Burning Bright

I think Burning Bright is the first historical fiction I’ve ever read, written by the author of best seller Girl with the Pearl Earring. The story revolves around the Kellaway family who moves from the country side to London after the tragic and sudden loss of one of their family members.

The family from the countryside is soon shocked and at the same time at awe by the hustle and bustle of London. During this period, Jem Kellaway and Maggie Butterfield makes acquaintance with an artist and poet named William Blake and according to the book cover, he becomes '... a guiding spirit as Jem and Maggie navigate the unpredictable, exhilarating passage from innocence to experience.’

Set in the 18^th century, Tracy Chevalier provides incredible detail and visual description depicting the era, which is what I liked about the book.

From the book cover, I had the impression that William Blake would be strongly featured in the storyline but he turned out to be a character which I felt was forced into the book and was weak in presence. The characters were not engaging and I didn’t care much for the events that unfolded in their lives. Sad to say, the book failed to capture my interest and it was one of the rare books that I wanted to end as quickly as I could.