Margaret the First by Danielle Dutton is a novella based on the life of Margaret Cavendish, an English poet and scientist in the 17th century, and the first woman in England to write for publication.

Knowing nothing else about Cavendish or this novella, I wasn’t really sure what to expect. Much to my delight (after several recent reads that were highly disappointing), I found myself immediately engaged in the story, thoroughly convinced at the strong voice of the narrator and the flow of the writing.

My biggest issue with this book was that partway through, Danielle Dutton chose to switch from a first person narrative to third person. Having come to love Margaret’s voice so much, feeling so connected to her, I was really disappointed that with this switch in narrative, some of that closeness was inevitably lost. However, I was so completely enchanted with the novella that I trusted Danielle Dutton and felt, even with such a strange choice, that I was still in excellent hands. She could have taken the reader on a much stranger journey and I would have been 100% willing to go along for the ride.

One true standout for me while reading Margaret the First was how much of myself I saw in Margaret. I identified so much with her quiet nature, the way she interacts with people, and her curiosity and love of learning.

This little novella packed a huge punch in such a short space and wormed its way effortlessly near the top of very favorite recent reads.