I enjoyed this book as an engaging historical fiction book. The protagonist, Ursula is a believable and endearing character which largely carries the book. At times it was slow going and I struggled with these parts but I do think that the pace of the book is cleverly done to convey Ursulas life and the path it takes. The last third of the book was very engaging and I enjoyed this part immensely.

The Illumination of Ursula Flight (ARC) was a completely different book. A mostly light, fun story of a young woman during the reign of King Charles. Ursula is a fantastic lead character. She’s smart and wants to learn, has no time in being held back by anyone, and refuses to let a hypocritical patriarchal society destroy her. This was a real surprise treat. I recommend it as a charming delight for all readers!

I wasn't overly impressed with this supposed Historical Fiction which i felt was more a Young adult novel. Told in switching between prose and the supposed plays of the title character there was little depth to the writing. At times i would even have said it was middle grade level. It seems that the author has used literary "tricks" to embed the historical mien of the book, not all are to my liking. I hate the use of "in which I " at the beginning of each chapter it adds nothing and toe one extent detracts - why bother reading the chapter if you know what is going to happen. I couldn't bond with any of the characters and the storyline felt thin. I am sure there is a readership for this book it just isn't mine.

A witty and ebullient account of a young woman in the seventeenth century, The Illumination of Ursula Flight tells the tale of her childhood, early marriage and development in this historical novel.

Ursula grows up in a country manor house, her imagination and intelligence encouraged by her father (unusually for the day) and rather frowned upon by her mother. She’s outgoing and friendly and doted on by the servants and her younger sister. However, (and not so unusually for the day), she is soon betrothed to a fusty, but wealthy, associate of her father.

Her early marriage is stifling and she does not manage to escape physically or emotionally until she is taken to London. Here, her eyes are opened to the wonders of the Restoration theatre and she is dazzled by the wit and excitement of the stage. As her fate beckons, she becomes less naïve and able to fulfil her dreams of writing – with plenty of mishaps along the way.

This is a quirky novel with a distinctive heroine who doesn’t let life’s wrong turns grind her down. Like Ursula, the writing is imaginative with different narrative style pushing the story forward. Several scenes written in the form of plays reflect, in a clever pseudo-fictional device, what has recently happened in Ursula’s life.

On one hand, this is an easy and funny read, zipping along at breakneck speed. Underneath, however, is an account of the very real dangers which befell women at this time. Mostly they weren’t architects of their own dreams. They were chattels to be married off to the highest bidder and certainly weren’t thought to have independent and intelligent desires of their own. Ursula’s irrepressible personality helps her forge her way in the society she wants, but it does come at a price.

I couldn't get in to this book. And I really tried. The heroine was quirky and funny yet the storyline failed to grasp my attention.

"The Illumination of Ursula Flight" is written in an interesting way in that it combines letters, diary entries and play scripts with prose to tell her story. The character of Ursula grows and matures as she ages from a small child living in the country to a woman living and working in London. The book is set during the reign of Charles II but Ursula ultimately becomes a very modern, independent woman. Recommended.

Interesting and unusual story but didn't hold my attention.

Thank you to NetGalley.co.uk for the free copy in exchange for an honest review.

I know they say not to judge a book by its cover, but I couldn't help it with this one, I just thought the cover was stunning, but I am glad I picked this one up because I loved it. I don't think I've read historical fiction set in the time of Charles II, so this idea made the plotline unique for me for me and quite refreshing as I seem to only read historical fiction set in either the War of the Roses or Tudor times. I was hooked on the novel from the beginning; I loved the character Ursula, she was so charismatic and delightful to read about. The writing here was enjoyable, and I just couldn't put it down.

A sheltered and privileged upbringing allows Ursula to develop her passion for stories but did not prepare her for the expectations of a husband. She was rare for those times being educated and found her marriage stifling. Her husband finally takes her to London and the King's court which sets in train a series of events which see her abandoned but then realising a dream .
Would a husband in those times not have excercised his rights?
Parts of the story in the form of scripts was interesting and often comical .

What a delight. I wasn’t sure what to expect of a book set in the 17th Century, but The Illumination of Ursula Flight transported me there. I loved the naive but feisty Ursula, and her cast of supporting characters. I recommend this book to anyone who wants to escape reality, who wants to cheer on a young champion (a feminist before her time), who appreciates a well researched book, and something a bit different,. Quirky, funny and touching, I loved it. A sequel???

Historical novel about a young woman's awakening and “journey” – entertaining

Taking place at the end of the 17th century in the reign of Charles II, this novel deals with a few years in the life of Ursula Flight, born into the gentry, well-educated by her father, married off to wealth and eventually finding her true vocation by the time she's 19 years old, having gone through that cliché, an emotional rollercoaster.

A well-researched and entertaining novel, the characters are well-developed but many aspects of the plotline were not unexpected apart from the ending. A little too predictable in places for my liking and a bit long in the middle section, it is however well worth a read if you're interested in England under the Stuarts and a woman's “journey”.

Thanks to Netgalley for this copy. Love historical fiction, not so much the era this is set in, Charles I and his associations with the acting community. A coming of age debut novel for Anna-Marie Crowhurst, well researched and detailed. Ursula Flight is encouraged by her father in her studies, she is well-read and an enthusiastic student, however upon his death marries a man older than herself and is forced to give up her passions of writing and acting and there she remains until her fortunes take a turn for the better??

There were plenty of features to like about Ursula Flight. Ursula was a charismatic narrator and her love of learning and her desire to break beyond the normal female roles of her time made for a character you can root for. The humour is well-played, with a lovely saucy, Shakespearian bent and the breaking of the fourth wall in the diary-entries and the playscripts was often clever and, again, drew on literary techniques that were perfect for the time period. These were the things that I enjoyed and that kept me reading until the end but there were also problems that prevented it from becoming something stronger.

