Book Review - 'The Blazing World' by Margaret Cavendish

Lady Duchess Empress Margaret Cavendish, this "Blazing World" of yours fascinates and enchants, yet perplexes and frustrates me.

'The Blazing World', the first science fiction novel written by a woman. Arguable the first science fiction novel period, brought to us in 1666.

I am mixed and betwixt about it: It is fifty or so pages long, yet the writing is very dense, the small print not helping; the writing itself is terrible - complicated grammar with no editing, the beginning has no plot and is all tell and no show; it's about science questions from our protagonist, the kidnapped earth Lady-turned-Empress of the Blazing World, and the scientific, theoretical and fantastical answers from her animal-hybrid subjects of said world; the novella starts off rushed and rubbish yet annoyingly slow, before finally there is some action involving souls and spirits, and a Duchess of Newcastle who becomes "Platonik lovers" and dear friends with the Empress, and a war and conquering in our world; the story (such as it can be called that) contains so many interesting concepts and ideas - about science, theory, debate, discovery, limitless knowledge, human nature, politics, religion, building a utopia, and most beautiful for all times, the power of female companionship, love, and female leaders.

The female protagonist in the first science fiction is a Lady in distress, then an Empress of her own world, then a goddess of both worlds and beyond. She is curious, inquisitive, witty, learned, sensitive, assertive, and fierce. She is like Boudica, and is likened to an angel, a devil, a princess, and a queen.

The Empress is also highly respected; no question whatsoever is made of her rule and decision making, based on her being a woman. However, that she may have turned ruthless, conquering, single-minded tyrant - fires and suns and stars blazing - at the end, seemed to have been lost on the author. Nevertheless, the Empress remains smart, fearless, cooperative, and admirable.

'The Blazing World' also talks about the concept of creating our own worlds, in our minds, and in corporal reality, and how this can be achieved, and what there is to consider in this endeavour to lovingly nourish a utopia. Margaret Cavendish, as well as not hiding the fact that the Empress and the Duchess, both nameless (though nobody is named here), are her self-insert avatars, also admits to wanting to create this, her Blazing World, among other worlds suited to her idea of perfection, in her writing - an outlet for her fruitful imagination and education. How very meta for her time.

This kind of creativity and forethought is what enchants me most about this bizarre piece of literature. For it is about creating new, ideal worlds, and how blurred the lines are between reality and fiction. In a cosmic way, 'The Blazing World' is about every writer's dream.

Thoroughly, it represents what science fiction is and is supposed to be.

So I shall keep this monumental tome of history - of science fiction and feminism. Bad writing aside, it is revolutionary in forms that are as many as there are stars and jewels (there are plenty of descriptions of pretty stones as well). It could be about anything, and everything.

(It might be better enjoyed skimming than tediously reading through.)

Final Score: 3/5