Book Review: Burning Bright
Catherine Campbell - The Nelson Mail
Feb 15, 2008
Burning Bright, by Tracy Chevalier. HarperCollins. 386 pages. $37.
Georgian London in all its gritty glory is the backdrop for Tracy Chevalier's latest historical novel. It is her third novel published since the incredible success of The Girl with a Pearl Earring, and fans will be eager to revisit her clever weaving of fact with fiction.
Burning Bright follows the adventures of the Kellaway Family as they move from the quiet of rural Dorset to the confusing, thrilling and life-altering bustle of London in the late 18th century.
The novel focuses largely on the relationship between young Jem Kellaway, innocent, naive and yet flirting with adventure and his almost neighbour Maggie Buttefield, who is a quick-talking, sharp- thinking, street-smart Londoner.
They form an unlikely bond through innocence and experience and, in doing so, they provide inspiration for the radical poet/artist/ printer William Blake when he moves in next door.
While certainly not the first author of the "chick-lit historical fiction'' genre, Chevalier is perhaps the best known and can be credited with its sudden rise in popularity over the past few years.
Judging by the abundance of romantic historical fiction books groaning on the shelves of bookshops, she has undoubtedly re- ignited an interest in this field. With good reason.
Chevalier is without question a skilled writer. Her ability to marry accurate historical descriptions with lively, attention- grabbing characters and an interesting plot is her trademark.
In the case of Burning Bright, the plot initially putters along at a respectable pace but it loses momentum in the final chapter before petering out altogether in the last few pages.
The ending feels slightly disappointing and sadly fails to live up to its title, making Burning Bright an enjoyable read but definitely not as memorable nor haunting as Girl with a Pearl Earring. - B
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