First published 2002
The girl called Brat owns nothing and belongs nowhere in her medieval English village. She sleeps where she can and scrounges for food until the day she encounters Jane the Midwife. Jane takes Brat as her apprentice, and the girl renames herself Alyce as she learns the ancient craft of delivering babies. Under Jane's sharp tongue and skilled hands, Alyce discovers knowledge she never imagined possessing. She gains confidence with each birth she helps bring into the world. The work teaches her to want more than mere survival. Alyce begins to dream of a full belly, a contented heart, and a place in this world that truly belongs to her. Medieval village life surrounds her journey with vivid details of daily existence. Her story moves between humor and heartbreak as she struggles to claim what she desires. This tale explores how a girl with nothing finds the courage to demand something meaningful from life.
Genres: family-life, historical-fiction, coming-of-age, medieval
Vibes: emotional, intimate, thought-provoking
Tropes: found-family, rags-to-riches
Setting: England
Period: Medieval
144 pages · Paperback · Dtv