is also historical facts added. You will fall in love with the characters even with their faults except for Huey. Tucia deals with her hardships and her son's not always the best way. Times were different back in those days. And they lead to doing things that you don't always agree with. This is the first book that I have read by this author and I would read another one. She does her research.
I received an ARC from NetGalley and the publisher and I am leaving a review by my own choice.

Historical fiction readers will enjoy this story. Trucia fought hard to become a doctor only to be ostracized by one fatal mistake. Now, faced with not being able to provide for her young son, she joins a medicine show run by Huey. Just is the typical snake oil salesman and is truly despicable. With flashbacks the author shares the back stories of the band of misfits as they tour the country. A bit long but an interesting story.

Thank you Kensington and Netgalley for access to this book.

Tucia isn’t an easy person to love. She battled her way into the medical profession, stood up to the misogyny from her fellow residents and the attendings but when she made a horrible mistake during a surgery, and she knows that despite the fact that her attending pushed her to take the lead on a case she wasn’t ready to do, she’s the one who nicked the artery. As a single mother of a disabled child, she’s had to fight to keep food on the table and a roof over their heads. She doesn’t accept people into her life easily. She’s also very principled and deeply ashamed of taking part in fooling patients into buying useless patent “medicine.” Even when it might be better to keep her mouth shut, Tucia often can’t help speaking up.

The other performers all have backstories that Tucia learns along the way in solo chapters that act as a sort of info dump. They are well written info dumps that enlarge on what the other people have told Tucia or that she’s seen but they are info-dumpy. But as it would have probably taken a long time and been awkward to have worked all of the details into show and not tell, I’ll go along with it. Huey is one of those awful people who can easily gain trust as well as suss out secrets and he’s not afraid to hold these over everyone in the troupe. As he also smokes opium, his moods can and do swing wildly leaving everyone slightly on edge all the time.

Though the title and blurb might lead readers to think that Tucia and Co are in Galveston for longer than they are, they actually don’t get there until less than 20% of the story is left. Then WHAMO everyone is fighting for their lives. If it hadn’t been mentioned that details were drawn from survivor material, I wouldn’t have believed some of it. The storm was bad enough but the afterwards as people struggled to deal with what had happened was almost worse.

Tucia fights to stay true to her medical morals and finds love – though the book is far more historical fiction than romance. Her son Toby is not just a plot moppet and part of Tucia’s journey is in letting Toby loose a little to be a joyous little boy. The other troupe members are written with dignity though maybe Tucia’s acceptance of them as they are is a bit too neatly wrapped. The beginning is immersive and although the middle section drags a bit, the ending is gripping. B-

Wow. First off, the historical knowledge I have gained from this story is immense. I had heard of traveling shows, but not a lot of the medicine side of them, mostly just the acts and prejudice. I had also heard of the Galveston Hurricame, but again, not much more than it's the worst natural disaster in Americn history. I greatly enjoyed learning more about both of these things throughout such a well-written story. I will say I feel like the tile is a bit misleading as the troupe doesn't even get to Galveston until about 70% through the book...I was expecting more on the hurricane I guess or just more of the setting to take place there.
Either way, interesting topics wrapped up in a well thought out story with super interesting characters.

Dr. Tucia Hatherley is a woman ahead of her time. Despite her stepmother finding her vocation unseemly and refusing to fund the remainder of her schooling after Tucia’s father dies, she persists. In rooms full of men Tucia is scrutinized, criticized, and neglected, and yet she remains at the top of her class. When a professor gives her a chance in the operating theater, she doesn’t realize he is setting her up for failure. Her fatal mistake, that could have been prevented with proper mentoring and assistance, changes the trajectory of her life.

After the death of the woman at her scalpel, Tucia begins having panic attacks and pulling out patches of her hair. Her severe PTSD prevents her from reentering her profession and she ends up working at a garment factory to support herself and her young disabled son Toby. Huey, a man who runs a traveling medicine show, offers to clear her debt if she travels with him, as he needs a licensed doctor in many of the small towns he stops by to sell his tonics and salves. Seeing this as her best way forward, Tucia reluctantly agrees and finds Huey pushing her to her ethical boundaries at every stop. The rest of the show’s participants, a giantess, a musical cripple, a Native American, and a handyman help her swallow her pride and do what Huey asks so that she can hopefully take back control of her life.

Though the title implies the story takes place in Galveston, it takes a while for Tucia to physically and mentally get to a point where she could render her services after the Great Hurricane of 1900 decimates the small island. Tucia’s journey is a painful one, and makes the reader appreciate her resiliency and moral compass in the face of so many setbacks and Huey’s unrelenting charlatan behavior. Though some take issue with her name, I actually struggled more with the name Darl, as in my head I very much wanted it to be Darryl. Names eventually fade as I read though, and well written characters like Tucia take shape regardless of what they are called.

Thank you to NetGalley, Kensington Books, High Bridge Audio, and of course the author Amanda Skenandore for the advanced copy of the book. The Medicine Woman of Galveston comes out tomorrow. All opinions are my own.

