February 2010: The Book of Fires by Jane Borodale

[boswellbaxter]

Discuss The Book of Fires here.

[Vanessa]

Me first! Me first!

I found this quite a slow read but I thoroughly enjoyed it neverless. It's beautifully and poetically written, a compelling and atmospheric story.

However, even though it's set in 1753, I did get Victorian vibes. Forever Amber meets The Crimson Petal and the White!

I think Agnes was very lucky that her pregnancy wasn't found out sooner, but I suppose their dresses covered a multitude of sins. I did enjoy her voice for the majority of the book. At times she did come over a little too naive. It was quite a nice little plot, though, and I thought the ending had a good twist in the tale.

I found the parts about fireworks quite interesting even though some of it went over my head, ie the technical terms. My copy was an uncorrected proof and apparently the published version has pictures of the fireworks, which I would be interested in seeing. I think I shall have to go into a bookshop and sneak a peak!

I prefer US cover to the UK one. I think it says more about what is inside the book. With the UK jacket, the girl on the front could be mixing paints. I don't know what anyone else thinks?

bookoffires.jpgUK cover

Overall, an excellent read.

[Misfit]

I've picked this up twice now and it hasn't grabbed me yet. I have the day off so perhaps I can give it another shot. I feel guilty holding on to a book when others are waiting their turn....

[Kasthu]

I gave this one three stars on my blog. She's a good writer, but I too thought that Our Heroine was a little too naieve (sp), especially about her pregnancy and Lettice Talbot's profession; and I didn't totally buy her voice (she's supposed to be an uneducated teenager from the country, but her voice isn't what you might expect). Still, I think the twist in the end was great.

[annis]

I was impressed by "The Book of Fires", mostly because of its striking use of language. It wasn't a surprise to discover that Borodale is an artist--I think that the artist’s eye shows clearly in her imagery and composition.

Some reviews have been a bit negative, often because they found Agnes rather passive and emotionally distant. I felt that Jane Borodale actually did quite a good job of creating a credible internal voice, and capturing Agnes' nature, which is that of someone who does tend to stand back and observe things. Life as part of a large rural family living on the very edge of subsistence naturally leads to a stoic approach to life. Siblings die, some winters you go hungry, there's always work to be done and as an older daughter Agnes is also expected to look afterr the younger children - all these things are part of a hard life and must be endured. It's not a lifestyle that lends itself to displays of emotion and self-indulgent drama-- I think Agnes' responses quite logical when seen in this light.

My UK edition didn’t have any pictures of fireworks (I feel cheated!) There are contemporary pictures of fireworks around, though, like this one of a display held on the River Thames in 1749 to mark the 1748 signing of the Treaty of Aix-la-Chapelle, for which Handel wrote his Music For The Royal Fireworks. I hadn’t realized that producing coloured fireworks presented such a scientific condundrum, one which wasn't solved until relatively recently.



It was sudden overcrowding in London as rural workers were driven to the city in search of work which led to the shocking conditions associated with the Victorian period.

There's an entertaining article on the hazards of daily life in 18th century London here:
http://forums.canadiancontent.net/hi...its-daily.html

[Vanessa]

Lovely picture, Annis. I found the whole fireworks thing quite fascinating - how they were all white and then they started to experiment with colour, but, of course, Mr Blacklock died before he could do too much.

I think you're right about Agnes - they grew up so very quickly in those days due to all the hardships and they also died a lot younger, too.

I wonder where I got the idea that there were picture of fireworks in the book. I'm sure I read it somewhere. Was your copy a paperback or a hardback, Annis?

I didn't know the author was an artist - that does explain some of the language and descriptions.

[annis]

The copy I read was from the library and was a HarperPress trade paperback.

[Vanessa]

Perhaps the hardback has the pictures. I shall definitely have to sneak a peak next time I'm in a bookshop.

[ellenjane]

This took a while to catch my attention, but I found myself turning the pages pretty fast after about the halfway point. I had to make a point of slowing myself down because the language was so rich.

I'll have to look at my library binding (US) - I remember there being drawings of fireworks on the pages that had the section headings, but I don't remember them being varied.

ETA: The pictures of fireworks between the sections were all the same - just an ordinary-looking firework. No color.

[princess]

Originally Posted by Vanessa

I thoroughly enjoyed it neverless. It's beautifully and poetically written, a compelling and atmospheric story.

I read this book last year and couldn't agree more. "Atmospheric" describes it perfectly.