William Blake rocks. That's my overall impression of this book. Entering into the world of London at that time, LAmbeth, and the circus was interesting, but overall, the star of the book for me was William Blake. I know very little of his early adult life, and in fact, wasn't even sure when the character was first introduced, that this was the Blake, despite having to memorize The Tyger for Miss Keith's English class, and the dead give-away of the title of the book.

After reading I went straight to The Internets and plowed through loads of Blake's illustrations, which is what the book made me crave almost viscerally.

As to the story, moments of brilliance, moments of "well that was no surprise" and kind of a "let's hurry up and tie up all the loose ends" ending. One of my favorite moments was early on, when Jem is contemplating the mystery that is Maggie. "She reminded him of Sept blackberries, which could just as easily be sour or sweet when you ate them. Jem could not resist such temptation"

I have been wanting to read another Tracy Chevalier novel since Girl With a Pearl Earring, and Burning Bright did not disappoint. Labeled as a coming of age story, the novel offers an excellent portrait of ever-changing adolescence with a dash of history. The characters are vibrant and the descriptions of 18th Century London bring the streets and people to life, but the best part of the novel is the way in which Chevalier compares and contrasts the transformation of Jem, Maggie and Maisie with the harshness of working-class London. Add to that the depiction of the poet William Blake with references to and overtones of his poetry, and you have a novel full of heartbreak, hope and - of course - layers.

I read this story because I really liked The Girl with a Peal Earing, also by the same author. I liked the writing but it took me a long time to get into the story and feel connected with the characters. Infact I put this book down for a bit and read a simpler book my son had just finished. I am glad I stuck with it because I enjoyed the 2nd half of the story more than the first. The characters become more developed and the story becomes much more interesting. The writing is what really makes this worth reading. A few quotes.

“When he had disappeared, the street seemed to shake itself like a dog caught napping, and activity was renewed all the more vigorously.”

“To Anne Kellaway its seemed not a river, but a long intestine that twisted each way out of sight . . .” -- reflecting on the Thames

t“Maggie felt anxiety rising in her own throat, but she could not stop looking at them, for they reminded her of echoes of feelings and remnants of dreams, as if her mind were a hidey-hole that Mr. Blake had crawled into and rummaged through before pulling the contents halfway out.”

читање се беспотребно одужило на месец и по дана, јер ми је књига оставила леп утисак

Tracy Chevalier has written some excellent books in the past but this definitely isn't one of them! I found it dull (the plot is particularly weak and lacked substance) and didn't really care for any of the characters (they are one-dimensional, predictable and never really come alive). Chevalier fails to bring the London of 1790s alive as she did with Delft in "Girl With A Pearl Earing" and her description of the city is never-ending and rather forgettable. The book completely lacks passion and is neither burning nor bright.

I can declare Tracy Chevalier as one of my favourite writers. While reading the book I could not help but wonder, how was it like back then? You can almost feel London's fog that is spread through the book and the city. Easy to read, with some interesting points and topics, it is a pleasurable escape from reality.