The Medicine Woman of Galveston was written by Amanda Skenandore, She is a registered nurse, and her personal knowledge adds to the realism of her historical fiction novels which feature women and medicine. I read her previous books The Second Life of Mirielle West and The Nurse’s Secret and loved them both. However, I think she outdid herself with her latest! I started the book one day and finished it the next. I simply HAD to see what happened as soon as possible!

Dr. Tucia Hatherley was one of the few women who actually became a doctor and interned at a big hospital at the turn of the century, but not any more. In Missouri in 1900, Tucia now works in a corset factory instead of medicine; she hasn't touched her medical instruments since she made a fatal mistake in the operating theater. She's desperately struggling to support herself and her young Down Syndrome son Toby, but now that job is being threatened, as well. She only has one out: Huey Horn, a wily and charismatic showman, offers to pay off all of her debts if she becomes part of his traveling medicine show. Her medical license gives his show a cover of credibility, though the "medicine" he sells is useless. She begins to make uneasy kinship with the other traveling performers, but plans to leave as soon as her debt to Huey is paid. However, Huey's schemes are becoming more intense and dangerous and he has no intention of setting her free. Things come to a head when the troop arrives in Galveston, when a horrible hurricane devastates the Gulf Coast. Will Tucia regain her courage to practice medicine once again?

I was just a little familiar with the Galveston hurricane of 1900, which is the deadliest natural disaster in United States history. At least 8,000 souls were lost, and some estimate that the number may be as many as 12,000! I was eager to learn more about it. However, the traveling medicine show didn't get to Galveston until the book was 75% done. I was so enraptured by the story I didn't realize it was almost over until the hurricane hit. The author, though, gave more information about the storm in the afterword so I was satisfied. I just loved the characters in this book, though some it took me a while to embrace; Huey was not embraced at all! Dr. Tucia Hatherley worked hard to become a doctor, but her life was shattered when a patient bled to death and she believed it was all her fault. She suffered from PTSD when confronted with any medical emergency. She also had trichotillomania, which was an overwhelming urge to pull out one's hair. Tucia's life now revolved around taking care of Toby. When she lost her job at the corset factory, her boss would give her another chance...if she pleasured him. She decked him instead! She thought the situation was helpless, until she met Huey, who fashioned himself as the Amazing Adolphus. At first he seemed decent enough, but as time went on he became more sinister. He would blackmail and threaten his employees; he was also addicted to the opium pipe. He was definitely someone a woman and child should not be around. Toby was a sweet, loving boy who was treated as a defective imbecile by so many who didn't understand the medical issue he had. Tucia would NOT put her dear son in an institution or asylum as many people suggested. At first the odd members of the medicine show treated her with disdain. As Tucia got to know them, however, I fell in love with them! Fanny, known as Grazyna the Dancing Giantess, was my favorite. A German woman who suffered from gigantism, she was an incredibly graceful dancer and ended up being a great friend to.Tucia. Fanny was married to Cal Trout, who's stage name was Cal Crip Caboo; that's the cruel name Huey gave him since he was horribly bowlegged. He was, however, a genius musician. Fanny and Cal had a son named Al; he was the son of Fanny's dearest friend who died after giving birth, and they loved him as if he was their own. Lawrence was an indentured Creek Indian who was a talented poet. Huey called him Chief Big Sky and he was made to perform as a stereotypical "savage". No, Huey was not politically correct at all! And last but not least was Darl, a talented tinker who could fix just about anything. He was my other favorite supporting character...well, maybe after Kit the monkey! Darl worked on a chain gang with Huey, who had a hold over him when they escaped. He was a biracial man who passed for white, and he had a hairlip which had been repaired, though not well. Tucia though him handsome, and he was kind to her and her son. Actually, with the exception of Huey, all of the performers treated Toby with kindness. There was an attraction between Darl and Tucia, which was a nice bit of romance thrown into the mix. When everyone arrived at Galveston, Huey had nefarious plans for Tucia. Then the tornado hit, and there was non-stop action and excitement until the end. I won't give any secrets away; I was just thrilled with the resolution. Ms. Skenandore writes terrifically nuanced characters and gently pulls out their inner selves. I am looking forward to anything this author comes out with in the future.

I received an ARC of this book courtesy of the publisher and NetGalley. I received no compensation for my review, and all thoughts and opinions expressed are entirely my own.

Thank you so much to NetGalley for an e-ARC. This book was so interesting. I really enjoyed it. All of the characters had rich, engaging stories. This book centers around Tucia, a female doctor in 1900. Before this book, I honestly didn't know there were women doctors that far back, although it was less than 6 percent of physicians. Tucia suffers from anxiety, PTSD, and trichotillomania. The PTSD seems to stem from a deadly error she made in the operating theater as an intern. This led to her abandoning practicing medicine. At the start of the story, Tucia is now a single mother to a young son with Down syndrome. She's deep in debt and running out of options. Out of desperation and a will to protect her son from ending up in an asylum, she agrees to join a traveling medicine show. Her medical license will bolster the shows credibility. Tucia finds herself quickly feeling guilty about foisting fake medicine on "yokels". Over the course of story, we watch Tucia overcome her struggles and find ways to remain true to herself in less than fortunate circumstances. She makes friends with her fellow performers who are all also deeply intriguing. My favorite was the ballet dancing giantess. This book includes so many interesting bits of history, including a horrible hurricane in Galveston. I highly recommend this book. I didn't want it to end.

