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The Shakespeare Mask
Winner of the Benjamin Franklin Gold Award in Historical Fiction
In the sixteenth century, a precocious young nobleman draws the attention of the Elizabethan court--and of the Virgin Queen herself. A writer and patron of the arts, Edward de Vere is volatile, controversial, and brilliant. He leaves a trail of women and scandal in his wake. But his plays, when he's in the queen's good graces, charm the court. His sonnets turn feelings into sound.
Yet the rules of the court say a nobleman may not publish. An earl's name is too sacred for the theater. If de Vere must write, he must do so anonymously. He must employ an almost-illiterate glove-maker from Stratford as his "mask," a man we know today as Shakespeare.
Newton Frohlich, author of the celebrated historical novel 1492, spent fifteen years researching the true identity of the poet and playwright who penned the most beloved works of the English language. The result is this award-winning novel--an ingenious and intimate portrayal of the complex man who a growing number of prominent scholars, writers, and actors believe wrote the works of Shakespeare.
The Shakespeare Mask deftly reveals the astonishing life of Edward de Vere, starting with his father's murder when Edward is a young boy to his close but difficult relationship with Queen Elizabeth to his compulsion to write plays as he travels in Europe. From the intrigue of the English court to the romance of Venetian canals, the magic and mystery of The Shakespeare Mask will keep you turning pages well into the night.
In the sixteenth century, a precocious young nobleman draws the attention of the Elizabethan court--and of the Virgin Queen herself. A writer and patron of the arts, Edward de Vere is volatile, controversial, and brilliant. He leaves a trail of women and scandal in his wake. But his plays, when he's in the queen's good graces, charm the court. His sonnets turn feelings into sound.
Yet the rules of the court say a nobleman may not publish. An earl's name is too sacred for the theater. If de Vere must write, he must do so anonymously. He must employ an almost-illiterate glove-maker from Stratford as his "mask," a man we know today as Shakespeare.
Newton Frohlich, author of the celebrated historical novel 1492, spent fifteen years researching the true identity of the poet and playwright who penned the most beloved works of the English language. The result is this award-winning novel--an ingenious and intimate portrayal of the complex man who a growing number of prominent scholars, writers, and actors believe wrote the works of Shakespeare.
The Shakespeare Mask deftly reveals the astonishing life of Edward de Vere, starting with his father's murder when Edward is a young boy to his close but difficult relationship with Queen Elizabeth to his compulsion to write plays as he travels in Europe. From the intrigue of the English court to the romance of Venetian canals, the magic and mystery of The Shakespeare Mask will keep you turning pages well into the night.
282 pages, Kindle Edition
First published July 8, 2014
4 people are currently reading
24 people want to read
About the author
Newton Frohlich
4 books6 followersNewton Frohlich is the award-winning author of the historical novel The Shakespeare Mask as well as 1492: A Novel of Christopher Columbus, the Spanish Inquisition & a World at the Turning Point and Making the Best of It: A Common-Sense Guide to Negotiating a Divorce. A former lawyer in Washington, D.C., he has also lived in the south of France, and Israel and now makes his home on Cape Cod with his wife, Martha, a musicologist.
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
December 4, 2014
I received a copy of this book from NetGalley in return for an honest review.
The idea that William Shakespeare didn't actually write any of the works credited to him is a totally new idea to me. It was a subject never covered in any of the history or literature class I took in high school or college. After reading this book, I intend on doing some pretty intense research. Edward De Vere, 17th Earl of Oxford, is thought by many scholars to be the real literary genius behind the works credited to William Shakespeare. True or not that statement has incredible amounts of potential. Too bad none of that potential was realized in this novel.
This novel fell short on so many levels. My biggest issue was the author's attempt to write a successful sex scene. First of all let me state, I don't think sex is necessary in books. A book can be written and read without ever including a single "bedroom scene". In the case of this novel, the author suggests De Vere has a sexual relationship with . On a side note, the author more or less suggests was some kind of whore who was constantly sharing a bed with various men at court. I don't for a second believe that to be an accurate description of . Anyway, the sex scene between the above mentioned couple is laughable to say the least. The author falls flat in his attempt to describe any sort of passion that may have existed. If you aren't comfortable describing sex, then don't.
