A young poet
strolling in the cemetery of the Holy Trinity Church in
Stratford-upon-Avon is accosted by an ancient gardener. He offers to
sell her Anne Hathaway’s, Mrs. Shapespearse’s, diary. Realizing that she may be duped, the poet buys the diary, has it
translated and begins to read.
The diary, which the
poet is having authenticated by scientists, reveals Anne Hathaway as
a talented writer and poet in her own right. Far from being the older
wife, hidden away in the country, Anne clips her hair, dons men’s
clothing and lives with Shakespeare as his cousin. In her male role,
Anne collaborates with her husband on the plays and adds poetry of
her own. Together they experience the excitement of the London
theater and the court, including a conspiracy against Shakespeare
founded in jealousy and lust.
The book is fiction,
but the imaginings follow what is known about Shakespeare. Anne is a
delightful character, an independent woman, who collaborates with her
husband in a way no one expects. The book gives a fascinating picture
of London at the time seen through the eyes of someone intimately
engaged in the exciting theater world.
I am not a
Shakespeare scholar, so I can’t comment on how closely the book
follows history or the known facts of Shakespeare’s life. However,
it’s a good read and an interesting hypothesis. If you enjoy
historical novels based on real characters, I think you’ll enjoy
this book. I did.
I received this book
from Turner Publishing for this review.
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