Review Detail

Catharine, Called Birdy is the story of a young girl growing up in the year 1290s. A feminist way before her time, Catharine is a noble with a father who views her as currency as a young bride and a mother who meekly follows the rules of 13^th century England. The book is mostly about her fathers quest to find a rich man young or old, ugly or handsome, vulgar or polite, it made no difference to him. As long as this man was willing to take Catharine with him into wedlock as his bride. Catharine, though, will have nothing of this. She pulls parks and many stunts, sending each suitor scurrying back to wherever he came from; all except one. Enter Shaggy Beard by far the oldest, ugliest, and most revolting suitor of them all. Unfortunately, he is also the richest, and her father seems determined to marry her off to this man! But Catharine will have none of it.

Her story gives a new view on life in early England, from monks to the oppression of Jews. This was an eye-opening story, a must-read.