Fern Adams's Reviews > What Katy Did

I feel incredibly mixed about this book. I loved it as a child and read it obsessively. However as an adult I had a few more reservations. On the surface I enjoyed it and considering it as something written within its era it is a fantastic read. However it does have concerning messages on that girls should be ‘ladylike’ and happy keeping a house. Also it’s stance on disability as a punishment and that once Katy ‘learned her lessons’ she became better is very troublesome. It fell very much into the trap literature so often does when looking at disability as well that the ending must be a cure and the disabled person as being an inspiration or angelic figure similar to the angel/devil idea of women in gothic literature. Could open some interesting discussions though on changing views and beliefs of society.