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The Book Of Fires

3.58 of 5 stars 3.58 · rating details · 973 ratings · 219 reviews

Reminiscent of Year of Wonders, a captivating debut novel of fireworks, fortune, and a young woman's redemption

It is 1752 and seventeen-year-old Agnes Trussel arrives in London pregnant with an unwanted child. Lost and frightened, she finds herself at the home of Mr. J. Blacklock, a brooding fireworks maker who hires Agnes as an apprentice. As she learns to make rockets, p...more

Paperback, 406 pages

Published 2010 by HarperCollins Publishers (first published January 1st 2009)

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Jan 25, 2010 Amy rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: arcs, historical-fiction, read-in-2010

SUMMARY: It’s 1752 and in a small town in England a young Agnes Trussel finds herself in a very delicate situation. She is pregnant and unwed and completely unsure of what to do. All she can think of to do is leave and one morning she sneaks out of her childhood home and runs away to London.

18th century London is a dirty, over-populated and scary place to be, especially for a country girl and Agnes is overwhelmed and fearful that she won’t be able to find a job or lodging. A help wanted sign dr...more SUMMARY: It’s 1752 and in a small town in England a young Agnes Trussel finds herself in a very delicate situation. She is pregnant and unwed and completely unsure of what to do. All she can think of to do is leave and one morning she sneaks out of her childhood home and runs away to London.

18th century London is a dirty, over-populated and scary place to be, especially for a country girl and Agnes is overwhelmed and fearful that she won’t be able to find a job or lodging. A help wanted sign draws her to the home of Mr. Blacklock, a fireworks maker, where she is hired as his assistant. Agnes blossoms in her new role and as time goes by she is shown to have a real talent in the art of firework making. Sensing a kindred spirit Blacklock takes Agnes under his wing and together they set out to make some of the world’s most incredible fireworks. Agnes is thrilled with her new venture, but there’s one thing that threatens to ruin it all – her advancing pregnancy.

MY THOUGHTS: I really thought I would like this book much better than I did and now that I’m reading through reviews on Amazon, it seems my 3 star rating is in the minority. Borodale’s writing wasn’t bad, but the story itself just didn’t make sense at times and the characters were pretty one dimensional – the lack of depth made it hard to feel any sympathy for any of them. The pregnancy aspect got on my nerves too – between several attempts at aborting the baby (which never worked) and trying to snare a guy just to try and pass it off as his (and this while she was in her last trimester). I mean, how the heck did she think that would work? Also, no one in the household noticed that she was with child, but whenever she would run into someone on the street, the first thing their eyes focused on was her belly. Ugh – it drove me crazy!!

One of the reasons why this book appealed to me in the first place was that it was marketed as reminiscent of The Year of Wonders, which is a book that I adore, but I have no idea where they came up with that from. It’s nothing like it, not one bit. I realize they are both about a woman prevailing over diversity, but that’s the extent of it – one novel is about a town wiped out by the plague and the other about an un-wed, pregnant girl in London, making fireworks.

I would’ve given this book 2.5 stars, but the ending brought it up a bit to 3 stars. This is the author’s first novel and while I didn’t care for it, I would most definitely read her again, as I sense a real budding talent on the HF scene!

FCC: This book was given to me for review by Viking Press.
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Jun 22, 2010 Shawn rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: own-book

I borrowed this book from my daughter---who reads about 10 times as many books as I have time to...and was really pleasantly surprised by this one! This is a very different subject to read about and it captured my attention immediately. The story is about a girl----who is poor and living in the early 19th century----as she gets taken advantage of by a young man, and finds herself in the family way. This prompts her to run away from her family and try to find some way to make a living in London....more

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Apr 12, 2013 Miraphora rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: storico-avventura

