The Solitary Sparrow (The Margaret Chronicles)
St. Michael’s Mead, 1322. After assisting a difficult birth resulting in death, Meg is left wondering what else she could have done. For men’s illnesses, there are doctors of phisik and surgeons, while women, none of whom have a university education, are the ones left to care for “women’s matters.” So what can a country girl do, particularly one born with a facial disfigurement and known locally as the “Devil’s Daughter”? Meg was cast out to dwell among the village pigs for years until the old village healer adopted her as an apprentice. Meg dreams of being a doctor for women, and when William of Oxford sees her skill and aptitude, he agrees to continue her education. She travels to London with William and his son. There she discovers William has a “special (and illegal) undertaking” in his teaching method, which threatens their lives if the church should find out.
The historical landscape through England and France flourishes with beguiling detail. However, eye-rolling wasn’t present in literature until (at least) the 16th century when Shakespeare used the gesture as an expression of lust. This is a time of bloodletting, balancing humors, and astrolabes. What Meg learns, which sounds like fantasy to modern readers, were accepted beliefs in the 14th century (imagine being taught a virgin’s urine will look white and sparkling). And when Meg’s experiences clash with such teachings, she begins to question if there’s something essential missing. Meg is a sympathetic heroine who overcomes physical and emotional abuse from those who see her deformity as a mark of her mother’s sin. She’s told her face will scare patients and taint the unborn. While she meets resistance at every turn, Meg persists in pursuing her dream. This is an engrossing read. Highly recommended.
