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katykelly's review against another edition
5.0
Entertaining historical life story of a young woman with big dreams.
This was superb, a really enjoyable light romp in 1600s England, a much less tense read than a Philippa Gregory or some such royal history. It wasn't quite Fanny Hill bawdy, or Weir/Gregory true story, but it was wonderful social history with romance, humour, theatre, scripts.
Ursula was born on the night of a comet, and grows up in Restoration England with a progressive father who teaches her mathematics and astronomy, she reads and writes playscripts, acts them out and dreams big dreams about her future. It is a shock when she is married off at just fourteen to a much older man and taken to his country house reigned over by his elderly mother whose aim in life now is to see a grandchild born to continue the family line.
Her husband's work in the royal court gives her a chance to experience life when he takes her to London with him and she yearns to both visit a theatre and maybe... someday... write and act in one...
This was a great story, a fantastic period with a spirited heroine. I especially liked the chapters that Ursula writes in playscript, some rather intimate and personal, others very amusing. There is great detail about the life of a woman in the period and boy how boring it could be! The court scenes are probably the most glossed over, but making up for it are later scenes in theatres and behind the scenes of a play.
Ursula reminded me of Fanny Hill a little, though not in such an outrightly titillating story, she has highs and lows and must rely on her own talents to make her fortune, rallying against the norms of the time, the limitations placed on her by her gender and position.
This will make a superb TV production, or film, it's uplifting and modern-feeling, with a female protagonist that feels of-her-time while managing to hold some contemporary values as well.
A really enjoyable read, I was surprised by how taken I was with Ursula's story and the style of the narrative.
With thanks to Netgalley for the sample e-copy.
This was superb, a really enjoyable light romp in 1600s England, a much less tense read than a Philippa Gregory or some such royal history. It wasn't quite Fanny Hill bawdy, or Weir/Gregory true story, but it was wonderful social history with romance, humour, theatre, scripts.
Ursula was born on the night of a comet, and grows up in Restoration England with a progressive father who teaches her mathematics and astronomy, she reads and writes playscripts, acts them out and dreams big dreams about her future. It is a shock when she is married off at just fourteen to a much older man and taken to his country house reigned over by his elderly mother whose aim in life now is to see a grandchild born to continue the family line.
Her husband's work in the royal court gives her a chance to experience life when he takes her to London with him and she yearns to both visit a theatre and maybe... someday... write and act in one...
This was a great story, a fantastic period with a spirited heroine. I especially liked the chapters that Ursula writes in playscript, some rather intimate and personal, others very amusing. There is great detail about the life of a woman in the period and boy how boring it could be! The court scenes are probably the most glossed over, but making up for it are later scenes in theatres and behind the scenes of a play.
Ursula reminded me of Fanny Hill a little, though not in such an outrightly titillating story, she has highs and lows and must rely on her own talents to make her fortune, rallying against the norms of the time, the limitations placed on her by her gender and position.
This will make a superb TV production, or film, it's uplifting and modern-feeling, with a female protagonist that feels of-her-time while managing to hold some contemporary values as well.
A really enjoyable read, I was surprised by how taken I was with Ursula's story and the style of the narrative.
With thanks to Netgalley for the sample e-copy.
sophiejanepratt's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
melolivia17's review against another edition
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
elizabethrhanlon's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.25
traceychick's review against another edition
funny
hopeful
inspiring
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
indy_oc's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
covergirlbooks's review against another edition
funny
lighthearted
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.75
A series of (albeit historically) unfortunate events that happen to a lovable and spirited main character, who does finally get to live her dream in the end, but only about 10% of the book. 2.75 stars.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content and Adult/minor relationship
Moderate: Abortion
Minor: Death of parent
powisamy's review against another edition
3.0
I was extremely excited to read this book partly due to the cover because let's face it is really amazing. This book did not disappoint being an entertaining and heartfelt story which was a great debut.
I really adored Ursula as a character. She is core to this story and if you could not connect with her then this would be a massive problem. Seeing her grow through the book was great as she matures into an amazing adult who really holds her own and I think in that sense it is at its core a coming of age story. She was also deeply funny and I loved how we got a sense of her character through diary entries and plays which do play for to her interesting.
Including this allowed me to see where the plot would go and I did love where the plot went but I do feel like this occurred much later in the book than I expected. I therefore definitely loved the first part and last part of this book a lot. The writing was good, it was so well developed but I did feel like the book dragged a little in the middle. This was, therefore, a little problem but it didn't affect my overall experience of the book.
I also really loved the historical aspect of this book. It is basically as a historical fiction book and a coming of age together which makes a great combo. I often don't reach for historical fiction but I really loved this one and I think this means that I should reach for more. It also covers issues at the time, some of which I literally had no idea about so this was interesting to read about.
The Verdict:
Overall, there is a lot to love in this book. Ursula is amazing, the plot is well executed but a little slow at time and the characters that she interacts with are also good and well developed. The Illumination of Ursula Flight is just a good time.
I really adored Ursula as a character. She is core to this story and if you could not connect with her then this would be a massive problem. Seeing her grow through the book was great as she matures into an amazing adult who really holds her own and I think in that sense it is at its core a coming of age story. She was also deeply funny and I loved how we got a sense of her character through diary entries and plays which do play for to her interesting.
Including this allowed me to see where the plot would go and I did love where the plot went but I do feel like this occurred much later in the book than I expected. I therefore definitely loved the first part and last part of this book a lot. The writing was good, it was so well developed but I did feel like the book dragged a little in the middle. This was, therefore, a little problem but it didn't affect my overall experience of the book.
I also really loved the historical aspect of this book. It is basically as a historical fiction book and a coming of age together which makes a great combo. I often don't reach for historical fiction but I really loved this one and I think this means that I should reach for more. It also covers issues at the time, some of which I literally had no idea about so this was interesting to read about.
The Verdict:
Overall, there is a lot to love in this book. Ursula is amazing, the plot is well executed but a little slow at time and the characters that she interacts with are also good and well developed. The Illumination of Ursula Flight is just a good time.
colorfulleo92's review against another edition
3.0
I don't if I read this in the wrong format (audiobook) or it was my current slightly reading slump that made my reading experience not quite great. Might give this book another go someday but in a physical copy instead.