“EL MAESTRO DE LA INOCENCIA” DE TRACY CHEVALIER

Desde el valle del Piddle, diseminado entre pequeñas aldeas y luengas filas de verdes colinas, hasta desembocar entre las mareas del Támesis, con las bulliciosas calles de Londres formando una encrucijada tras sus pasos, seguiremos las huellas de la familia Kellaway, que dejan atrás la tranquilidad regalada del campo para dar un giro a su devenir; lo hacen traspasando el atractivo umbral que muestra la gran ciudad, absolutamente ignota para unas personas que no han franqueado los límites del entorno rural donde nacieron; un lugar desconocido y rebosante de peligros, a la vez que espléndido, abierto y transformador, en el que decidieron trocar el sosiego inherente a su pueblo natal por la densa bruma fría que, sobre todo, en invierno, envuelve a la muchedumbre en la creciente urbe. Rondando el último periodo del siglo de la Ilustración, a través de las peripecias de los hermanos Kellaway, Jem y Maisie, junto con su vecina y amiga londinense, Maggie, iremos observando la ajetreada cotidianidad de las gentes de Londres: inmersas cada día en sus oficios artesanos, como el de los varones de esta familia —dedicados a la fabricación de sillas— o el de las mujeres —elaborando sofisticados botones—. La llegada del circo Astley, su teatralidad y espectáculos, aunque han de cambiar el ritmo habitual durante unos meses, y afectarán a los miembros de los Kellaway directamente y constituirán, además, para las y los londinenses de aquel entonces, el símbolo mismo de la diversión bajo su atestada carpa de miradas asombradas, no son más que una fachada exterior cuyo objetivo es el relleno de los bolsillos del dueño del circo itinerante, incluso si algo no sale como se tenía previsto; sus ensayados números sobre el escenario del anfiteatro causan sensación, desde luego, pero existe una cara oculta tan invisible como la niebla silenciosa en todo este entramado de acróbatas, equilibristas y jinetes a los que admiran desde las gradas del público. Ha de ser un insólito personaje, artista polifacético, quien se cruce con los tres adolescentes protagonistas y vaya deshaciendo en sus cabezas las bisagras que aún los vinculaban a la mentalidad inscrita en la infancia, creando esa imperceptible línea de ruptura que predice la madurez.

“El maestro de la inocencia” se desarrolla en una fecha histórica concreta: 1792 y 1793; momentos clave durante la Revolución francesa y cuyos ideales se trasladan a Londres con el personaje real de William Blake, poeta, pintor y grabador británico, defensor, además, de la igualdad en todo su amplio abanico. Con el trasfondo de Londres y de sus callejuelas empañadas por la tiniebla evaporada desde el río, contemplamos el retrato de un mundo sórdido, plagado de ladrones y malhechores, de borrachos asiduos a mediocres tabernas y de niñas inocentes atrapadas sin remedio entre los bajos fondos de la prostitución. La autora, desde la perspectiva de niñas y niños que comienzan su edad adulta, y con un lenguaje y una prosa sencillos, así como utilizando el recurso del diálogo como referente principal de la obra, nos transporta al siglo XVIII en Londres, retratando la sociedad y la época acertadamente, haciéndonos navegar entre los estratos más bajos, la delincuencia o el engaño ejercido por muchas personas sin posibles, la mayoría para paliar sus perentorias y básicas necesidades; sin embargo, he echado en falta la interiorización que, en otras novelas de Tracy Chevalier, he encontrado. Esta, en cambio, la he sentido, al leerla, carente de las emociones a las que la escritora nos tenía acostumbradas/os a las y los lectores. No obstante, refleja muy bien ese viraje que, inevitablemente, se produce en las mentes infantiles al dejar la candidez atrás y enfrentarse al nuevo muro de la fase adulta, perdiendo hasta el último vestigio de la ingenuidad anterior: este tema lo ha abordado con realismo, así como te introduce a la perfección en el contexto histórico; todo en conjunto, me lleva a recomendar su lectura, siempre y cuando se tenga en cuenta que se trata de una narrativa de entretenimiento y aprendizaje de un momento histórico, no de profunda reflexión.

*RESEÑA DE RAQUEL VICTORIA

Calificación: 3/5

*Soy una apasionada escritora; autora de dos novelas:
“Las raíces de la encina” (2013; reedición 2022); de venta en Amazon (tapa blanda, e-book, KindleUnlimited): https://pge.me/Lasraícesdelaencina
“La posada del pozo” (2018); de venta en Amazon (tapa blanda, tapa dura, e-book, KindleUnlimited): https://pge.me/Laposadadelpozo
*Aunque mi desempeño y labor primordial como escritora es, fundamentalmente, la de novelista; además, esculpo otros géneros literarios como son: la poesía; la crítica literaria, que realizo a través de mis reseñas; el ensayo, que desarrollo por medio de mis artículos de temática femenina y/o histórica, o relacionados con el medio ambiente y/o con la naturaleza…; y el relato breve.
*Mi biografía: https://www.amazon.com/author/raquelv...
*Muestra gratuita en Amazon de los primeros capítulos:
LA POSADA DEL POZO: https://amzn.eu/7Eo7ZM8
LAS RAÍCES DE LA ENCINA: https://leer.amazon.es/kp/embed?asin=...

