Conway paints the glittering promise and inequities of Georgian England in this delightful fictive memoir of societally caged Margaret Bryan, an inspiring real-life figure who harbored a passion and talent for mathematics and the natural sciences at a time when most women’s greatest opportunity in life was to marry well and have children. Following her Mamie's irrevocable faith that she possesses “the gift…[to] understand the music of mathematics,” Margaret convinces her uncle to indulge her in a formal clock-making apprenticeship—a vocation deemed unfit for women—and soon masters the technicalities of mathematics, clock-making, and astronomy, even more so than her male colleagues. Margaret’s successes, and a hefty inheritance from her uncle, prompt her to establish a boarding school for young women interested in a scientific education. Seasoned with feminist observations of 18th and 19th-century norms and traditions, the narrative dives into the plight of womanhood through Margaret's intellect and independence, showcasing the patriarchal stumbling blocks that often block women’s progress and stymie the full expression of their genius. "It is ridiculous the games women must play to achieve anything of their own in this world," Margaret’s friend Georgiana, the Duchess of Devonshire, muses, as she insists on having Margaret's textbook published without using a male pseudonym—but must do so under the pretense that Margaret is domesticated and has children of her own, contrary to her reality of being childless and unmarried.
The narrative’s sprawling style and loosely tied plot—the fates of some admirable characters are conveyed with an air of detachment—may hinder reader connection at times, but this engaging debut entertains with its first-hand peek at royal class gossip, digressing into betrayals and infidelities that star an upper echelons cast, going so far as to include Princess Caroline, the wife of Prince George IV. At its core, this vivid portrayal of Margaret Bryan's life shows the strength of a determined woman who dares to live a life of the mind.
Takeaway: Empowering tale of Margaret Bryan living the life she chooses in Georgian England.
Comparable Titles: Jessie Burton's The Miniaturist, Philippa Gregory's The Other Boleyn Girl.
Production grades
Cover: A-
Design and typography: A
Illustrations: A-
Editing: A-
Marketing copy: A
