Katherine Nichols Author

I finished Bertino’s Parakeet, the story of an unexcited bride the week before her wedding day. The narrator has one of the most memorable voices I’ve heard, and the novel’s shift from the familiar to the magical is both disorienting and masterful.

As I read, thoughts of my daughter’s upcoming March wedding played in the background of my mind. I thought about the still existent expectations society places on young women to marry or be less-than.

I’m lucky that my daughters and I are married to thoughtful men who appreciate us for who we are.

If being with someone doesn’t make you feel better about yourself, look for the nearest exit.