Up until recently, maybe college, I refused to read most books that had a female main character (unless they were kids, kids were OK). Female main characters were boring, I thought. They don't climb trees, or go on adventures or do anything but sit around and complain. It wasn't until I started reading more of Mercedes Lackey that I realized that females could be the Queen's Herald or control armies and I started looking for more and more main characters I could identify with.
Catching Katie, at face value seemed like a silly story about a young woman following her head and her belief in God to push forward the Suffragette movement in rural Idaho. As a non religious person I was like "oh boy, how long is this gonna take?" when I was assigned to read it, but I found myself pleasantly surprised at how adept Hatcher is at weaving together a story that isn't overly religious and fits nicely in the historical time period she set it in. Quotes from scripture do dot the narrative but they fit in the story and make sense for both the character and the situations, but what I was most impressed with was how they complemented the quotations from leaders of the Suffrage movement. It was not a preachy story for either women's equality or Christianity, but a moving story of a young woman pulled in to different directions; to follow her head or her heart.
The blurb in the back of the book mentions that the author started writing to prove that you could write and sell books that didn't contain graphic or gratuitous violence and sex. She instead, creates real human stories about personal motivations, dreams, goals, and love. There is romance, but it is more of the TLC type of romance where you find your soulmate and create a dream together of the future. It definitely isn't the type of book that I would suggest for everyone, but I have had several patrons ask me for books without all the violence, "Can't I have a book about nice people?" As silly as it may sound, this is a book about nice people who have their happily ever after without compromising either's values or ambitions.
Having personally disliked Anne of Green Gables as a kid, this book did reminds me very much of that style of writing, and I think this might be a good book for someone who has grown up with Anne, but is looking for more in the same vein. It has even made me reconsider my feelings about Anne and I will be rereading it soon. If you are sensitive to religion, Catching Katie might not be the book for you, but I'd still say give it a chance. Historically, the scenario Hatcher sets up supports a Christian telling and while she doesn't hide God or the Scriptures, they are a part of the story that couldn't be removed.
*This blog is part of a grant Medfield has been awarded through the federal Institute of Museum and Library Services and the Library and Services Technology Act administered by the Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners.