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. Il 3 e 3/4 sta diventando uno dei miei voti preferiti. Non troppo alto ma nemmeno troppo basso, il voto perfetto per esprimere il gradimento al punto giusto. In questo caso, poi, ero indecisa sul livello di apprezzamento e di soddisfazione post lettura che il romanzo mi aveva lasciato. Quanto mi poteva piacere una storia associata a Jane Eyre? Partendo dal presupposto che nessun romanzo con la stessa struttura sarà mai come quello della Bronte, le scelte erano due: o mi piaceva in modo discreto,...more Il 3 e 3/4 sta diventando uno dei miei voti preferiti. Non troppo alto ma nemmeno troppo basso, il voto perfetto per esprimere il gradimento al punto giusto. In questo caso, poi, ero indecisa sul livello di apprezzamento e di soddisfazione post lettura che il romanzo mi aveva lasciato. Quanto mi poteva piacere una storia associata a Jane Eyre? Partendo dal presupposto che nessun romanzo con la stessa struttura sarà mai come quello della Bronte, le scelte erano due: o mi piaceva in modo discreto, anonimo, oppure non mi piaceva per niente. Per fortuna, invece, la storia si è discostata dal paragone brontiano per prendere una strada ben definita. Perchè, parliamoci chiaro, qua una storia d'amore non c'è: né quella tra domestica e padrone, né una storia d'amore come tante altre. Il libro narra la storia di una giovane donna, Agnes, delle sue sfortune e delle sue azioni. Niente passioni travolgenti, tresche con il datore di lavoro, niente sentimenti in piazza e scene d'amore. La Borodale ha deciso, secondo me con un certo coraggio, di non abbellire né semplificare una trama che è stata evidentemente pensata e strutturata per essere così come si legge.
Agnes, una ragazzina della campagna inglese, è figlia di una famiglia povera. Come molte sventurate prima di lei, si ritrova in una situazione sgradevole: in un momento di stupidità tipico della gioventù accetta le attenzioni del bullo del paese e, in men che non si dica, si ritrova incinta. Terrorizzata per la sua situazione, Agnes decide di non dire nulla, come se il silenzio potesse cancellare il suo errore. Non vuole dirlo alla famiglia ma allo stesso tempo non riesce a gestire il peso del segreto, così continua la sua vita in campagna tra malessere e tristezza che sconfina nella depressione fino al giorno in cui le si presenta sulla strada la soluzione perfetta. Agnes riesce ad entrare in possesso di una somma considerevole di denaro e nella sua mente si forma un piano che non ha il coraggio di dirsi: partire, andare lontano, e portare con sé la gravidanza. Così Agnes parte alla volta di Londra, la grande città dove conta di perdersi, diventando un nessuno. Non tiene conto, però, che la città è totalmente diversa dalla vita di campagna: l'unica persona gentile con lei è una prostituta che cerca di farla entrare nel giro e in men che non si dica si ritrova sola, fradicia, stanca e persa nei meandri delle viuzze sudicie di Londra.
E' il destino, a questo punto, che la fa camminare verso un vicolo deserto dove l'unica cosa che cattura la sua attenzione è il cartello 'cercasi domestica'. La porta viene aperta da John Blacklock, l'uomo dei fuochi, il vero uomo del libro dei fuochi. E' lui l'anima buona attorno al quale Agnes gravita, è lui che le da un posto dove lavorare e vivere ed è sempre lui che, alla fine, le fa un dono grandissimo forse dettato dall'amore - non lo sapremo mai - forse dettato dall'affetto o dalla semplice bontà d'animo. Il signor Blacklock vede in lei qualcosa del suo passato, qualcosa che non vuole riconoscere ma che comunque influenza le sue azioni. Agnes entra nella sua vita come semplice domestica per diventare, poi, assistente ed infine pupilla del maestro. Una trasformazione, la sua, delicata e magica, una vera scalata alla conoscenza fatta di sguardi rubati e di segreti tramandati. Come ho già detto, tra loro non nasce una storia d'amore nel senso classico del termine. Non ci sono baci rubati o cose simili, la loro è un'unione molto sottile, fatta di condivisione e di comprensione silenziosa. Se all'inizio John intravede in lei qualcosa della moglie morta, smette subito di confondere le due persone e trova in Agnes una mente simile alla sua, brillante e aperta alle possibilità della scienza. John, probabilmente, si affeziona ad Agnes ma il limite tra amore fraterno e quello passionale è così indefinito che non si capisce se lui l'abbia mai varcato, nemmeno alla fine. Di Agnes sappiamo che lo venerava, che aveva un bisogno fisico di vederlo lavorare, di sapere che la sua mente era attiva e che semplicemente nel mondo c'era John Blacklock. La sua esistenza era il faro nella notte, nella disperazione di Agnes. Man mano che i mesi passano e la gravidanza procede, la sua situazione è sempre più difficile perché sa che, prima o poi, dovrà rinunciare a Blacklock e ai suoi magici fuochi. Agnes non riesce nemmeno a pensare al futuro, così nega l'evidenza, fa finta che il bambino non esista e che la sua sia una vita normale, mentre attorno a sé tutti si rendono conto della sua situazione. Forse John stesso lo sapeva ma aveva preferito non farne parola e semplicemente agire e, alla fine, fare quello che ha fatto.
Gli scambi tra i due sono impersonali, a volte molto freddi a volte pensi quasi che arrivi il bacio, ma stranamente profondi: si danno del lei, ma parlano alle loro anime. Ho adorato questo modo di narrare la storia, le descrizioni crude, che ti sbattono in faccia la vita di città e soprattutto il personaggio di Agnes che è egoista, nel suo negare l'esistenza del bambino, e forse anche crudele ma molto umano, reale e toccante. Un unico, signolo aspetto mi ha tramortita, intristica ma, stranamente, non ne avrei fatto a meno: John nella parte finale. E' un colpo che non vedi arrivare e che, alla fine, fa davvero male: è un fatto necessario per lo svolgimento della trama, per arrivare alla fine e tirare un sospiro di sollievo. Ma, forse, non è abbastanza. Certi personaggi non dovrebbero essere un ricordo, dovrebbero continuare a respirare e a vivere nella storia. Allo stesso modo, la storia è perfetta così com'è, e non cambierei una virgola. Penso che questa sia una recensione più da 4 che da 3, perché la storia mi è piaciuta molto, mi ha toccata e mi ha lasciato un bel ricordo, però credo anche che si sarebbe potuto fare di più, calcare la mano sui sentimenti e aumentare la resa emotiva, sia in positivo che in negativo. Per cui rimango della mia opinione. E' un romanzo che può non piacere, perché richiede attenzione per entrare nel ritmo - lentino - della narrazione, ma una volta che si prende la cadenza della storia i personaggi entrano dentro e la storia non è poi così noiosa come sembra. Lo consiglio, molto, a chi vuole qualcosa di diverso dal classico romance pseudo brontiano. Non tocca gli inarrivabili livelli di Jane Eyre ma, nella sua particolarità, riesce a superare il paragone pur non uscendone vincitore.(less)