The writing in this novel was horribly disjointed. I constantly had to go back and re-read other portions of the book to make sure I didn't miss something. For starters, going back and re-reading on a kindle is a pain in the ass. Secondly, nine times out of ten, I didn't miss anything. An example that comes to mind is the character of William Shakespeare. The author introduces William in his father's shop. De Vere places an order for gloves with a younger William and De Vere leaves the shop. William then appears later in the book and it's implied an established working relationship has developed between the two men but the reader never actually gets to experience the relationship development. Overall, the writer never gets to experience a lot of any kind of development whether it's plot or character.
One last thing that drove me a little bonkers was the over all tone of the book. This is a book about a man who scholars claim actually wrote great works like Othello, Hamlet, Romeo and Juliet, Richard III, etc., etc. The writer uses what I thought was a fairly modern tone throughout the book. I understand it would be difficult to write a book in the style of a Shakespeare play in this day and age but I found the modern tone to be slightly insulting. I can't imagine how someone with more knowledge than myself would feel reading this novel.
The idea that William Shakespeare didn't actually write any of the works credited to him is a totally new idea to me. It was a subject never covered in any of the history or literature class I took in high school or college. After reading this book, I intend on doing some pretty intense research. Edward De Vere, 17th Earl of Oxford, is thought by many scholars to be the real literary genius behind the works credited to William Shakespeare. True or not that statement has incredible amounts of potential. Too bad none of that potential was realized in this novel.
This novel fell short on so many levels. My biggest issue was the author's attempt to write a successful sex scene. First of all let me state, I don't think sex is necessary in books. A book can be written and read without ever including a single "bedroom scene". In the case of this novel, the author suggests De Vere has a sexual relationship with . On a side note, the author more or less suggests was some kind of whore who was constantly sharing a bed with various men at court. I don't for a second believe that to be an accurate description of . Anyway, the sex scene between the above mentioned couple is laughable to say the least. The author falls flat in his attempt to describe any sort of passion that may have existed. If you aren't comfortable describing sex, then don't.
The writing in this novel was horribly disjointed. I constantly had to go back and re-read other portions of the book to make sure I didn't miss something. For starters, going back and re-reading on a kindle is a pain in the ass. Secondly, nine times out of ten, I didn't miss anything. An example that comes to mind is the character of William Shakespeare. The author introduces William in his father's shop. De Vere places an order for gloves with a younger William and De Vere leaves the shop. William then appears later in the book and it's implied an established working relationship has developed between the two men but the reader never actually gets to experience the relationship development. Overall, the writer never gets to experience a lot of any kind of development whether it's plot or character.
One last thing that drove me a little bonkers was the over all tone of the book. This is a book about a man who scholars claim actually wrote great works like Othello, Hamlet, Romeo and Juliet, Richard III, etc., etc. The writer uses what I thought was a fairly modern tone throughout the book. I understand it would be difficult to write a book in the style of a Shakespeare play in this day and age but I found the modern tone to be slightly insulting. I can't imagine how someone with more knowledge than myself would feel reading this novel.
December 3, 2014
As a committed Oxfordian, I have the enduring hope that evolving attitudes toward Edward de Vere and his relationship to the Shakespearean canon will open a whole new continent of creative writing concerning Oxford's amazing life and times.
Sadly, this clumsy and simplistic book doesn't make the cut. I sympathize with Mr Frohlich's dilemma. A book intended for the general reader - someone not steeped in the technical details of the Authorship Question - has to be almost as much exposition as story. So, as might be expected, this book dutifully checks off many Oxfordian talking points (he knew falconry ... he knew Italy ... he knew the law ... he was fascinated by the theatre ... etc.). But Bad comes along with the Good: as he also mixes in wilder idea sometimes offered up in Oxfordian circles (Dudley murdered his wife ... Oxford slept with the queen).
