The Inner Flame: A Novel

"The Inner Flame: A Novel" by Clara Louise Burnham is a story set in the early 1900s that looks at love, giving up what you want, and growing as a person, all while dealing with tough times and relationships. The story focuses on Mary Sidney and her son Philip, who live in a far-off mountain cabin and try to figure out art, what their family wants for them, and what life means. We begin in a snug cabin during a bad storm, where Mary and her cousin, Mrs. Fabian, talk about their lives and how time has passed. Mary shows how much she cares for her son Philip, who wants to be an artist, and how she struggles with her husband, who is a mining engineer. The book shows how family and what others expect can be hard to deal with as Philip chases his dreams and tries to make his mom proud while also finding his own way.