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Apr 06, 2013 Ceri Blossom rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: book-group, fiction

A book set in 18th century London about a young woman apprenticed to a firework maker? Cor! This could be good! That was what I thought when I read the description of this book, prior to reading it for my book group. Then I started reading it, and was swiftly disabused of any notions I might have had as to its affording any fascinating glimpses into arcane, suggestive industries (as Patrick Süskind's Perfume had done for that particular art). Promised so much, delivered... not really much of any...more

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Mar 10, 2013 P.d.r. Lindsay rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: historical-mysteries

Now here’s a historical novel which breaks the rules, at least the rules we writers of historical novels are taught by agents and publishers. Although set in 1752 it is written in the present tense and in the First Person Point of View. It is an example of how a fascinating story, well told, using the history, not as mere setting, but as an integral part of the plot, will get published. It was a pleasure to read this novels, it wasn’t cowboys and indians in Rome or cops and robbers in Mediaeval...more Now here’s a historical novel which breaks the rules, at least the rules we writers of historical novels are taught by agents and publishers. Although set in 1752 it is written in the present tense and in the First Person Point of View. It is an example of how a fascinating story, well told, using the history, not as mere setting, but as an integral part of the plot, will get published. It was a pleasure to read this novels, it wasn’t cowboys and indians in Rome or cops and robbers in Mediaeval Europe. We weren’t forced to read paragraphs of graphic sex, descriptions of vomit, filth and ordure, readers were led into a created world which felt like England in 1752. This book is that modern rarity, a well written literary historical novel.

It’s a simple story, but the characters are fully 3D, 18thC and full of surprises. Agnes Trussel is seventeen and happy living in poverty with her family in a tiny village in Sussex. Caught off guard by the hulking lout who fancies her she is raped. Now she is pregnant and worried sick. She does not wan to be forced to marry the lout and the disgrace would shame her family. A lucky encounter leads her to find some money so she runs away to London. Luck is with her again for though she is guided to a brothel, she actually ends up on the doorstep of John Blacklock, a gentleman firework maker. He takes her in to be an apprentice and together they work to create coloured fireworks.

The research Jane Borodale had to do to tell this story does not load down the story but fascinates. There are all the secrets of fireworks 18thC style, and the more mundane problems of daily living. Agnes spends all her time with fireworks but trying to hide her pregnancy is getting harder and harder. Discovery will mean ruin. Or will it? The ending satisfied this reader although it’s far from a happily ever after one, but the relationship is not a love story relationship. If you like historical novels which are well written page turners then try this one.
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Nov 26, 2012 Rita Marie rated it 4 of 5 stars

This historical novel, set in 1750's London, has two stories. One traces the efforts of young Agnes Trussel to conceal her unwanted pregnancy while struggling with feelings of guilt over her theft of gold coins from a dead neighbor's house. A naïve country girl, Agnes uses the money to fund her escape to London, so that she will not bring shame upon her family.

Of far more interest is the story of Robert Blacklock, the maker of fireworks whom Agnes encounters in London and who hires her as an ap...more

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Nov 18, 2012 Matti rated it 4 of 5 stars

The lead character, Agnes, in whose voice the story is told, is developed wonderfully, in very low-key statements showing her strengths and weaknesses through her actions and choices. She is a totally charming figure. The other characters are much sketchier, but feel real enough.

The book claims to be about fire and fireworks, and the author claims, in an interview included in the book, that it also is about the justice system in England in the mid-eighteenth century. These stories are there, of...more

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Jun 26, 2012 Karen rated it 4 of 5 stars

Set in 1752-1753, The Book of Fires follows the journey of a 17-year-old girl as she flees from her rural Sussex home to avoid shaming herself and her family with her pregnancy, the result of an unwanted sexual encounter...dare I call it a rape...as well as to hide the fact that she stole coins from a woman she found dead in her home. Her arrival in London accidentally brings her to the doorstep of a fireworks maker as she looks for a job. Taken on as an assistant, Agnes shows not only interest...more

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Jun 07, 2011 Melissa Conway rated it 5 of 5 stars

It’s rare for me to read without eating sunflower seeds in the shell at the same time. I can only eat so many before my lips begin to wither from the salt, and in this way, I limit the amount of time I spend reading. Once I’ve had my fill of seeds, I invariably set the book aside.