Strange, counterintuitive contentions about the past do Oxfordians harm most of all: since all it takes is one, single crackpot idea to collapse the whole authorship argument. In that sense, this book is seditious to the Oxfordian cause.
Lastly, I can't help but note the paradox of a fictional biography of "the man who was Shakespeare" being so poorly written: the most powerful presence in English (to this day) being described in such pedestrian language. To the point where I had to double check to see if this might be a Young Adult title. Again and again, I groaned to see how poorly the events of this life are presented.
Sadly, to this point (and according to my knowledge) the most effective fictional support for the Oxfordian Heresy is a movie: "Anonymous", which covers just a tiny slice of this vast topic. Otherwise, the true heavy-lifting is being done by authors of non-fiction books: who continue to inexorably tighten the laces between Oxford and his deserved place in English letters.
As far as the fictional masterpieces that will bring us closer to understanding the mind and heart of Edward de Vere? We're still waiting.
Sadly, this clumsy and simplistic book doesn't make the cut. I sympathize with Mr Frohlich's dilemma. A book intended for the general reader - someone not steeped in the technical details of the Authorship Question - has to be almost as much exposition as story. So, as might be expected, this book dutifully checks off many Oxfordian talking points (he knew falconry ... he knew Italy ... he knew the law ... he was fascinated by the theatre ... etc.). But Bad comes along with the Good: as he also mixes in wilder idea sometimes offered up in Oxfordian circles (Dudley murdered his wife ... Oxford slept with the queen).
Strange, counterintuitive contentions about the past do Oxfordians harm most of all: since all it takes is one, single crackpot idea to collapse the whole authorship argument. In that sense, this book is seditious to the Oxfordian cause.
Lastly, I can't help but note the paradox of a fictional biography of "the man who was Shakespeare" being so poorly written: the most powerful presence in English (to this day) being described in such pedestrian language. To the point where I had to double check to see if this might be a Young Adult title. Again and again, I groaned to see how poorly the events of this life are presented.
Sadly, to this point (and according to my knowledge) the most effective fictional support for the Oxfordian Heresy is a movie: "Anonymous", which covers just a tiny slice of this vast topic. Otherwise, the true heavy-lifting is being done by authors of non-fiction books: who continue to inexorably tighten the laces between Oxford and his deserved place in English letters.
As far as the fictional masterpieces that will bring us closer to understanding the mind and heart of Edward de Vere? We're still waiting.
April 22, 2015
I really wanted to like this book and certain parts were good, but I just found my mind wandering every time I tried to read it. It's inexplicable to me because I love Shakespeare and the idea that has been floated so often, that he didn't actually write his work is fascinating yet I had to force myself to finish this book and it took me months. I wonder if this is a book that would be better as a physical, in your hands book, where you can feel the weight and presence, instead of a digital copy borrowed from Netgalley.com for the price of an honest review.
I can usually tell you what I don't like about books, but this one baffled me. The writing seemed good, the story seemed good, the research excellent, but I just didn't care about the characters, I found them flat and reading it, I felt like a person scratching around in the dark searching for a match to light a candle that wasn't there.
I think I might have enjoyed this more as non-fiction, although I guess that wouldn't have worked since we don't definitively know this version of the Shakespeare tale to be true or not.
Sigh, this just didn't do it for me.
I can usually tell you what I don't like about books, but this one baffled me. The writing seemed good, the story seemed good, the research excellent, but I just didn't care about the characters, I found them flat and reading it, I felt like a person scratching around in the dark searching for a match to light a candle that wasn't there.
I think I might have enjoyed this more as non-fiction, although I guess that wouldn't have worked since we don't definitively know this version of the Shakespeare tale to be true or not.
Sigh, this just didn't do it for me.
