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The Secret Confessions of Anne Shakespeare
by
Arliss Ryan
An inventive and vibrant historical novel about the woman who dared to be the equal of the Bard of Avon.
Dramatizing a marriage born of passion and strained by ambition, Arliss Ryan's fascinating historical novel chronicles a love affair for the ages, and the story of a woman who dares to fulfill her own surprising destiny.
Anne Hathaway is weighing her prospects for marr...more
Dramatizing a marriage born of passion and strained by ambition, Arliss Ryan's fascinating historical novel chronicles a love affair for the ages, and the story of a woman who dares to fulfill her own surprising destiny.
Anne Hathaway is weighing her prospects for marr...more
Paperback, 480 pages
Published
June 1st 2010
by NAL Trade
(first published May 31st 2010)
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This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it,
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originally posted at http://historical-fiction.com
In a death bed confession to her beloved granddaughter, Anne Shakespeare (nee Hathaway) relates the secret life she lead after following her young husband to London when their children were very young. Feeling a burden to her parents-in-law in their already too crowded home, Anne set out to help Will with the usual wifely duties, but found—when presented with the props and environment of the theater—she had a talent not only for sewing the elabor...more
In a death bed confession to her beloved granddaughter, Anne Shakespeare (nee Hathaway) relates the secret life she lead after following her young husband to London when their children were very young. Feeling a burden to her parents-in-law in their already too crowded home, Anne set out to help Will with the usual wifely duties, but found—when presented with the props and environment of the theater—she had a talent not only for sewing the elabor...more
This tale of William Shakespeare’s wife is a romance unlike any other. Anne Shakespeare’s husband and lovers pale in comparison to her true love - writing. I’ve never read another work that captures the passion that springs between creator and creation. Ryan’s devotion to both her character and the craft of literature bring to life the exquisite thrill of being an artist. Anyone who loves to tell stories will be able to see themselves in Anne. She’s an unforgettable character, and her story is e...more
I've studied a lot of classical literature at the University level, and have studied the Renaissance, as well as the life of Shakespeare, in great detail.
There is a lot of his life that is left up to speculation, as very little actual documentation or plays remains intact (or was every recorded for that matter).
What I liked about this book, was the author stuck to the facts we do know about Shakespeare, and then filled in the gaps with her fiction.
As such, the feel of the story was very belie...more
There is a lot of his life that is left up to speculation, as very little actual documentation or plays remains intact (or was every recorded for that matter).
What I liked about this book, was the author stuck to the facts we do know about Shakespeare, and then filled in the gaps with her fiction.
As such, the feel of the story was very belie...more
This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it,
click here.
Sep 27, 2010
Amber (The Musings of ALMYBNENR)
rated it
4 of 5 stars
Recommends it for:
Shakespeare fans and authorship debate fans.
I spent a lot of time with this book. I am not quite sure why. It was a long one, though that usually does not deter me. It might have been my two classes. Whatever the case, I took longer than usual to read it, but that is not an indicator of how much I liked the book.
Because I did enjoy it. It is written from the first person point of view of Anne Hathaway Shakespeare. Since I had read another book on William Shakespeare that included another Anne (yes, Will’s marriage, not only his authorship...more
Because I did enjoy it. It is written from the first person point of view of Anne Hathaway Shakespeare. Since I had read another book on William Shakespeare that included another Anne (yes, Will’s marriage, not only his authorship...more
Loved this book! Amazingly well-written and the idea that William Shakespeare's wife, Anne was the true powerhouse writer behind William Shakespeare's fame is intriguing and made for a very entertaining read. I also learned so much about many of the plays written by Shakespeare and the political and cultural climate in England during this time. So glad I gave this book a chance!
Very little is known about Anne Shakespeare, so Arliss Ryan just plain makes it up. She posits that Anne lived with Will in London (leaving her children with her in-laws) and did a great deal of the writing of his plays. It was a fun read, filled with real people who knew Shakespeare. My only complaint is that it was rather long.
I really enjoyed this book, it gave me a new perspective on Shakespeare's plays. Not because they might have been written by a woman, but because of the way the author of this book describe the characters and what may have been behind the invention of these characters. This book rekindled in me a desire to again read many of these plays, and to give ones I never really cared for a second chance. the story itself was well written and engrossing told from the perspective of Anne Shakespeare as she...more
I really loved this story. Obviously, there is no way of knowing what really happened back in that time, but I found the story very plausible. If nothing else it very much shows what a woman's life was like in that time. Life was very restrictive for everyone in this time, but especially for woman.
A very unique idea created a great plot. Although it's a work of fiction, it's easy to read and easy to believe. Anne is a strong, female protagonist and tells a wonderful story.
The true authorship of Shakespeare’s plays has long been debated, and Ryan throws her hat into the ring with her own fictional explanation. Well written, historical fans as well as Shakespeare fans will enjoy this book. I loved it on both accounts. Seeing real-life characters like Ben Johnson and Kit Marlowe brought to life was a treat.
This is an extremely entertaining and enthralling story of love and discovery. It was a great book and I have recommended it to friends!
I gave this book a lot of time, but just couldn't get into it and finally gave up.
Loved the premise that perhaps someone else could have written some of these plays and not just the romance/comedies. Well written, easy to follow with well developed characters. Learned quite a bit about the theatre during this time period.
Loved this book. It has always been debated whether or not Shakespeare had a ghost writer and this book explores who the ghost writer could be. I had to read Shakespeare in school and hated it, now I want to go back and read them after seeing the background possibilities
I couldn't even begin to push myself through this book. It really bothered me that it suggested that William Shakespeare didn't write his plays and it made him seem cold-hearted. Being a Shakespeare fan, I don't really like books that suggest such things. Plus, if after 100 pages i still don't like it, i usually just quit. why waste my time?
I loved this book. Although I recognize it was complete fiction, while immersed in the story I was willing to believe. And I fear I'll never quite look at Shakespeare in the same way again.
For my complete review, visit Reading World.
For my complete review, visit Reading World.
I enjoyed this book and appreciated the author's creative story line. A true Shakespearean would likely take issue with the premise of the book, however, it is presented as a novel with a "what if" scenario. At the end of the book, I thought it was believable. I would give this 3-1/2 stars - if there were 1/2 star options.
Facinating historical perspective, learned quite about about the plays, but found Anne Shakespeare's character a little mercenary in her persistent willingness to leave/neglect their children.
Apr 06, 2013
Jill
marked it as to-read
Mar 24, 2013
Courtney
marked it as to-read
Mar 22, 2013
Lori
marked it as to-read
Mar 20, 2013
Geremy
marked it as to-read
Mar 16, 2013
Kathleen
marked it as to-read
Mar 08, 2013
Stephanie
marked it as to-read
Feb 27, 2013
Meggie
marked it as to-read
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