Not so with The Book of Fires. I can’t remember the last time an author held me so enthralled that I continued on long after the seeds were gone. I began the book on Saturday, picked it back up on Sunday and found mysel...more It’s rare for me to read without eating sunflower seeds in the shell at the same time. I can only eat so many before my lips begin to wither from the salt, and in this way, I limit the amount of time I spend reading. Once I’ve had my fill of seeds, I invariably set the book aside.

Not so with The Book of Fires. I can’t remember the last time an author held me so enthralled that I continued on long after the seeds were gone. I began the book on Saturday, picked it back up on Sunday and found myself ignoring a rather pressing list of chores and obligations just to finish it.

I tend to keep my reading light, so I generally stick to genre fiction. Literary fiction often hits too close to home for me; I do not like to cry, but am easily susceptible. And there is often a surplus of description to be found in serious works. Description can make or break a book for me. I prefer to find it sprinkled in among the action so my imagination can fill in the blanks. If it gets too heavy-handed, it becomes tedious and I begin flipping past entire sections. Jane Borodale’s debut novel is brimming with detail that I would find annoying in a lesser work. It takes an uncommonly well-written book for the minutia to fascinate me.

[Plot summary/spoilers ahead!] This story begins in England in 1752, after Parliamentary Enclosure has begun fencing off property and raising rent. In the country, the poor are forced to work harder for less. The narrative is told first-person-present by seventeen-year-old Agnes Trussel, a country girl with a large family. Immediately Agnes plunges into meticulous detail of place; sights, sounds, smells. Her family is forced to slaughter the pig early this year. It is a family event that most everyone participates in; a grim, specific series of tasks. Throughout the rest of the novel, small incidents cause Agnes to recall the particulars of the slaughter, a theme depicting how commonplace the gruesome was in those times.

Agnes is unmarried and hiding an early pregnancy that came about from what would be considered rape in this day and age. To prevent her family suffering from her shame, she runs away to London with gold coins she stole from a dead neighbor. The theft haunts her both as a morally reprehensible thing to have done, and as fear that she will be caught and hung.

Lost in London, she has a great stroke of luck securing employment as assistant to Mr. John Blacklock, pyrotechnist. A widower, he is aloof, gruff, and consumed by his work. Agnes, who was taught to read but cannot write, is eager to learn. The reader learns along with her about fireworks in the eighteenth century, an indulgence of the rich; how they were made; the alchemy and danger. She works hard, impressing Blacklock with her enthusiasm and understanding of his obsession. She has no illusions about her future there—when the pregnancy is discovered she expects to be turned out into the street.

This is not a romance novel. Agnes is young and naïve, but has no romantic flights of fancy. Her example of love is a mother harried by country life and worn down from having babies and a mercurial father who drinks. As the fetus grows within her, Agnes is consumed by fear. There is no one she can turn to. Within the Blacklock household, she knows she’ll be able to conceal her pregnancy from the blowsy, death-obsessed housekeeper and the dim-witted but watchful maid for only so long. Blacklock is chronically ill and nursing the agony of losing his wife in childbirth. Agnes’ one acquaintance is a young woman of questionable means who directs her to an abortionist. Her one chance for salvation is the flirtatious Cornelius Soul, a gunpowder distributor with loose business ethics. Agnes is faced with choices, none of them good.

If I haven’t made myself clear, let me reiterate: this is an exceptional novel. There is nothing I found lacking, not in characterization or motivation or even in the description which immerses the reader in Agnes’ world. The ending is ultimately satisfying and strangely plausible despite the way the narrative spirals down, down into a despair that seems insurmountable.

HIGHLY recommended.

[Review originally posted to Booksquawk](less)

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Jun 06, 2011 Heather rated it 4 of 5 stars

This was one of those books that I randomly picked off the shelf at my library. I can read almost any book - sci-fi, paranormal, young adult...etc - as long as there is a decent love story somewhere in the narrative. I thought this historical fiction would give me a love story worth reading but instead of calling this a love story I'd say it was an "almost love story" and maybe that is why I liked it so much. It was not what I expected, but because of the way the story ends it leaves me thinkin...more

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Feb 26, 2011 switterbug (Betsey) rated it 5 of 5 stars

I am thrifty with my absolutes. However, I must make an exception and celebrate this debut novel by proclaiming this as the most visually stunning, sublime prose I have encountered in any book this year. Every sentence is an ineffable bliss to read. I urge you to experience it the way I did, without too much information beforehand. Be dazzled and bedazzled by this symphony of the senses; the words transcend the story. Rockets will fire from all your synapses. Dinner may burn.