September 3, 2014
An interesting historical novel which gives great details on the life of Edward De Vere, the 17th Earl of Oxford. We follow Edward from his earliest years under tutelage through his education at Cambridge. He learns the ways of the court under Sir William Cecil, appointed his guardian by the Queen after the death of his father. His destiny is to be an adviser to the Queen, but his passion is to write--poetry and plays. Frohlich makes the history of the period come alive and makes a convincing case for De Vere identity as the true author of Shakepeare's work. But more importantly, he makes it a good tale--worthy of one of the finest writers in history whether De Vere is truly the man or not.
First posted on my blog My Reader's Block. Please request permission before reposting. Thanks.
First posted on my blog My Reader's Block. Please request permission before reposting. Thanks.
October 9, 2014
Who Wrote Shakespeare’s Plays?
By Bob Gelms
The Shakespeare Mask by Newton Frohlich is a novel, the latest in the growing scholarship based on the premise that Shakespeare didn’t write the 38 plays 154 sonnets or two long narrative poems that are attributed to him. Shakespeare died in 1616 and his plays were first gathered together in book form in 1623. It was around that time that creeping intimations started to cast doubt on his authorship of the plays. It wasn’t until about 100 years ago that these rumors pierced academia like the foil stuck in Polonius. Quite a few notable people have cast significant doubt on Shakespeare’s authorship. People like Walt Whitman, Mark Twain, Helen Keller, Henry James, Sigmund Freud, Charlie Chaplin and Orson Welles. In the ensuing 100 years the scholarship surrounding this literary mystery has centered on one man who could have and maybe did author the plays. His name is Edward de Vere, the 17th Earl of Oxford.
The Shakespeare Mask is a novel in which Mr. Frohlich shows how ridiculously easy it would have been for de Vere to cover up his authorship and, more importantly, why he had to do it. The book follows de Vere’s life quite closely. He held the second oldest Earldom in the Kingdom. He owned more land than Queen Elizabeth. He bedded every woman that struck his fancy and, by some accounts, that included the Queen. He drank prodigiously. He was a spendthrift to end all spendthrifts. So much so that in real life he died penniless of unknown causes. In the book he regained his fortune just before dying of the plague which is the leading contender for what led to his demise. He, beyond a doubt, was the original wild and crazy guy.
Having said all that Edward de Vere spoke 5 languages, Italian, French, English, Latin and Greek. He was educated at Oxford and received the finest education his money and status afforded. He then toured the continent for a few years, living in opulent splendor, settling in Italy, where he visited all the places that later show up in the plays that are set in Italy. One place in particular might jog a memory or two; Verona.
Once you know the story of Edward de Vere, The Shakespeare Mask takes on a whole different colour. It is almost as enjoyable as one of the Bard of Avon’s plays. Ah yes The Bard of Avon. In real life William Shakespeare lived in Stratford on the Avon River. In real life de Vere had a house on the Avon River as well, just not in Stratford. That’s only one of about two dozen coincidences that come to play in the novel pointing to de Vere’s authorship of the plays. You might well ask yourself why de Vere hired Shakespeare to front for him and put his name on the plays that de Vere actually wrote. Nowadays his reason doesn’t make any sense.
Edward de Vere was the prime nobleman in all of Great Britain. As a member of the upper class he was at the top of the pyramid. He defined upper class in the “class” riddled England of the time. Nobility couldn’t mingle with the lower class nor could they participate in the lower class’ occupations, especially the lowest of the lowest jobs. That would be prostitute, actor or writer. It just wasn’t done. Edward, used to doing whatever he wanted and to hell with the consequences, was bound and determined to be a writer. The Shakespeare Mask shows how he accomplished that life’s dream in a most entertaining and readable fashion.