Despite Ursula’s wit and spirit there is little real change or growth in her character. Throughout her adventures she met every surprise and hiccup and disaster with the same cheerful insouciance, nothing really seemed to touch her even in the darker moments (and really they were quite serious) and on the cusp of ruin there was no tension or deeper emotion and little introspection; an odd omission when most of the story is told in diary format. When Ursula’s voice dominates the story so completely, which is difficult to avoid in the first-person, this lack of depth and emotional resonance beyond the broad strokes of a likable protagonist and a feminist message left the whole feeling a little hollow and lightweight. Ursula’s supporting cast are more like extras than characters in their own light, there to keep the story moving, providing Ursula with humorous repartee and targets for wit.

In a similar way events keep happening, racing towards the rather predictable conclusion, but the attendant character development was lacking leaving the whole thing feeling flat. This was exacerbated by the (overuse) of the playscript format. At first this was a fun, lively and appropriate shift in narrative style that reflected Ursula’s ambitions and her exuberant voice. When used to describe the plays she wrote as a child, and in particular the “off-script” actions and words of the players, it added playful humour but in later parts of the book it was less effective and became Ursula’s (and Crowhurst's) quirk without any real purpose or power and after a while it became irritating and prevented the emotional depth of the characters from developing, just dialogue and the occasional ironic insertion from Ursula. Overall I was left with the impression of a fun, frothy novel that didn’t really touch me at all.

Ursula Flight is a sheer delight! Set in the time of King Charles and Nell Gwynn, Ursula is irrepressible. Her voice is captured so well by the author and the story as a whole is wittily written. The plays she writes from an early age are the highlights of the book. Such a great heroine, she finds her place, calling in life and learns to be an independent and resourceful young woman, beholden to no one. An inspiring and original story, rich in historical detail. Recommended.

I loved this book.The main character is wonderful-brave and funny with a wonderful turn of phrase.It reads like a Restoration novel with playscripts added in.The story moves along at a fast pace and holds the reader's attention throughout.
The period detail is meticulously researched,with great descriptions of location and characters,especially the theatres and clothes.
It would make a wonderful film or TV series, and I just hope we hear more of Ursula Flight!

Set in 17th - Century Britain, this is a lush, vivid story of the life of Ursula Flight. Written as a story but also in diary and script form, it is wonderful.
I loved watching Ursula grow with every chapter and would highly recommend it to everyone.

Thank you to Netgalley, Anna Marie Crowhurst and Atlantic Books for my ARC of The Illumination of Ursula Flight.

Title: The Illumination of Ursula Flight

Author: Anna-Marie Crowhurst

Publication Date: 3rd May 2018

Rating: 5*

Quote: 'One thing I do know, is that there is no pleasure on this earth better than reading. I have been transported to realms beyond my wildest imagining, to places I shall never see, for they are at the other side of the world, or do not exist at all. And I have been made to cry and laugh and to think and be peaceful, and all of this I have got from books.'

Summary

Ursula Flight is an unusual young woman. At least for the 17th Century she is. Her father has brought her up with book learning, she can read, write and do mathematics as well as speak various languages. This is the story of Ursula's coming of age, through heartbreak, scoundrels and the terrors that befell a 'wench' of the day, Ursula is determined to live her dream of becoming a playwright against all odds.

Review

The Illumination of Ursula Flight is one of those unusual novels which not only endears you to the heroine throughout but leaves you feeling like you've been touched by a ray of sunshine by the time it comes to a close.

I loved the character of Ursula she was so strong willed, and passionate but feminine and girly as well one minute worrying about fashion and the next covering herself in ink blotches and terrorising the neighbourhood. I felt her joy and her happiness but I also felt her sorrow and pain.

Not only were the characters great however and I could wax lyrical about them all, it was a great story with beautiful writing and a great amount of comedy to boot. Ursula does not only illuminate herself but the readers as well.

The Illumination of Ursula Flight,  Anna-Marie Crowhurst


Review from Jeannie Zelos book reviews

Genre: Historical Fiction , Literary Fiction

I really wanted to like this book, wonderful cover, beautifully written but somehow it was just an OK read for me. Its kind of whimsical, almost fantastical the way its told, but in effect its a story of one poor child married off unhappily, easily taken in by the stories of others.
She's determined though, and doesn't stay down but bounces back, full of optimism. Her story is one very familiar to the time where girls and women were almost a sub-class, seen as delicate when it came to learning and education, and the property of the nearest male relative.

I didn't really like Ursula, even when we first meet her as a toddler, and my feelings didn't change even as she aged. I did admire her determination though, the way she picked herself up again and again. Sadly hers was the lot that befell many women of the time, where men weren't expected to be faithful, where silver tongued rakes whispered sweet nothings in ears that were too ready to believe them. As always its the woman that pays the price.

I do like a dip back in history from time to time, and I enjoyed that side of it, but I almost abandoned the book to begin with, as it just didn't seem to be going anywhere, and I never really came to love the story. I'm glad I read it, the writing style is interesting and kept pulling me back even as I was mulling over whether to stop as the actual story wasn't working for me.
That's how it goes sometimes, a beautifully written tale, loved by other readers but which just doesn't do it for me. Its not the book, its me, a matter where my taste in reading and the story within the novel just don't meet.

Stars: Three, interesting setting, beautifully told, but the story wasn't a great one for me.

ARC supplied for review purposes by Netgalley and Publishers