A Beautiful Coming of Age Story
The book initially centers around a classic theme - the friendship of two girls from different classes, Ursula and Mary, the daughters of the master's and servants' families, respectively. The girls, as the age-old tail would see, do not understand the dynamic of their differing social classes and merely fill in the blanks in their play together. Ursula carries her knowledge to her disadvantaged friend and the two begin to learn classic literature and theater together, working together to compensate for Mary's inability to read.
Ursula is an easily likable and believable protagonist; messy yet kind and born under the sign of an ominous comet, she often goes sticking her nose into places she knows she is not allowed and absorbs her lessons in Latin like a sponge. After meeting an actress, Ursula is smitten with dreams of the stage and the glorious lifestyle of the famous. The text is written with the starstruck language and romanticisation of a young girl, making it comical to read and easy to rally behind Ursula's inherent kindness, curiosity, and altruism for others.
The Illumination of Ursula Flight is a witty tale told from the eyes of a young girl learning about her status in society and which expectations of herself she is willing to follow and deny.
Ursula is an easily likable and believable protagonist; messy yet kind and born under the sign of an ominous comet, she often goes sticking her nose into places she knows she is not allowed and absorbs her lessons in Latin like a sponge. After meeting an actress, Ursula is smitten with dreams of the stage and the glorious lifestyle of the famous. The text is written with the starstruck language and romanticisation of a young girl, making it comical to read and easy to rally behind Ursula's inherent kindness, curiosity, and altruism for others.
The Illumination of Ursula Flight is a witty tale told from the eyes of a young girl learning about her status in society and which expectations of herself she is willing to follow and deny.