What if you don’t like Shakespeare? Not to worry. The novel is written in modern English and presents the life of one of the most interesting individuals to have lived in Elizabethan England. Whether or not Edward de Vere wrote the plays normally attributed to Shakespeare, it remains that he was a most remarkable man. He could have been the primary example for Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous. The novel is all that and more. The Shakespeare Mask is a quick, interesting, thought-provoking, and eminently readable novel. Mr. Frohlich convinced me that there is significant doubt about the authorship of Shakespeare’s plays. Well, The Shakespeare Mask and three or four other nonfiction works on the subject. I’ll tell you how I really feel. I care that the plays were written and they were written by somebody. I don’t care too much if they were written by William Shakespeare or Edward de Vere the 17th Earl of Oxford. It reaches, for me, a high level of intellectual play. I absolutely loved The Shakespeare Mask. To write or not to write, that is the question, whether tis nobler in the mind to hide the writing, or by revealing, admit it. It is a consolation whose authorship is not yet revealed for all to see.
By Bob Gelms
The Shakespeare Mask by Newton Frohlich is a novel, the latest in the growing scholarship based on the premise that Shakespeare didn’t write the 38 plays 154 sonnets or two long narrative poems that are attributed to him. Shakespeare died in 1616 and his plays were first gathered together in book form in 1623. It was around that time that creeping intimations started to cast doubt on his authorship of the plays. It wasn’t until about 100 years ago that these rumors pierced academia like the foil stuck in Polonius. Quite a few notable people have cast significant doubt on Shakespeare’s authorship. People like Walt Whitman, Mark Twain, Helen Keller, Henry James, Sigmund Freud, Charlie Chaplin and Orson Welles. In the ensuing 100 years the scholarship surrounding this literary mystery has centered on one man who could have and maybe did author the plays. His name is Edward de Vere, the 17th Earl of Oxford.
The Shakespeare Mask is a novel in which Mr. Frohlich shows how ridiculously easy it would have been for de Vere to cover up his authorship and, more importantly, why he had to do it. The book follows de Vere’s life quite closely. He held the second oldest Earldom in the Kingdom. He owned more land than Queen Elizabeth. He bedded every woman that struck his fancy and, by some accounts, that included the Queen. He drank prodigiously. He was a spendthrift to end all spendthrifts. So much so that in real life he died penniless of unknown causes. In the book he regained his fortune just before dying of the plague which is the leading contender for what led to his demise. He, beyond a doubt, was the original wild and crazy guy.
Having said all that Edward de Vere spoke 5 languages, Italian, French, English, Latin and Greek. He was educated at Oxford and received the finest education his money and status afforded. He then toured the continent for a few years, living in opulent splendor, settling in Italy, where he visited all the places that later show up in the plays that are set in Italy. One place in particular might jog a memory or two; Verona.
Once you know the story of Edward de Vere, The Shakespeare Mask takes on a whole different colour. It is almost as enjoyable as one of the Bard of Avon’s plays. Ah yes The Bard of Avon. In real life William Shakespeare lived in Stratford on the Avon River. In real life de Vere had a house on the Avon River as well, just not in Stratford. That’s only one of about two dozen coincidences that come to play in the novel pointing to de Vere’s authorship of the plays. You might well ask yourself why de Vere hired Shakespeare to front for him and put his name on the plays that de Vere actually wrote. Nowadays his reason doesn’t make any sense.
Edward de Vere was the prime nobleman in all of Great Britain. As a member of the upper class he was at the top of the pyramid. He defined upper class in the “class” riddled England of the time. Nobility couldn’t mingle with the lower class nor could they participate in the lower class’ occupations, especially the lowest of the lowest jobs. That would be prostitute, actor or writer. It just wasn’t done. Edward, used to doing whatever he wanted and to hell with the consequences, was bound and determined to be a writer. The Shakespeare Mask shows how he accomplished that life’s dream in a most entertaining and readable fashion.
What if you don’t like Shakespeare? Not to worry. The novel is written in modern English and presents the life of one of the most interesting individuals to have lived in Elizabethan England. Whether or not Edward de Vere wrote the plays normally attributed to Shakespeare, it remains that he was a most remarkable man. He could have been the primary example for Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous. The novel is all that and more. The Shakespeare Mask is a quick, interesting, thought-provoking, and eminently readable novel. Mr. Frohlich convinced me that there is significant doubt about the authorship of Shakespeare’s plays. Well, The Shakespeare Mask and three or four other nonfiction works on the subject. I’ll tell you how I really feel. I care that the plays were written and they were written by somebody. I don’t care too much if they were written by William Shakespeare or Edward de Vere the 17th Earl of Oxford. It reaches, for me, a high level of intellectual play. I absolutely loved The Shakespeare Mask. To write or not to write, that is the question, whether tis nobler in the mind to hide the writing, or by revealing, admit it. It is a consolation whose authorship is not yet revealed for all to see.
