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whistlestubbs 's review for:

The Blazing World and Other Writings by Margaret Cavendish
4.0

I’ve noticed most of the more negative reviews regard this book as boring... it’s from the 17th century and, especially part 1 of The Blazing World, is more so a series of questions asked to various experts of this new world.
I really enjoyed this and continue to reflect on little details while I fold laundry. My girlfriend also read this and really loved the world building. I found I enjoyed the “The Blazing World” as a sort of door to our own world- reminding me to ask more questions, especially regarding the natural world. (I ended up reading a lot about moths after one of the Empress’s questions about the presence of blood as a requirement for creatures to be considered living organisms).
The Blazing World is the longest of the stories (about 100 pages) but the other stories are still enjoyable.

As an Aside:
“The Contract” was a fun and quick read compared to “The Blazing World.” Though Cavendish obviously came first, “The Contract” reminded me of a short story by F. Scott Fitzgerald called “The Camel’s Back”, which I found to be pretty hilarious.