Alchemy and Meggy Swann

I had very fond childhood memories of Catherine, Called Birdy and The Midwife's Apprentice by the same author, so I jumped on the chance to read an e-galley of this one, and I wasn't disappointed. I really enjoyed this book. Meggy Swann was raised by her beloved grandmother in a village outside of London during the reign of Elizabeth I. Her mother has no interest in her, so following her grandmother's death she's sent to live with her alchemist father. But when her father finds out that she's both female and crippled, he says that he has no use for her either. This is the story of Meggy's struggle to find a place for herself in an uncaring world, where people spit on her in the street and call her names because of her disability. She has understandably developed a prickly temperament to shield herself from the insults of others, and has difficulty opening up. I have to admit that I found her personality a bit obnoxious at first, but I did come to love her in the end. On the other hand, I loved the writing from the very beginning. Cushman has a way of making Elizabethan England come to life, so that I was gripped from the very first chapter. Given that I was reading in less-than-ideal conditions on a computer, it would have been easy to put the book down, but I found that the story kept me absorbed throughout. Because I hadn't read any of Cushman's work since I was maybe 11, I was a bit concerned that the story wouldn't have enough depth to hold my interest as an adult. That fear turned out to be entirely unfounded. I do wish the story had been longer only because I enjoyed it so much, but everything was developed and resolved satisfactorily in the short space there was. I'll definitely go back and read Cushman's other books that I missed between The Midwife's Apprentice and here, and I may even buy myself a physical copy of this one when it comes out in paperback. So I was personally completely satisfied with this book, and I think that other adults would like it as well. On the other hand, I've seen some other reviews saying that the language is too difficult for children, but since I read Cushman's other works as a child myself, I'm not convinced that this would be a problem. In fact, I often see people asking for books for children with high reading levels: there's a need for books that aren't too easy, but are still age-appropriate in terms of content. This book fits perfectly in that niche. Plus, it has a positive message that doesn't feel too in-your-face, and there's a section at the end explaining the historical setting, so it has good educational potential. In short, I really think Cushman has a winner here. This is a great book for children and adults.

I don't normally seek out historical fiction, but I make an exception for Karen Cushman's books. I still smile when I think about the heroine of Catherine, Called Birdy, for example. Like Meggy Swann, the main character in Cushman's new book, Birdy is just so completely lively and real. Cushman has a knack for created characters who seem like someone you know--even as they fit into their historical setting. And that setting will also seem comfortably real. You never feel as if Cushman is a history teacher thinly disguised as a storyteller. She is simply a storyteller who sets her tales in vanished eras. Cushman doesn't mind taking risks when it comes to writing main characters who are unpleasant, either. But like Mary in the classic, A Secret Garden, these girls tend to become more likable as they face their challenges and grow up a bit. In the case of Meggy Swann, those challenges are formidable: Meggy is a cripple in Elizabethan times, an age when many still thought that physical deformities were the mark of the devil and even a sign of witchcraft. Meggy's mother, a hot-tempered barmaid, had shuffled the child off on her mother for years. Now that the old woman has died, Meggy's mother washes her hands of the girl, sending her to live with her long-vanished father, an alchemist, in London. When he sees Meggy, he doesn't want her because she is not a boy and is imperfect, besides. Meggy's only friend is a goose named Louise. When our story begins, Meggy has no idea how to care for herself because her grandmother did everything for her. She is also frightened of the big city and has no social skills. Yet, although some Londoners are superstitious and mocking, others are kindly and reach out to Meggy. She gradually makes friends with a group of players, especially a boy named Roger (whom she begins by insulting mightily!), and with a cooper neighbor and a printer. As for her father, Master Ambrose, readers get a look at the life of an ever-hopeful alchemist during this period of history. The predecessors of chemists, these men pursued the dream of turning base elements into gold. As we discover in the book, they could be a shady lot. What's more, Meggy's father isn't any better at parenting than her mother was. He can't even seem to remember her name. Meggy becomes a sort of assistant to her crotchety father, who eventually gets involved with a conspiracy that could lead him into terrible trouble. Meggy tries to set things right, giving the book more of an adventurous flair. But really, the strengths of Alchemy and Meggy Swann are Meggy's growing friendships and the close-up look the book gives us at life during Queen Elizabeth's reign. At 176 pages, Alchemy and Meggy Swann is a compact read. It is also a compelling one. Cushman gives us a girl whose favorite expression is "Ye toads and vipers," a girl who "wabbles" instead of walking and frequently loses her temper, a girl not wanted by anyone. Yet the author shows us how Meggy succe