August 9, 2014
In a time of darkness, intolerance, political and religious strife one young man's mind emerges to question and examine forgotten literature of bygone eras, to encourage others into the artistic enlightenment and golden era of reformation and discovery. This extraordinary mind will create some of history's most profound, perceptive and beautiful plays, sonnets, poems and lines of dialogue the world has ever known. History will have us remembering the name associated with the mind as William Shakespeare. But who was William Shakespeare or it is possible to ask who wrote for Shakespeare? Scholars, celebrated authors and alternative enthusiasts all have different theories and the potential reader could happily lose themselves for hours revisiting others ideas and come to the conclusion that the real identity of the bard is one of history's most enduring mysteries, the mystique of the name that is forged from the unknown and the anonymity that has shadowed portraits and markers is only half of the entertainment to do with anything Shakespeare. And with that said, may I introduce The Shakespeare Mask by Newton Frohlich, a compelling dramatization that puts a face and name to that entertaining anonymity.
Whether or not the potential reader is familiar with the Oxford theory only encourages further study and examination after the reader finishes The Shakespeare Mask. Mr. Frohlich has brought the name of Edward de Vere, 17th Earl of Oxford out of the shadows of history and into a fictional dramatization that presses the questions and excitement of alternatives minds. The reader will follow Edward de Vere as he quests for knowledge and his many pursuits to international enlightenment and physical interests as his perceptive mind gathers material for the many works that will be later put under the name of William Shakespeare. Whether or not the reader believes that Edward de Vere was the writer for William Shakespeare matters little because The Shakespeare Mask invites the reader to question and examine the evidence that the author has set to this historically detailed and fictionalized story of the Earl of Oxford. The Shakespeare Mask continues to capture the Earl's journey and brings in his role in Queen Elizabeth's court and the complicated relationships with advisors and the Virgin Queen herself. As the pages turn the reader is given facts and then explanations set in the pages that only drives the mystery and theory. The appearance of the "mask" is not made until almost the end along with the offer of a simple exchange that will eventually erase Edward de Vere, 17th Earl of Oxford from portraits and markers and commence the immortality of the name of William Shakespeare. The parting notes gather further evidence and if the potential reader is interested these include several more books that support the questions: who was William Shakespeare or who actually wrote for Shakespeare?
In the end, The Shakespeare Mask was a great escape for this reader. I believe I missed the 2011 Anonymous mania and the other day was the first time I heard the name of Edward de Vere. The Shakespeare Mask captured my interest as soon as I read the premise and thought was it really possible? This immediately became a must read for me and I closed the pages late last night really questioning the possibility that Edward de Vere, the 17th Earl of Oxford could have been the brilliant mind behind all those works. It depends on the reader if they will be more interested in the possibility and enjoy the facts set to a dramatization or read it for their interest in the 16th and the mention of the early 17th century, either way Mr. Frohlich knows how to weave a story, spark the curiosity of his audience and their desire to learn more.
