Catherine, Called Birdy

I hate this Book. I never would've picked it up for myself. Catherine doesn't want to get married, but she wants to be rich and have fancy clothes. This doesn't make any sense at all too me. Back then, the only way to get those things was to be MARRIED. So she would most likely NEVER get it on her own (unless she murdered her husband, but let's not there). And then there's this whole having a crush (it seems) on George????????!!!! that is sooooooo screwed up. So her dad sets her up to marry this pig, WHO DIES ANYWAYS. After that, she MARRIES SOMEONE ANYWAYS AND THE GUY SHE MARRIES JUST HAPPENS TO BE SHAGGY BEARD'S SON!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Recently reread this for probably the hundredth time and continue to love Catherine entirely too much. Sadly, a revisit to this book as an adult highlights, to my great despair, that I always wanted her to marry the goatherd, and that part of me has been mourning the fact that she doesn't for like more than a decade. What is my life. Accessible for kids and (obviously) for adults, it felt very in the moment, like I could see and hear and live all the delights and discomforts of Catherine's time – still one of the best books I've ever read.

What a cute story! I can't believe I missed this one as a kid. I think it's great for a middle schooler getting into history. It doesn't shy away from deeper more difficult subjects like arranged marriage, antisemitism, difficult childbirths and miscarriage.

Still the GOAT

Well, this was an interesting read. I was overtaken quite a few times on the very selfish nature of Birdy. She writes about her father as though he cares nothing for her, puts her brothers down, and even describes her mother as less than perfect. Ah, well, so do many teenage girls.
While the times call for the marriages of girls to bring their family better prospects and money, Birdy is completely against the match that her father finally puts together for her. She does nothing to help this, by driving away all of the suitors that come for her. She cares for nothing but her birds, dogs, and herself. While her take on life is very narrow, she does not do much to change that either. The entire book is spent complaining about her life, until the end, when the chances that she might lose her mother make her take a second look. But her views on her family really do not change.


I am not quite sure how I really feel about this book yet. I thought I would enjoy it more, but honestly it is one, that I will never read again, and really do not recommend out.