Burning Bright by Tracy Chevalier, author of Girl with a Pearl Earring is set in late 18th century London, in the neighborhood where poet and artist William Blake lived. It tells the story of a family recently moved there from the countryside and working for the renowned Astley’s Circus nearby.

Chevalier’s historical fiction is always well written and well researched and takes the reader to another time and place which is what I loved about this book. However, I was hoping to learn more about William Blake and although he was a part of the story he was mostly on the sidelines. An interesting read, but not as good as Girl with a Pearl Earring.