I am not familiar with author Cushman's previous books but after reading this one I intend to look at them. Aside from seamless research that elevates this tale from the outset, Meggy Swann is a lovely character--one for whom the author's fondness shines through. It is always a treat to read a story so lovingly written, with such a good eye for detail--both in setting and in the characters. Meggy Swann is a survivor in the best sense of the word, finding within herself the strength that will see her through her misfortunes. What I like best about this book--aside from its historical accuracy both about the era and also about how disabled people were treated--was the reality that, with an open heart and an open mind, friends can be found anywhere. I must also commend the cover artist for rendering such a viable image of the young heroine. Highly recommended.

Wow! Like Cushman's other books, this one vividly evokes the time period and features a strong female character. It is a heartwarming story of redemption and personal growth, with some excitement thrown in to keep the plot going. The period details liberally strewn throughout give a better feel for the time period (after Elizabeth I but before Shakespeare) than a history textbook, making this another wonderful "living history" book by this author. My only reservation in recommending this book is that the front-matter describes this book as targeted at 10-14 year olds. The plot is appropriate for this age range, but unless it's used as a read-aloud, it would be a tough read for kids at the younger end of this range. Heck, it would be a tough read for many 15 year olds, too! The problem lies in the language, which is highly authentic. Not only the dialogue reflects the time period, but even the general narrative prose (which is in the third person). Children unfamiliar with Elizabethan English (such as you find in Shakespeare) would really struggle with much of this. A simple example is this: Meggy asks, "What will you, Puppy?" To understand this, a child would have to know that "will" used to mean "want," and that "Puppy" is Meggy's on-the-spot made-up nickname for Roger. I think most children would just assume that she is asking something like, "What will you do?" (My child, reading over my shoulder, commented, "I would assume that!") Not only archaic language, but also archaic syntax and vocabulary fill this book. A child would need to be exceedingly clever or have ready familiarity with a dictionary to grasp the plethora of obscure words in here...for example, a brief glance through two pages yields "rushlight," "kirtle," "wits," "belike," "fie upon." A motivated reader can figure them out (or close enough) by context, but this is not a book to hand to a reluctant reader. On the other hand, a child who gets through this book will acquire a familiarity with Elizabethan English and will be better prepared to understand Shakespeare, so it could be a great choice to help young high school students get their feet wet with the Bard's language.

If you enjoy historical fiction for young people, you can't do better than Karen Cushman, who in this novel returns to England, the setting of several of her most acclaimed books including Catherine, Called Birdy and the Midwife's Apprentice. Alchemy and Meggy Swann takes us to Elizabethan London, where we meet Meggy, another very strong heroine in the tradition of Cushman's other novels. Meggy hasn't had an easy life--lame since birth, she is ridiculed by the villagers where she grew up, who considered cripples to be cursed by the devil. When the novel starts, she is dropped off in London with her only friend, an equally feisty lame goose named Louise, to live with her father whom she has never met. Her father, we discover, is an alchemist, who has little use for his lame daughter. Told in the first person by Meggie, this novel captures the smells, sights, and sounds of Elizabethan London, while creating an appealing heroine that readers will root for as she confronts physical, social and ethical challenges in her life with wit and humor.