I am a huge fan of Tracy Chevalier but was somewhat disappointed in this book. When I discovered that she had written a book about one of my favourite poets, William Blake, I immediately set out to obtain a copy so I can read it. Not only did the book hold a promise of further insight into the remarkable and complex character of this poet, but it gave me scope to imagine I would be gaining more understanding of the French Revolution and its' connection with the British continent. Burning Bright is set in London in 1792, on the eve of the French Revolution. The story focuses on the Kellaway family who move from Dorsetshire to London in pursuit of the job offered to the father by John Astley who owns Astley Circus. The narrative of the story is richly endowed with descriptions of 18th century London which makes you highly appreciative of Chevalier's research and ability to transport the reader to any chosen time and place. I found the story, however, slightly weak. The children who are primary characters in the story are supposed to present a strong connection to Blake's two books of poems, namely Songs of Innocence and Songs of Experience. Even though the connection can be seen through Maisie Kellaway who arrives in London as a young, innocent country girl and leaves it as a pregnant, unwed girl of 15, I found that William Blake's complexity as a poet and revolutionary appeared weak in the book and did not bear heavy significance to the story. The intention as such was there but it failed to materialize because of Chevalier's weak portrayal of Blake, as seen through the eyes of others. The successful and perfectly resolved ending of the book also does not resonate with Blake's theory of a wide gap between the ideal and reality created by the uncertainty of humanity.
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