Good Masters! Sweet Ladies!

Schlitz, L. A. (2007). Good masters, sweet ladies. Boston, MA: CandlewickPress.

About the Book

Good Masters, Sweet Ladies is a wonderfully written depiction of what it was like to be an adolescent during the Middle Ages. The book is written to be read aloud as monologues. The social classes of the time are artfully illustrated through the characters. My favorite was the Barbary who has built up frustrations towards her standing in society. She without thinking her actions through picks up dung and throws it at Isobel the Lord's daughter. The book presents both girls point of view of the situation. The interactions of the two girls still can be witnessed today, but instead of mud being thrown it could be ugly text messages may be sent.

Historical Fiction Evaluative Review

Laura Schlitz has created a delightfully entertaining glimpse into the life of a Medieval Village. She has written about 23 different children from the Village, each of their stories is a monologue that children of today can read and act out for an audience. Each of the stories gives actual facts and examples of what life would be like to be that child in the Middle Ages. The social classes of the Village are highlighted throughout the monologues. Hugo is the Lord’s nephew who spends his day hunting game. Will is the Plowboy who helps tend the three-field system with his father. Thomas the doctor’s son who is apprenticing to take over as the doctor one day. Mogg is a villain which is a peasant who is not free, but a slave to the lord of the land. Otho the miller’s son who has a higher status then the peasants and villeins but is not nobility. Jew’s during Medieval times were outcasts and hated the reader learns as Jacob Ben Salomon tells his story. His story is told alongside Petronella the merchant’s daughter in a two dialogue play. The plays in the book provide wonderful insight into the workings of the village and illustrates the relationships of the people within. Readers will learn firsthand about a time period that is different from current times through the playful story telling of each characters monologues.