The story's premise,...more I am thrifty with my absolutes. However, I must make an exception and celebrate this debut novel by proclaiming this as the most visually stunning, sublime prose I have encountered in any book this year. Every sentence is an ineffable bliss to read. I urge you to experience it the way I did, without too much information beforehand. Be dazzled and bedazzled by this symphony of the senses; the words transcend the story. Rockets will fire from all your synapses. Dinner may burn.

The story's premise, which takes place in 1751, is solid but does not break new ground in literature, although the element of fireworks and their meticulous craft adds a fresh and novel spark. Agnes Trussel, 17, and in dire straits for a woman of her time, runs off from her rural Sussex countryside and farmer family to escape to London. There she is employed by the brooding, enigmatic pyrotechnist, J. Blacklock, and becomes his apprentice. She is a quick study of powders, pigments, and combustibles; she learns to load pastilles, gerbes, Bengal lights, and numerous other explosive projectiles. Agnes is an anachronism, which fuels the narrative and makes her a potent protagonist. The story sizzles and bursts with a seamy cast of characters--dandies; scullery maids; creepy men with rotten teeth; prostitutes; merchants of every class; a mute; and other baroque personalities. And although the author illuminates this era vividly, it isn't satire or burlesque. It isn't a bodice-ripper. And there is not a lot of irony, either. Yet it is not melodrama, or bawdily theatrical. It is a well-plotted arc that builds to its conclusion without a lot of fireworks--just the genuine kind.

What elevated me while keeping me rooted to the pages were the flawless, contoured passages. Every sentence is like a Vermeer, or a painting from the most atmospheric of landscape artists, or a shimmering photograph. Facts and physical descriptions become high art and nuanced, dimensional photography. Nature, light, and color are brilliantly defined and lyrically expressed. Borodale is a master of metaphor, alliteration, and allusion. She is a visual virtuoso of words, and her depth of field is sharp and resplendent, perforated with poetical texture. She has striking control over scenic aperture and placement, as if she had used a Swiss lens to frame it, and a blade to sharpen it.

I am astonished that this is the author's first novel. She is an uncannily nimble, hypnotizing writer. I cannot prevent my ardent display of accolades. Anything I say is an understatement to the sculptured sensuality and bursting ebullience of this prose.

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Feb 20, 2011 Barbara Bryant rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I actually gave this 4 stars (I'm stingy about 5), and found it one of the most pleasurable reads I've had in years. I made it a staff pick at my library. It concerns a young village girl in the 1700's who, finding herself in a family way and fearing where it will lead her, and having committed a sort of crime, flees to London to try to save herself. I simply ate it up--I liked the writing, and found it flowed beautifully. I love the descriptions of life at that time: the moral narrowness of the...more

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Dec 02, 2010 Jane rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: borrowed

The Book of Fires by Jane Borodale
Posted on May 17, 2010
by FleurFisher| 11 Comments | Edit

I first spotted Jane Borodale’s The Book of Fires last year. I was interested, but not quite interested enough to rush out and order a copy. Well, there are a lot of good historical novels out there.

But then something changed. The Book of Fires was one of three books shortlisted for this year’s Orange Award for New Writers. That suggested that it might be something rather special, and so the order went in...more

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Jun 22, 2010 Marie rated it 4 of 5 stars

In The Book of Fires, young Agnes learns that she is pregnant and runs off to London leaving her life and struggling family behind. Alone and scared, she ends up on the doorstep of Mr. Blacklock, a pyrotechnist, a fireworks maker. Soon she is working as his assistant, but continues to hide her condition. When a young man delivers some supplies to the workshop, Agnes sees a way to get out of her predicament and hatches a plan. Little does she know the Blacklock has been busy making his own plans....more

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Jun 21, 2010 Elaine rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2010

When will I get over my weakness for historical fiction? This had the slenderest of plots, choppy and often nonsensical, blended into endless digressions on natural landscapes and the science of fireworks. The historical atmosphere was completely hackneyed (and has been written a thousand times of every era from Shakespeare's to WWII) -- a crowded filthy criminal starving London peopled by sly servants and good hearted whores -- the kind of thing we call Dickensian for a reason.. it's already be...more

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Jun 12, 2010 Denise rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

The Book of Fires is the story of Agnes Trussel, 17 and pregnant, in 1752. She flees her home in the countryside ,fearing the wrath of her father, and ends up in London, desperately hoping to find a way to survive. By chance she is taken in by Mr. Blacklock, a fireworks maker, and she proves adept at learning the art. She hides her pregnancy, but must figure out a better solution as she obviously can't hide it forever.

I really enjoyed this book! The details of making fireworks, the history of li...more

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Feb 13, 2010 Stephanie D. rated it 5 of 5 stars

"...[T:]hey do not see fire for what it is."

"What is it really sir?" I ask.

