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3.31 AVERAGE
3.31 AVERAGE
Imagine if, when you were an impressionable teenager, you were the neighbour of middle-aged William Blake while he was living at No. 13 of the Hercules Buildings in Lambeth (eastern outskirts of London) in 1792? Tracy Chevalier did exactly that! This was a re-read for me and I upped my original 2019 four-star rating to five whole *****s. During the first read I appreciated the historical details and I thoroughly enjoyed the character relationships; this time, I particularly noticed how Chevalier wove the themes of innocence/experience from William Blake's art and poetry into the story...BRILLIANT!
Solid story set in 1792 London. A family leaves their country town for the big city and meets various characters, some helpful, some not so much.
Historical fiction straight down the middle. Not Chevalier's best but a solid effort. Fans of poet William Blake should check it out. He's the guy who wrote The Tyger, containing the line "Tyger, tyger burning bright" which Chevalier is referencing in her book title. He's also the guy who illustrated Paradise Lost by John Milton.
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
I was hoping this book would be more about William Blake than his neighbors. It makes me feel like after all her research, the author decided he was boring, but decided to move forward with this book anyway. Blake is very much a minor character and this book shouldn't have been called "Burning Bright." It should have been called, "Poorly Educated British Teenagers, a Circus, and Mrs. Blake's Ass."
On par with most of Chevalier's books, though still not as good as "Girl with a Pearl Earring." It is similar to that story in that it's built around a historic figure - poet William Blake - who is not the main character, but who's biographical facts are an integral part of the plot. I don't write much anymore, but the style and plot patterns remind me of how I would approach a story of historical fiction, so I enjoy it and feel like it reads easily. She also strongly executes a thematic idea (maybe a little too obviously at points.) I feel like some of the characters could have been given a little more depth too, especially some on the fringe that are interesting but never addressed fully (even Blake). All in all though, it's an light and entertaining read.
Burning Bright wasn't my favorite Tracy Chevalier novel, but it wasn't my least favorite either. She really captured the essence of lower- class, Georgian London and I became quite invested in the main characters. I like the fact that Chevalier typically bases her novels on everyday people who encounter artistic movers and shakers of the period. Blake's character was pretty flat and I was left feeling that Chevalier could have made better use of him in the novel. IMO, she would have done better to choose another player from late 18th cent. London...
Overall, Burning Bright was worth reading.
Overall, Burning Bright was worth reading.
Burning Bright is the story of the Kellaway family: Thomas, Anne, and their two teenage children, Jem and Maisie. After the tragic death of their oldest son, Tommy, they leave their hometown of Piddletrenthide in Dorsetshire and settle in Lambeth, a suburb of London. There they meet: Maggie Butterfield, who becomes a companion to Jem and Maisie as they learn to navigate their new environment; Phillip and John Astley, the proprietor of the Astley’s Amphitheater where circus acts are performed and his son ; and William Blake, a poet and artist. The plot is largely the interaction between these characters from day to day as the Kellaways acclimate to urban life. The Astleys and William Blake are based on real people who lived in this time and place.
This was my second Tracy Chevalier novel; my first was The Girl with a Pearl Earring. Although it did not quite hold my interest as well as the earlier read, it was a compelling depiction of the time period. Set in the late 18th century, it was surprising to read about the impact of The French Revolution unfolding in nearby France on Great Britain. The characters are very likeable and, I did not find the outcome of the story to be predictable, which is always a plus. I found William Blake to be a very strange personality, although in his own setting, he may not have been determined to be quite as odd by his own peers.
This was my second Tracy Chevalier novel; my first was The Girl with a Pearl Earring. Although it did not quite hold my interest as well as the earlier read, it was a compelling depiction of the time period. Set in the late 18th century, it was surprising to read about the impact of The French Revolution unfolding in nearby France on Great Britain. The characters are very likeable and, I did not find the outcome of the story to be predictable, which is always a plus. I found William Blake to be a very strange personality, although in his own setting, he may not have been determined to be quite as odd by his own peers.
adventurous
lighthearted
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
N/A
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
This was an interesting book. It's a novel about two years of William Blake's life in London, told from the POV of the teenagers and kids who lived on his street. Well done.