❥ Thank you for the free audiobook PRH Audio. Thank you for the free book, author Jodi Picoult + BookSparks.
Synopsis
Young playwright Melina Green has just written a new work inspired by the life of her Elizabethan ancestor Emilia Bassano. But seeing it performed is unlikely, in a theater world where the playing field isn’t level for women. As Melina wonders if she dares risk failure again, her best friend submits the play to a festival under a male pseudonym.
In 1581, young Emilia Bassano is a ward of English aristocrats. Her lessons on languages, history, and writing have endowed her with a sharp wit and a gift for storytelling, but like most women of her day, she is allowed no voice of her own. Forced to become a mistress to the Lord Chamberlain, who oversees all theatre productions in England, Emilia sees firsthand how the words of playwrights can move an audience. She begins to form a plan to secretly bring a play of her own to the stage—by paying an actor named William Shakespeare to front her work.
Thoughts
Oh, my heart! This is by far my favorite book of 2024 (so far). I love this story on so many levels, from the gorgeous cover to the thought-provoking author’s note. This book masterfully blends the most famous author of all time, controversial conspiracies, elements of feminism, the first female poet, and intertwining timelines into an unforgettable tale of courage, love, and achievement.
Picoult turned well-researched historical evidence into a poignant story that is both plausible and memorable. Wait until you read that author’s note; it’s the cherry on top!
Whether you love classic literature, strong female characters, historical fiction, or inspirational stories, add this to your TBR.
❥ Listening to this via audio was phenomenal. Narrators Billie Fulford-Brown, Laura Benanti, Jodi Picoult, Jayne Entwistle, Andrew Fallaize, Joe Jameson, John Lee, Nicholas Guy Smith, Simon Vance, and Steve West did an amazing job.