Burning Bright: A Novel

I didn’t enjoy this novel nearly as much as Girl with the Pearl Earring. The two children, Maggie and Jem, were interesting; the street-smart Maggie is a great character and provides a nice contrast to the maturing Jem. And their families’ situations gave some insight into life in England at the time of the French Revolution. However, I didn’t feel I learned anything about William Blake, who was a minor character in the book, tangential to the children. The plot doesn’t really go anywhere much, and I found the ending disappointing. It left lots of loose ends. Maybe that is realistic, but it is not satisfying.

This book is a fictional story that represent family and political life in London during a political crisis and William Blake's body of work which quietly addresses the disparate life of Londoners. It contains an engaging story of two families which occasionally (albeit memorably) cross paths with Blake and his wife.

For the first time after reading a Chevalier book, I felt cheated. There was no closure on Wm Blake, one of my favorite poets ; no closure on the two kids; no closure on the two pregnant girls--one supposedly with the clap! Very disappointing.

I was hooked from the first page of Burning Bright, and it kept my attention to the last page. I found all the personages—and they represent a wide range of character and personality, vividly presented, from the kindness of Blake to the cynical callousness of some I shall not name. Also, the story is structured on a powerful theme. But it was the last of Chevalier’s books for me to get to—I have read all the others—because of the unperceptive negative reviews I read, calling it mediocre or dull, beginning with the New York Times, and including some of the ones here at Amazon. I don’t know what is the matter with all those readers. I consider that Burning Bright is just as good as Girl with a Pearl Earring, and it has things in common with that book: a setting in a past period and with an important creative person as an important character: the poet and artist William Blake in this case.Blake is especially known for his Songs of Innocence and Songs of Experience. They are a part of this book. What is more, innocence and experience, represented in the lives of Chevalier’s characters and what happens to some of them, form the overarching theme of Burning Bright. Events as presented tend to occur in the same order as Blake’s books: first innocence then experience. Blake considered these to be contraries, though sometimes combined in the same life.Some will find this book not as fast-moving as they might prefer, but it contains varied action and a few surprises; it is well worth reading to the end.

This book was a interesting story based in a period that is not well known. The story ends with the possibility of more to come later. I found it fascinating.

Not good. Lacks plot and development of William Blake as a character. I was embarrassed for Chevalier when I read the book, because her others are so very good. Spend your money on something else.

Much prefer Ms Chevalier's other works dealing with art history. Had a difficult time getting into this one.

A bit scattered at first, but comes together very well at the end. An excellent portrait of London and of William Blake.

This is a very interesting book, which deals with the famous Astley's circus that performs in London in the 18th century and thrills all with its showmanship and courage as well as its depiction as having a hold over the poor who see it as a way of escaping the trials of everyday life. It is a spectacle that all are involved in, both performers and the public. As a foil to this, we are introduced to the sombre character, the poet and polymath William Blake, one of the greatest poets, artists and thinkers of the time who gains a different kind of applause which will gain greater fame than the circus. He and his wife are viewed in society as seditious because of his publications which show the degradation of children and adults in the 18th century. He is a gentleman, who is powerful in his chosen sphere not with money and spectacle, but by his efforts to make changes in society. The other central characters in the book are the young impressionable neighbours of Blake who are drawn to this strange couple and to whom his poems and printing press are a revelation, but do not understand what Blake's genius means. Through his 'Tales of Innocence and Experience', Blake plants seeds in their imaginations and to these children he becomes a powerful person in a way that their own peers are not. The story follows Jem Kellaway, the son of a family which leaves rural England and comes to London to find work as chair makers and Maggie Butterfield the daughter of a poverty-stricken family, a city girl child who lives on her wits and is the product of a society that lives by dishonest means. She takes the country lad in hand and reveals all aspects of London life, great and small to him. The whole vista of the 18th century is laid before the reader's eyes and the author uses the circus as the focal point of reference. The story is good and presents the reader with many things he or she may not have heard of before. A 5* book.

I read very bad reviews about this book but because I have always enjoyed Tracy Chevalier's work I went ahead and bought it.I know the area of London where the book is set and was recently at St Thomas's hospital which is exactly where Astley's amphitheatre was.All this is based on fact.William Blake and his wife are not the only non fictional people in the book. Astley was a world famous circus entrepreneur.The characters and locations have been thoroughly researched.I didn't find this to be like a childrens' book at all as some reviewers said. The central characters are teenagers but the content is far from childish; violence, rape and prostitution are described and if a biography of William Blake is expected -this book is not that.It is an atmospheric tale of another time.William Blake's eccentricities ,certain philosophies and some facts regarding his family relationships are there, but the tale has a very broad aspect. Miss Chevalier's work has charm and quality. She researches into unusual details around real people and places.I have never found her lacking.

This is the most amateurish book I've read in a long time. Truly badly written and a tedious story. Makes bad use of William Blake and his wife, and the main young characters are quite unbelievable. Ticks all the wrong boxes for historical fiction. I have read other Chevalier books and thought them good light reading, but this is truly awful.

This book brings to life London at the end of the 18th century with its sounds, smells and sights. The story is told through the eyes of children growing up, one a country boy, the other a London girl used to having to fend for herself. The harsh side of life is depicted and it is clear how easy it was to fall from a sheltered childhood into having to survive on the streets. The story of the children is linked to the life of William Blake and his work ‘Songs of Innocence and Experience’. It gives a way in to understanding his life and times and the themes of his work. Very enjoyable. As with all of Tracy Chevalier’s work, an absorbing read giving insight into another era.

Read this book years ago but gave the book away. Decided to repurchase as I missed it. I love most of Tracy Chevalier's books, weaving facts and fiction together and beautifully done. Therefore would always recommend.This book is set in London in what was the Pre-Waterloo area, where I use to work and sometimes still socialise so has a special affection.