What Katy Did/YMMV

Everything About Fiction You Never Wanted to Know.


  • First Installment Wins: Many people know about What Katy did, but few know of the two sequels involving her, and even less know that Clover got her own book too.
  • Fixer Sue: Katy has her moments, but Cousin Helen and Clover are the worse for this.
  • Mary Sue: Clover and Aunt Helen are the worse offenders, Katy only has her moments as her flaws are very openly pointed out in What Katy Did.
  • Purity Sue: Cousin Helen is described as being part angel for how kind and loving she is. She was left crippled after an accident as a young woman, insisted her fiancé leave her so that he could have a full life without her, and he ends up living next door to Helen with his new wife and little girl. Cousin Helen remains sweet and generous throughout it all; and they even name their new daughter after her.
  • Suetiful All Along: Katy. The author even mentions that Katy will grow out of her plain features to become a beautiful young woman.
  • Values Dissonance: Clover is complimented endlessly by having a waist as 'small as a pin', but when Phil grows up thin due to getting sick in his early teens, it's only ever shown in a negative light.
    • The author calls poor Katy 'selfish' for daring to be miserable after a fall left her bed bound for over a year.