Жизнь и характер загадочного Уильяма Блейка, показанная не прямым описанием его биографии, но через его вмешательство в беду соседского семейства. Очень интересная идея, жаль, исполнение оказалось скучным. Никакие герои (разбитная городская девчонка, скрывающая тайну, правильный наивный деревенский парень, его такая же правильная наивная сестра, попадающая из-за этого в беду, сам Блейк, постоянно чудаковатый, мудрый и загадочный — вот и всё, вот и вся глубина характеров), никакой сюжет (деревенское семейство приезжает в город, деревенское семейство уезжает из города. В промежутке происходят некоторые события, но они складываются не в сюжет книги, а словно бы в газетную хронику), из-за чего это в общем-то хорошо написанная книга читалась тяжело и медленно. Разве что образ города здесь удался, или, скорее, образ города в определённую эпоху.
2.5

I had no idea until the very end that the characters John Astley (I couldn't stand that him in the book) and quirky William Blake were actually real life characters taken from the early 1700's!

I enjoyed the characters in this book. I mist really enjoy this author's writing style and the way she makes her characters come alive as this is the third book I've read by Ms. Chevalier and I've enjoyed them all equally.

It's funny to see how pub life was such an important part of people's social lives back then. Even children.

The story takesplace in London from spring 1732 to the summer of 1733. A lot of growing up happens within that time to the three main characters; country-born sister and brother Maisie and Jem and their street smart neighbour Maggie.

An interesting and enjoyable read all around.

This is a misfire from a great writer. I’m on page 100 and I feel like the book still hasn’t gotten started and I have no idea what any of the characters wants. DNF

this takes place from 1792 - 1793 in london. a young boy, Jem Kellaway, and his family, move to London following the death of one of Jem's brothers. his father, Thomas, makes chairs and is invited by Philip Astley who runs a circus. Jem befriends Maggie and together they experience a life of adventure on the streets of london. the neighbor of Jem is the poet and radical William Blake. the children only encounter him a few times during this year, but he teaches treats both with respect and truly listens to their thoughts, and so he becomes a friend. the Blake story takes a backdrop to the story of Maggie and Jem and each of their families. a vividly painted picture of London and the characters of the time period.

London at the time of the French revolution takes center stage in this beautifully written novel featuring location and themes over plot. When craftsman Thomas Kellaway moves his wife Anne and teen-aged children Jem and Masie from the Piddle Valley in Dorset to London in March of 1792, they are all but overwhelmed by the contrasting grandeur and ugliness of the big city. Thomas hopes he can better support the family making chairs for the circus and Anne hopes distance will heal her tortured mind after the accidental death of their son Tommy.

Tracy Chevalier has drawn a deep and richly detailed portrait of London, especially the Borough of Lambeth where the noisy, dirty and boisterous lifestyle of the poor that differs so greatly from the quieter world of Dorset is accentuated when the circus comes to town.

Contrasts flow through the Kellaway's lives as surely as the Thames flows through London, and here the author draws upon William Blake's focus on "contraries," or pairs of opposites, for the novel's theme. London, in "Burning Bright" becomes an alchemist's athanor wherein the Kellaways will undergo their transformations beneath the piercing gaze of Blake, the adept who applies his "Songs of Innocence" and "Songs of Experience" within the novel as Holy Scripture.

Blake serves as a catalyst within the story line, yet he is a one-dimensional character who primarily speaks in philosophic riddles and quotes from his favorite poems. While Jem, Masie and their new, streetwise friend, Maggie, view the home of William and Kate Blake as calm sanctuary within a world where the trials of childhood are greatly magnified by the dangerous environment, the reader will come away having learned more about the Borough of Lambeth and than the famous poet and print maker.

Like her adult characters in "Burning Bright," Chevalier appears unwilling to step past Blake's fame, notoriety and fiery persona and confront the poet head on. Doing so would have brought closure to the novel for readers and characters alike. We have a well-crafted slice-of-life portrait of a rural family's brief sojourn into the big city. What we don't have is an overt look at what it finally meant to them.