Sylvia is a 2006 novel by Australian author, Bryce Courtenay. It follows a teenage girl, Sylvia Honeyeater, during the Children's Crusade. It explores themes of religion, womanhood, abuse and childhood. Sylvia was born in around 1196 in provincial Germany, 16 years before the Children's Crusade. Born into a world of intolerance and strict dogma, Sylvia grows into womanhood alone. Her mother, who loved and nurtured her until her death when Sylvia was eight years old, died of pleurisy. Her alcoholic and brutish father then sexually abused her and after each encounter, he would present her with... a piece of honeycomb "to sweeten you for next time liebling". This is what earned her the name Sylvia Honeyeater. However, this name was usually was confused as a comment on her sweet voice. After her father died, the eleven year old Sylvia makes her way to Cologne alone. Along the way she meets a ratcatcher and musician named Reinhardt. Once they reach Cologne, they are housed by a Jewish couple who help them establish themselves as a musical duo.
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| Author: | Bryce Courtenay |
| Genre: | Historical novel |
| Year published: | 2006 |
| Number of editions: | 1 |