rather_b_reading's review
3.0
What an odd book. Beautiful, weird, but not sure who I would recommend it to
nessieread's review
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.0
jasmine_books342's review against another edition
lighthearted
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
soj19's review
emotional
informative
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
owlette's review
4.0
First of all, the cover is pretty. I am sick of covers with titles printed in large with some generic abstract pattern of plants and birds in the background. The (un)creative convergence upsets me every time I browse the discount fiction section of my local bookstore. Speaking of everything being the same, this book also sits on the no plot, just series of poetically written vignette trend, which I am not a fan of because they often leave me feeling unsatisfied. But Danielle Dutton illustrates Margaret's blooming as a writer and her fragile sense of self-esteem (she cries after coming back from the Royal Society because she thinks she made a fool of herself) without writing a dense biographical narrative. Despite what I just said, I think more biographies could be written in vignettes instead of, you know, 600-page dissertations.
ecruikshank's review
4.0
Weird and whimsical little book. Gorgeous and lyrical writing. An intimate portrayal of a unique and often contradictory subject pushing hard against the expectations imposed on women in her time and grappling with the highs and lows of a creative life. I appreciated the short chapters and thought they suited the ranging and sometimes scattered nature of Margaret’s mind, but the pacing didn’t entirely work.