Tucia is just trying to survive along with her young son.
Circumstances force her to join a traveling medicine show and she starts making unexpected friends.
It’s a quick moving story. I felt sad for Tucia and her friend’s situation.

3.5

Dr. Tucia Hatherley was a trailblazer in the early 1900's going to medical school to become a doctor and it wasn't easy as the men resented her for this. So much so, the head doctor made her life miserable. The trauma she suffered left her working in a factory, loaded with debt, and a small son to care for. What looked like a way out of her problems, she lowered herself to working in a traveling medicine show. At least 75% of the book is the story of their travels in this group and the people in the group. It wasn't until the last 20% that they get to Galveston and quickly suffer the Great Hurricane of 1900. I really wanted more about Galveston, since this is in the title of the book.

It is easy to care about (or hate) the characters in this traveling medicine show, which were very popular at the time, and learn about this trend in history. The Author's Note at the end really highlighted what and why she focused on certain things in the book. An interesting book.

My thanks to Net Galley, Kensington Publishing, and High Bridge Audio for advanced copies of the e-book and audiobook.

Historical fiction circa 1900 about a discredited American female doctor who finds that her only option is to join a traveling medicine show.

Tucia Hatherley, once the top student in her medical school class, killed a patient during surgery while the attending physician looked on, berating and humiliating her. She had been barely tolerated during her studies and this surgical mistake ended her hopes and career dreams. Suffering from a sort of post traumatic stress as well as trichotillomania (compulsive hair pulling), Tucia has few options for employment. Add in the fact that she has a young son with Down Syndrome, Tucia is in debt with no where to turn. Then, in desperation, she falls in with Hugh Horn (Huey) who is the dubious owner of a group of rag tag performers in a group called The Amazing Adolphus And his Traveling Medicine Company. They travel about the country doing their show, dispensing fake potions and tonics, and leave the area before they get caught hawking those dubious cures. Since Tucia has a medical license, Huey puts her to work as a quasi medical assistant, mind reader, and fortune teller. She longs to escape, but is indentured. Then, they make it to Galveston right before the great hurricane.

OK, this was all very interesting about the medicine shows and such, but it went on far too long only getting to Galveston and the natural disaster at about 80% in the book. I picked this novel because I wanted to hear about Tucia practicing medicine during the hurricane. Honestly, Tucia (where in the world did the author find that name?) was mostly an annoying mess with all her panic attacks and hair pulling that was just overdone. It was hard to believe she would ever get herself together and actually be productive. The other characters in the book were exactly the odd bunch that one imagines would be found in a circus - the giant, the Native American, the tinker, the cripple, etc. All with hearts of gold of course. Stereotypes. The description of the hurricane coming so far into the book was too little too late. I expected the neatly wrapped ending. But, overall, just disappointed as this was not the book I had expected.

I listened to the audiobook while also reading along in the e-book — both provided by the publishers. The narrator was OK but the accents and many different voices proved a bit much for a single person to voice. If you are looking for a novel about heroism during a historic natural disaster, this might not be the one to pick.

My Review

Wow! Amanda Skenandore, the Author of “The Medicine Woman of Galveston had written an intriguing and captivating Historical Novel that depicts the difficulties for women and handicapped people during the turn of the century. I appreciate the amount of research that the author has done. In this well written novel, the author vividly describes the landscape, plot, props, scenery and the dramatic characters. There are several historical story lines set within the novel, and the author does a fantastic job weaving them together. The author is a health care worker and discusses the earliest female physicians, and the discrimination and bias they received from both the male physicians, and the public.

The female protagonist, Tucia Hatherley is a physician, and a single mother to a son with Down syndrome. One if the male physicians has Tucia perform surgery in a hospital, and the patient expires. Tucia gets fired, and she experiences panic attacks, and pulls her hair out, when stressed. Tucia keeps her medical license but stops practicing medicine, and has fears.

Tucia has difficulties with other jobs, and is having financial difficulty providing essentials for her disabled son. She finds employment with a medical traveling show, where she provides her medical license to secure the show’s location. The man that runs this show makes money from selling “Medicine “ in a bottle and snake oil. There are handicapped talented people that are used for a side show to attract people. The owner of this medicine show will go any length to find something to hold over these people and is controlling Tucia as well. Tucia also becomes a performer, and wants to find a way to leave with her son.

One of the deadliest hurricanes, The Galveston Hurricane of 1900 arrives at the same time that the medicine show reaches the town. There is tragic loss of life and property. Tucia is forced to have the courage to make life or death decisions.

I appreciate that the author discusses medical issues and mental health issues that caused discrimination. There was inequality between men and women. Women were discriminated against. There was little compassion for people with handicapping conditions. I love that the author mentions the importance of family, self-worth, proper educational training. There are twists and turns, and the character’s individual stories were heartbreaking. I highly recommend this thought-provoking and memorable nove