The Extraordinary Voyage of Katy Willacott
Katy lives with her family amid the beauty of Kew Gardens, but she has always dreamed of adventure and travel which is not considered appropriate for a young lady. But a meeting with the independent journalist, Fran Brocklehurst, stirs Katy’s desire to be ‘an extraordinary woman doing extraordinary things’ and when news reaches London that an expedition to locate a fallen meteorite in far away Brazil is being launched, Katy is determined to follow her dreams and sets off on an extraordinary voyage…
From the very first page it is obvious that this is going to be an extraordinary novel about extraordinary women doing extraordinary things! Set in Victorian times, Katy, our heroine, is constantly frustrated by the limitations imposed on her by social expectations and etiquette. Whilst her brother is able to go on archaeological expeditions with their father, Katie is expected to stay home and help her mother with her work at Kew Gardens despite the fact that she is very capable- more so than her brother. Impetuous and determined, Katy’s frustration with the expectations imposed on young ladies lead her to forge her own path in life and set off on her incredible adventure.
Katy’s mother has also had to accept undeserved limitations in her career. Although Katy sometimes sees to see her as having made an unacceptable compromise, Mary Willacott is a loving, thoughtful mother, who is devoted to her work and is very accomplished and capable in her field. She also is a voice of reason to her impulsive daughter, encouraging her to see things from the perspective of others. Katy cannot understand why her friend, Edie, seems to have so little in the way of adventurous spirit, but her mother gently suggests that the fact Edie wants to be a wife and mother doesn’t make her interests less important that Katy’s own. She is both wise and loving!
Blazing a trail for independent women throughout the story is Fran Brocklehurst, a journalist whose adventures Katy admires so much. Her stories of women like Mary Lacy, Eleanor Creesy and others (real people worth further investigation) and her advice to Katy to be ‘the captain of your own ship’ set Katy off on her adventure.
The story also explores the moral issues surrounding artefacts in museums and the hunting of animals for trophies and exhibits. The devastating impact these ‘explorers’ had (and still have) on the environment and on indigenous peoples is cleverly woven into the story, offering plenty to discuss.
The Extraordinary Voyage of Katy Willacott is an exceptional story- a must read!
The Extraordinary Voyage of Katy Willacott Sharon Gosling
Little Tiger ISBN: 978-1788954181
You can read my review of ‘The House of Hidden Wonders’ here.