"Many things to many people," he replies. "To us, to pyrotechny, it provides exhiliration, a soaring pleasure, during a display. And pain, debt, guilt, grief, all these troubles, we have momentary respite from. What a gift that is...It transports the senses far above the moment, above happiness itself; it provides a pure kind of change or space inside us. It quenches a thirst for rapture that we might not even know we had...more "...[T:]hey do not see fire for what it is."

"What is it really sir?" I ask.

"Many things to many people," he replies. "To us, to pyrotechny, it provides exhiliration, a soaring pleasure, during a display. And pain, debt, guilt, grief, all these troubles, we have momentary respite from. What a gift that is...It transports the senses far above the moment, above happiness itself; it provides a pure kind of change or space inside us. It quenches a thirst for rapture that we might not even know we had."

It is 1752 and seventeen-year-old Agnes Trussel arrives in London pregnant with an unwanted child. Lost and frightened, she finds herself at the home of Mr. J. Blacklock, a brooding fireworks maker who hires Agnes as an apprentice. As she learns to make rockets, portfires, and fiery rain, she slowly gains his trust and joins his quest to make the most spectacular fireworks the world has ever seen.

The Book of Fires by Jane Borodale abounds with all manner of fires indeed. There are tangible fires in the form of wondrous fireworks made by Agnes and Mr. Blacklock, an 18th Century pyrotechnician. And then there are the metaphorical fires. The burning secret of Agnes's hidden pregnancy and her guilt over the gold coins she has purloined. The spark of attraction she feels for the handsome Cornelius Soul, a gunpowder merchant. The meteoric knowledge and experience she gains under the tutelage of the volatile Mr. Blacklock, as well as the slow, smolder of feeling that grows between them.

18th Century London is a fearsome place here, despite its marvels. From the moment Agnes arrives fresh from the country, there is a sense of possible combustion at every turn - a menacing situation ready to explode and catch our naive heroine by cruel surprise.

Will her pregnancy be revealed? Will the constable come and arrest her for thieving? Will she fall into prostitution? Who will she fall in love with - Cornelius or Mr. Blacklock? The story - like the best sparklers - never turned out the way I thought it would.

Borodale transported me to this place and time so effectively that I could hardly bear to put this book down, so anxious I was to find out what would happen to Agnes. I loved this world of early pyrotechnics, the descriptions of different fireworks and how they were made like bright bursts in an otherwise tension-filled narrative.

The Book of Fires by Jane Borodale is a spectacular, un-putdownable novel.(less)

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Jan 25, 2010 Debbie rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: historical, fiction

"The Book of Fires" is a richly detail historical set in England in 1752-53. It's clear that the author did her research, and the details of 18th century life and firework making brought the world alive in my imagination. However, at times this turned into a very pleasant "how they did it" historical lesson that didn't move the plot forward and so slowed the pace. History-lovers won't care, but others might find these spots boring.

I didn't particularly like the characters, but they were complex....more

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Jun 19, 2012 Amanda rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I was bored to tears and decided to put it down even though I was at the half way point. I jumped to the end and was a little curious on how it ended. So I ended up finishing it and it wasn't as horrible as I first thought. I copied a review I thought said everything for me.

**(Below) Taken from Linda C's review. She hit the nail on the head with her review.**

I really, really, really wanted to like this book, and I tried really, really hard, but, at the end of the day, it was about as interesting...more

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Dec 08, 2009 Barb rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: hf-1700s, read-in-2009, vine, favs-of-2009, favorites, on-the-keeper-shelf

Look Out World Here Comes Jane Borodale

I am a hard reader to please. It's rare that I give four or five stars to a book, it's even more rare that I find something that I love as much as this first novel by Jane Borodale.

'The Book of Fires' is a novel that evokes vivid images of seventeenth century England. The book opens in graphic detail with the Trussel family's endeavor to butcher the spring pig.

Agnes Trussel, seventeen, unwed and pregnant, runs away from home to spare her family the shame...more

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Apr 23, 2010 Kari rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

From my blog post:

http://alas3lads.blogspot.com/2010/04...

Seventeen year-old Agnes Trussel lives in rural Sussex, England with her family. It's winter 1752 and times are difficult - everyone works hard, but there are just too many mouths to feed and never enough food or money. When Agnes becomes pregnant out of wedlock, she is filled with fear and shame. She decides that she cannot bear for her family to know of her disgrace and she runs away to London. Upon arriving in the dirty, bustling city,...more From my blog post:

http://alas3lads.blogspot.com/2010/04...

