The artist Harriet Burden conducts an experiment in perception: she recruits three male artists to present her work as their own, to see how the art world reacts to the work differently coming from a man. The experiment goes a bit awry when few people believe she is the true artist behind the masks.
The Blazing World deals with questions about personal identity. How much of our self-image is affected by gender norms? How do our family relationships change us? Why does our personal feeling of accomplishment depend on recognition from others? How do others' perspectives influence the way they feel about you?
This is a very smart book that makes a lot of subtle points. The premise is interesting. Most of the characters are intriguingly enigmatic; they come across differently depending on who is describing them. The story runs out of steam before the end, although the chapter with Harriet's death has a domestic tone that contrasts nicely with the earlier chapters.
The Blazing World deals with questions about personal identity. How much of our self-image is affected by gender norms? How do our family relationships change us? Why does our personal feeling of accomplishment depend on recognition from others? How do others' perspectives influence the way they feel about you?
This is a very smart book that makes a lot of subtle points. The premise is interesting. Most of the characters are intriguingly enigmatic; they come across differently depending on who is describing them. The story runs out of steam before the end, although the chapter with Harriet's death has a domestic tone that contrasts nicely with the earlier chapters.
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