Cushman, Karen. Catherine, Called Birdy. New York: HarperCollins, 1994. 212pages. (Historical Fiction)What would you do if your father was forcing you to marry a pig-like suitor? You could do what Catherine did; drive him off at all costs. During the year of 1290, Catherine, daughter of Rollo of Stonebridge, is faced with this terrible dilemma. While her cruel and disgusting father parades a line of equally disgusting suitors, Catherine fights them off with wit and trickery, such as setting the privy on fire with one visitor inside it! But when she meets a suitor who is by far the most revolting, ugliest and oldest, she is appalled. Surely her father wouldn’t go this far for money, would he? Yes, the answer is, he would. So Catherine is forced to drive him away herself. Will she succeed? Or is she forced to forever be Shaggy Beard’s? Told in diary entries, this book is sure to keep you laughing from the escapades of a girl trapped in the injustice of the Middle Ages.
This is a great book. It’s a little short, but it’s also really funny and will keep you laughing. It’s different to see through the eyes of a sulky teenager in the Middle Ages. What I also love about this book is the honesty in it. Catherine talks about everything in her life, including the prejudices during that time period. It’s a good book for someone into historical fiction, but also for someone just looking for a humorous and witty story.
Reviewed by: FunkyZebras19