Seventeen year-old Agnes Trussel lives in rural Sussex, England with her family. It's winter 1752 and times are difficult - everyone works hard, but there are just too many mouths to feed and never enough food or money. When Agnes becomes pregnant out of wedlock, she is filled with fear and shame. She decides that she cannot bear for her family to know of her disgrace and she runs away to London. Upon arriving in the dirty, bustling city, Agnes is scared and alone. She meets a fireworks maker named Mr. J. Blacklock. He is a strange and moody man, but, he offers Agnes employment as his apprentice. She readily accepts his job offer and moves into his home/workshop, all the while, concealing her pregnancy from everyone. As time passes, Agnes discovers that she has quite the penchant for the science of fireworks. She quickly learns the skills needed to make rockets, portfires, and fiery rain fireworks. She and Mr. Blacklock maintain a peculiar relationship with little interaction except for the necessary shop-talk. But, they come to realize that they both share a passion for creating spectacular fireworks.
It becomes harder and harder for Agnes to continue concealing her secret. She lives in dread and fear of what will happen once her pregnancy is revealed. She soon meets Cornelius Soul, who sells gunpowder to Mr. Blacklock. When Cornelius begins to flirt and show an interest in Agnes, she considers a plan that may save her from her situation. But, as she gets closer to Cornelius, why does Mr. Blacklock seem to harbor such disapproval and resentment of their relationship? As the firework making continues, Mr. Blacklock becomes more and more reclusive. Agnes feels that he is working on something very important. She does not understand why he is acting so secretively. Little does she know that he has been watching her and is working on a plan of his own. Summer arrives and with it comes some very shocking twists to this story. Agnes finds that her future is going to turn out a little differently than she expected.

I loved this book! Historic fiction of this nature is my favorite genre and this story had me hooked from page one. Agnes was an innocent, desperate character who showed bravery and determination. The fact that this story revolved around the science of fireworks was very unique and made it even more interesting. The ending was totally unexpected but really beautiful. I love when a story surprises me and this one did.
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Dec 04, 2012 Kimberly Paw rated it 1 of 5 stars

I find this book disappointing. It's boring and the pyrotechnical or whatever terms confused me.

(view spoiler)...more

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May 27, 2010 Indiaskye rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: books-read-in-2010, historical-fiction, england-17th-to-19th-century

"The Book of Fires" is a really good book. It wasn't flawless or perfect, and it didn't leave me with that "WOW --- this book was really, really great" feeling (which is why I am only giving it 4 stars), but it was still a very good book.

I have to admit that after reading the first few chapters I was a bit skeptical about whether I would like it. The writing seemed somehow very distanced and wooden at first, which made it difficult to empathize with the characters. But by the time Agnes Trussell...more

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Aug 01, 2011 Erin rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

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Mar 01, 2012 Elizabeth rated it 4 of 5 stars

I'm a big fan of historical fiction in general, so it's no surprise that I liked this book, but even given that, I thought this was a particularly well done book. It's about a time period and setting (England 1752) that doesn't get a ton of press, especially in this sort of plot: average girl in an unfortunately average situation, living a more or less average life. There were some seriously ordinary details that made it live--the unwanted pregnancy due to rape, women with an absolute lack of op...more

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Aug 03, 2010 Dani (Pen to Paper) rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: favorites

Jane Borodale is definitely an author to be looking out for in the future. The Book of Fires is her debut novel, which follows the story of Agnes Trussel, a Seventeen-year-old girl from rural Sussex, who at the beginning of the novel finds herself in the family way and leaves her home for London to spare her family the shame of her condition.
Upon moving to London she finds herself suddenly in the employment of John Blackstock, a pioneering pyrotechnist, making and experimenting with fireworks.

I...more

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Jan 10, 2010 Yukari rated it 4 of 5 stars

I love historic novels, especially British ones. And "the Book of Fires" is a well written one. Atmospheric and captivating. However, I can't help feeling something is amiss.

This is a story of a naive country girl's survival. 17 year old Agnes Trussel becomes pregnant, and in order to avoid a terrible marriage and family disgrace, she flees to London. She meets a kind young girl Lettice on the way to London. Agnes almost joins Lettice, whom Agnes doesn't know that time is a prostitute. By chance...more

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Mar 21, 2010 Jenny Q rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

From the Inside Flap:

"It is 1752. Winter is approaching, and two secrets - an unwanted pregnancy and a theft - drive seventeen-year-old Agnes Trussel to run away from her home in rural Sussex. Lost and frightened as night descends on the menacing streets of London, she is drawn to a curious sign depicting a man holding a star. It is the home of Mr. J. Blackclock, a brooding fireworks maker who is grieving for his recently deceased wife. He hires Agnes as his apprentice, and as she learns to make...more From the Inside Flap:

"It is 1752. Winter is approaching, and two secrets - an unwanted pregnancy and a theft - drive seventeen-year-old Agnes Trussel to run away from her home in rural Sussex. Lost and frightened as night descends on the menacing streets of London, she is drawn to a curious sign depicting a man holding a star. It is the home of Mr. J. Blackclock, a brooding fireworks maker who is grieving for his recently deceased wife. He hires Agnes as his apprentice, and as she learns to make rockets, portfires and fiery rain, she slowly gains the laconic Blacklock's trust. He initiates her into his peculiar art and sparks in her a shared obsession for creating the most spectacular fireworks the world has ever seen.

