EDITOR’S CHOICE
A spellbinding portrait of Margaret Fuller—Carol Strickland vividly illuminates her brilliance, audacity, and the timeless relevance of her story.
“Sparks Fly Up: The Lost Story of Margaret Fuller” by Carol Strickland is a compelling historical novel that vividly brings to life the remarkable yet often forgotten figure of Margaret Fuller. Strickland masterfully weaves together a narrative that is both character-driven and historically grounded, immersing readers in Fuller’s passionate, trailblazing existence. Fuller is presented not merely as a footnote in American transcendentalism but as a vibrant, multi-faceted firebrand whose intellect and ambition challenged the status quo of her time.
Fuller’s connections with the luminaries of her era—Emerson, Thoreau, Hawthorne, and Whitman—offer readers a fascinating lens into mid-19th-century intellectual circles. Strickland excels at portraying these relationships with nuance, offering both admiration and critique in equal measure. The novel also succeeds in balancing Fuller’s public achievements, such as her pioneering writings on women’s rights, with her private struggles and controversial choices, including her affair and motherhood outside of marriage. These elements humanise Fuller, rendering her neither a saint nor a scandal but a trailblazer on her own terms.
The backdrop of posthumous debates among her contemporaries adds an additional layer of tension and intrigue. Strickland uses this framing device to explore the enduring ethical dilemmas of individual ambition versus collective responsibility. The stakes feel particularly poignant in the novel’s gripping climax, which is emotionally resonant and cinematically vivid.
Meticulously researched and beautifully written, “Sparks Fly Up” does justice to Fuller’s extraordinary life while raising questions that resonate far beyond the 19th century. Strickland’s portrayal of Fuller as a woman of passion, intellect, and uncompromising vision ensures her legacy burns brightly, inspiring readers both then and now. A must-read for lovers of historical fiction and feminist literature alike.
