First published 2008
Fleeing a tragic loss, the Kellaway family uproots from rural Dorset to the tumult of 1792 London. Jem, the youngest Kellaway, befriends the streetwise Maggie Butterfield. Their bond deepens as they become entangled in the life of their neighbor, the visionary printer, poet, and radical William Blake. As Blake guides the pair from innocence to experience, they must navigate the unpredictable city, its political upheaval, and their own transformative journey to adulthood. At the heart of this coming-of-age tale lies the power of art and friendship to shape one's path through the chaos of the world.
Genres: literary-fiction, historical-fiction, coming-of-age, 19th-century
Vibes: atmospheric, intimate, thought-provoking
Tropes: coming-of-age, found-family
Setting: London (England)
Period: 1792
336 pages · Paperback · Penguin Books