But her condition is becoming harder to conceal, and through it all, the clock is ticking - for Agnes's secret will not stay hidden forever. Soon she meets Cornelius Soul, seller of gunpowder, and she conceives of a plan that could save her. But why does Blacklock so vehemently disapprove of Mr. Soul? And what is Blacklock hiding from her? Could he be on the brink of a discovery that will change pyrotechny forever? A summer storm is brewing - but Agnes has no idea that her mysterious mentor has been watching her, and hatching plans of his own...The Book of Fires is a captivating debut of fireworks, redemption, and the strange alchemy that will forever change the fortunes of a young woman once bound for ruin."

Sounds like a great tale of misfortune, mysterious secrets and love, doesn't it?

Well, it's really not. That's an excellent synopsis; who wouldn't buy the book based on that description? Unfortunately, the inside flap is much more exciting than the book itself, and rather misleading, though I won't give away the plot by elaborating on the details.

I wanted to read this book the first time I saw it featured on another blog and was so excited when I won a copy, but overall I was disappointed with it. It's a very well written book; I loved the descriptiveness of it and learning how fireworks were made in 18th century London was great. Agnes is also a very likeable heroine and it's easy to get swept into her life, but the story didn't have enough "meat" for me, and that problem was compounded by an unexpected twist that made the ending not at all what I was expecting or hoping for, and I felt it wrapped things up just a little too conveniently. However, I think this author has potential and I would read more from her if forthcoming novels have more engaging plots.
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Jul 05, 2011 Paul rated it 3 of 5 stars

A pleasant and fairly easygoing historical novel set in eighteenth London (briefly in Sussex). Agnes Trusel runs away from her Sussex home; she is young and pregnant and knows her family cannot cope with another mouth to feed. The novel is set during the period when enclosure was taking place and rural life was increasingly difficult. Agnes goes to London and becomes assistant to John Blacklock, who makes fireworks. She picks up the skill very quickly and becomes indispensible. However the other...more

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Jun 13, 2010 Helen rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: library-books, historical-fiction

Agnes Trussel is a seventeen year old girl whose life is thrown into turmoil when she discovers she is pregnant and runs away to London to start a new life. In London she is lucky enough to find employment as an assistant to the firework maker John Blacklock but as she desperately tries to hide her pregnancy from everyone around her, she starts to realise that she's not the only one with secrets...

When I first heard about this book last year I was immediately interested in reading it but eventua...more Agnes Trussel is a seventeen year old girl whose life is thrown into turmoil when she discovers she is pregnant and runs away to London to start a new life. In London she is lucky enough to find employment as an assistant to the firework maker John Blacklock but as she desperately tries to hide her pregnancy from everyone around her, she starts to realise that she's not the only one with secrets...

When I first heard about this book last year I was immediately interested in reading it but eventually decided to give it a miss - until I saw that it had been shortlisted for the Orange Award for New Writers. Of course, being shortlisted for an award doesn't guarantee that a book will be good, but it does usually mean that there will at least be something different or special about it that makes it worth reading.

Well, it was worth reading, but I did also have a few problems with the book - the first being that it's written in the first person present tense. There have been a few books written in the present tense that I've enjoyed, but usually I find it distracting - and that was the case here. I also found it difficult to connect to any of the characters, even Agnes herself. It wasn't that they were badly drawn or uninteresting - Cornelius Soul the gunpowder seller, Mrs Blight the housekeeper and the mysterious Lettice Talbot wouldn't be out of place in a Dickens novel - I just couldn't engage with them or care about them very much. When I read historical fiction I like to feel as if I've been transported back in time and as if I'm there experiencing things along with the characters. Unfortunately I didn't feel any of that with this book.

The plot itself was interesting enough. I struggled with the opening chapters -which described the slaughter of a pig in an unnecessary amount of detail - but after that, when Agnes arrived in London I started to enjoy the story more. The descriptions of firework making were fascinating. It was particularly interesting to learn about the early experiments and research that would eventually lead to the discovery of coloured fireworks.

Despite the negative points I mentioned above, I kept on reading to the last page because I wanted to know how the story ended - and I was rewarded with a surprising ending that I hadn't been expecting. In fact, the final few chapters were great and made me glad I'd persevered with the book.

Would I recommend it? I'm not sure - there are much better historical fiction novels out there in my opinion - but if it appeals to you then give it a try and see what you think. (less)

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About Jane Borodale

Jane Borodale has a postgraduate degree in site-specific sculpture from Wimbledon School of Art. She has written and exhibited work for a variety of sites, including the Foundling Museum in London and the Wordsworth Trust, Cumbria. She was recently Leverhulme Artist in Residence at the Weald and Downland Open Air Museum in Sussex, and lives in the Westcountry with her husband, poet Sean Borodale,...more

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Quotes from The Book Of Fires

“The only certain way to forge new understanding it to carry out investigations for oneself.” — 4 people liked it

“What a waste of beauty, what a waste of knowledge a sudden death can inflict, like spilling something vital away into dry soil.” — 3 people liked it

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