A ragtag group of the others (of various levels of magical competency) joins her along the way. She soon becomes entangled in a quest to help magical folk everywhere. You do not think I am the only cunning woman in the world? We be solitary folks, but they will come when you call.”Īfter learning the song, Grayling reluctantly sets off to seek the others and learns that the evil is more widespread. Who are “the others?” Hannah explains: “Hedge witches, hags, charmers and spellbinders, conjurers, wizards, and soothsayers. When an evil force burns down their home, steals Hannah’s grimoire (spell book) and turns Hannah into a tree, Hannah instructs her daughter to go out in the world and sing the gathering song to find “the others” to help break the spell. The magic involved brings in a whole new element of whimsy that I really enjoy! In the story, we meet Grayling, the daughter and loyal helper (although seemingly melancholy about this role) of a talented hedge witch named Hannah Strong.
Still, details about the setting and characters point to a world not unlike the medieval societies she portrays in Catherine, Called Birdy and other titles like The Midwife’s Apprentice and Matilda Bone. About Karen Cushman’s New Book, Grayling’s Songįirst, Grayling’s Song is a fantasy, unlike Cushman’s other works which are historical fiction. I was reminded of all of this when I read Cushman’s newest title, Grayling’s Song, where I found cause once again to delight in Cushman’s craft.
I went on to read other books by Cushman that brought similar feelings and revelations. This book helped me evolve from a very “girls rule, boys drool” mentality, to a more solid realization that the struggle is real when it comes to women’s rights. I also picked up on a certain underlying message about the challenges that women faced throughout history. I chuckled at the wry humor and enjoyed figuring out the medieval vernacular. I distinctly remember feeling more sophisticated after reading this book. I believe Catherine, Called Birdy (Grades 5-9, Level X, Lexile 1170) by Karen Cushman first exposed me to a certain brand of literary wit that I have come to love-the feminist kind.
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