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A review by heidirgorecki
By Any Other Name by Jodi Picoult
hopeful
informative
inspiring
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
First let me just say the cover of this is gorgeous. Whoever created and chose that should be applauded.
I enjoyed reading about the potential of a woman being basically the ghost writer for William Shakespeare. It’s an interesting concept and makes a ton of sense given the time and limitation on what women were allowed to do at the time and how bizarre all the constraints were in society in general back in medieval times. And of course any mystery of that magnitude easily becomes a legend.
I liked Emilia’s character, although I’ve read multiple historical articles (cuz I deep dive all interesting historical books) that all said she became Hundson’s mistress at 18, not 13. Maybe not a big deal but it sort of feels like a significant difference to me between selling a child vs an adult as a mistress and changes the narrative a bit on the desperation of her circumstances.
Regardless, I enjoyed her tenacity, her forthrightness and all the nuggets about paving the way and planting the seeds before you for others even if you never see the fruit of them. Really great lessons woven into a great character.
Melina on the other hand, I did not like. Her story gave the book an undertone of angst and bitterness that I really did not enjoy.
Melina was self-centered and self absorbed - not just with Andre and the play but with every single person in her life. Yeah, she may be completely right in the discrimination of women in the art world, but she just turned everything she went thru (not just her writing) into a pity party or offense towards herself without remotely examining and considering how others involved were affected or maybe that it wasn’t all about her. I really could have done without her sections it was just all so petty and immature.
Overall the book was also super long, and I wish it was a little more condensed. But I did like what I learned about Emilia and the possible alternative to Shakespeare and I would recommend the book.
Thanks to Netgalley for the advanced copy of this book. All opinions are mine.
I enjoyed reading about the potential of a woman being basically the ghost writer for William Shakespeare. It’s an interesting concept and makes a ton of sense given the time and limitation on what women were allowed to do at the time and how bizarre all the constraints were in society in general back in medieval times. And of course any mystery of that magnitude easily becomes a legend.
I liked Emilia’s character, although I’ve read multiple historical articles (cuz I deep dive all interesting historical books) that all said she became Hundson’s mistress at 18, not 13. Maybe not a big deal but it sort of feels like a significant difference to me between selling a child vs an adult as a mistress and changes the narrative a bit on the desperation of her circumstances.
Regardless, I enjoyed her tenacity, her forthrightness and all the nuggets about paving the way and planting the seeds before you for others even if you never see the fruit of them. Really great lessons woven into a great character.
Melina on the other hand, I did not like. Her story gave the book an undertone of angst and bitterness that I really did not enjoy.
Melina was self-centered and self absorbed - not just with Andre and the play but with every single person in her life. Yeah, she may be completely right in the discrimination of women in the art world, but she just turned everything she went thru (not just her writing) into a pity party or offense towards herself without remotely examining and considering how others involved were affected or maybe that it wasn’t all about her. I really could have done without her sections it was just all so petty and immature.
Overall the book was also super long, and I wish it was a little more condensed. But I did like what I learned about Emilia and the possible alternative to Shakespeare and I would recommend the book.
Thanks to Netgalley for the advanced copy of this book. All opinions are mine.