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3.0 AVERAGE
3.0 AVERAGE
An interesting idea, the central section was too much of a slog.
I read this book for class, and while it was interesting to discuss, it was incredibly tedious to read. The writing style that she chose because it rejected traditional conventions ended up coming off as very clunky and long-winded to me. Sometimes, there were paragraphs that went on for pages, for instance.
It was a mildly intriguing idea, with a strong critique of the happenings in England around the time it was written, but the execution made my head spin. I wouldn't recommend reading it unless you have to.
It was a mildly intriguing idea, with a strong critique of the happenings in England around the time it was written, but the execution made my head spin. I wouldn't recommend reading it unless you have to.
challenging
inspiring
lighthearted
mysterious
reflective
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
"I have made a world of my own: for which no body, I hope, will blame me, since it is in every one's power to do the like."
What a weird and strangely endearing yet nonsensical and kind of bad book. To sum it up I'd say combine fairy tales, a mind-numbing amount of incorrect science, some nice metaphysical adventures, some enthusiastic and troubling dictatorship, censorship, and ruthless destruction of worlds, and finally, an enormous amount of "platonic lovers". This summary makes it sound a bit better than it actually is though, so be warned. Oh yeah, I forgot to mention how the first quarter has about 5 periods total. The ";" and "," are extremely beloved.
The spirit of the thing, which comes across most strongly in the prologue and epilogue perhaps, is admirable on it's own. The author has set out to make her world; her Blazing World. She described it. The spirit, of course, is just in the telling of it, and what she made. Imagination and writing, especially self-indulgently, are kind of on play here, which I don't think I've really read, at least in a published work.
Anyone else have those 13 year old friends on discord who are always astounding you with their OCs (original characters) and their giant roleplaying worlds and lore and backstories? Imagine my surprise finding out Duchess Margaret Cavendish essentially did the same thing in 1666.
All this proves though is that stuff has gone full circle- You have Cavendish writing about her having a great time with her noble husband and their platonic lover the Empress of the Blazing World, in the world she made up because she wanted to be an empress and wanted to make a world of her own. Then you have regular fiction. Then you have the stuff that lurks in private discord servers.
However, I don't want to undermine the writing. True it was a nightmare of plot, grammar, and dialogue, but... Well it was written so you knew it wasn't by a 13 year old. Or maybe that was just the time period?
My favorite parts were the extraordinarily tedious and fake science and magic systems Cavendish made up. They of course would have been more interesting if not for the repetitive back and forth.
"The Empress asked, how the hell does ice form?
The worm guys or whatever, answered, we don't really know but it's probably because of salt water?" Repeat this about a hundred times and you've got the first half of the book.
Also, shoutout to when the Empress literally abolished math because in it "there was neither truth nor justice" and abolished geometry because "your imaginary points, lines and figures" are "non-beings."
The second half is pretty different though and rather nice in a kind of boring and metaphorical way. Lots of spirit travelling back and forth from the Blazing World, the home world the Empress fucked up, and the author's world. And, as I've mentioned before, heaps of platonic love, which was kind of sweet I guess. Everyone was super good friends. I mean, it's just nice, right?
Finally, my last favorite part was how Margaret Cavendish founded the furry fandom.
Overall, weird little book. If you want to read something half good maybe you could try it- It's awesome from a historical standpoint, maybe, as I learned it was one of the first science fiction books by one of the founding female authors of weird fiction. Philosophically, the scientific, political, and even metaphysical parts were also very interesting.
informative
medium-paced
Ever since I read Danielle Dutton’s novel “Margaret the First” which fictionalizes the life of Margaret Cavendish and Siri Hustvedt’s extraordinary novel about a misunderstood female artist “The Blazing World”, I’ve had a fascination with this pioneering writer of the 17th century and wanted to read her books. Earlier this year I attended a feminist book club meeting about Dutton’s novel and that reignited my interest in Cavendish. In the lead up to the announcement of this year’s longlist announcement for The Women’s Prize for Fiction, it seemed like a great time to explore this intrepid figure’s writing. “The Blazing World” was first published in 1666 and is often considered a forerunner to both science fiction and the utopian novel genres. It’s a totally bonkers story of a woman who is stolen away to the North Pole only to find herself in a strange bejewelled kingdom of which she becomes the supreme Empress. Here she consults with many different animal/insect people about philosophical, religious and scientific ideas. The second half of the book pulls off a meta-fictional trick where Cavendish (as the Duchess of Newcastle) enters the story herself to become the Empress’ scribe and close companion. It was impossible for me to read this novel without thinking of Dutton’s text which gives an impression of the real struggles Cavendish faced in her life as well as her eccentric personality.
Read my full review of The Blazing World by Margaret Cavendish on LonesomeReader
Read my full review of The Blazing World by Margaret Cavendish on LonesomeReader
More a curiosity than a pleasure, being tedious in places and requiring more than a passing knowledge of the social and scientific context of 1666 to read with justice. Still, what an imagination!
More detailed musings
More detailed musings