*I would like to thank Blue Bird Press and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and enjoy The Shakespeare Mask
Whether or not the potential reader is familiar with the Oxford theory only encourages further study and examination after the reader finishes The Shakespeare Mask. Mr. Frohlich has brought the name of Edward de Vere, 17th Earl of Oxford out of the shadows of history and into a fictional dramatization that presses the questions and excitement of alternatives minds. The reader will follow Edward de Vere as he quests for knowledge and his many pursuits to international enlightenment and physical interests as his perceptive mind gathers material for the many works that will be later put under the name of William Shakespeare. Whether or not the reader believes that Edward de Vere was the writer for William Shakespeare matters little because The Shakespeare Mask invites the reader to question and examine the evidence that the author has set to this historically detailed and fictionalized story of the Earl of Oxford. The Shakespeare Mask continues to capture the Earl's journey and brings in his role in Queen Elizabeth's court and the complicated relationships with advisors and the Virgin Queen herself. As the pages turn the reader is given facts and then explanations set in the pages that only drives the mystery and theory. The appearance of the "mask" is not made until almost the end along with the offer of a simple exchange that will eventually erase Edward de Vere, 17th Earl of Oxford from portraits and markers and commence the immortality of the name of William Shakespeare. The parting notes gather further evidence and if the potential reader is interested these include several more books that support the questions: who was William Shakespeare or who actually wrote for Shakespeare?
In the end, The Shakespeare Mask was a great escape for this reader. I believe I missed the 2011 Anonymous mania and the other day was the first time I heard the name of Edward de Vere. The Shakespeare Mask captured my interest as soon as I read the premise and thought was it really possible? This immediately became a must read for me and I closed the pages late last night really questioning the possibility that Edward de Vere, the 17th Earl of Oxford could have been the brilliant mind behind all those works. It depends on the reader if they will be more interested in the possibility and enjoy the facts set to a dramatization or read it for their interest in the 16th and the mention of the early 17th century, either way Mr. Frohlich knows how to weave a story, spark the curiosity of his audience and their desire to learn more.
*I would like to thank Blue Bird Press and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and enjoy The Shakespeare Mask
September 6, 2014
I went into this book with high expectations. The author is part of a group of scholars such as Dickens and Emerson who believe that Edward De Vere, the 17th Earl of Oxford was the real Shakespeare. There are many coincidences that, depending on who you speak to, could prove this theory to be true. Either way, the earl was a fascinating figure of his time and seeing as how the author put in 15 years of research into it,I was sure this would be a title to recommend to many of my customers.
I couldn't have been more wrong. This reads like a fawning tribute to De Vere as Shakespeare but lacks the substance to stand up to the challenge. Edward is a caricature of the historical Earl and lacks any dimension whatsoever. He comes across as a selfish man who shows no sign of the facets of intelligence and passion that are so integral to Shakespeare's works. Taking artistic license into account I still cannot believe how many times I had to stop to utter the words, Give me a break nor the amount of time I had to spend checking established FACTS. Eg. Arthur Brooke is supposedly a pen name for Edward as a young poet, yet Arthur Brooke is historically known to have lived as a poet who died at sea. Another moment in the book has Robert Cecil treating Edward as a friend/co-conspirator, yet it is widely known that Robert hated Edward with a passion as he was tormented by Edward who lived at Cecil house as a ward.
In the end, trying to believe Frohlich's Edward could ever have written these plays and sonnets or was one of the few blessed to tread the boards is ridiculous.
I couldn't have been more wrong. This reads like a fawning tribute to De Vere as Shakespeare but lacks the substance to stand up to the challenge. Edward is a caricature of the historical Earl and lacks any dimension whatsoever. He comes across as a selfish man who shows no sign of the facets of intelligence and passion that are so integral to Shakespeare's works. Taking artistic license into account I still cannot believe how many times I had to stop to utter the words, Give me a break nor the amount of time I had to spend checking established FACTS. Eg. Arthur Brooke is supposedly a pen name for Edward as a young poet, yet Arthur Brooke is historically known to have lived as a poet who died at sea. Another moment in the book has Robert Cecil treating Edward as a friend/co-conspirator, yet it is widely known that Robert hated Edward with a passion as he was tormented by Edward who lived at Cecil house as a ward.
In the end, trying to believe Frohlich's Edward could ever have written these plays and sonnets or was one of the few blessed to tread the boards is ridiculous.
April 23, 2016
15 years of research went into this... while the writing is good (nothing exceptional-ly exceptional), it is the subject which really intrigues! Very pacey and well handled subject and overall provides ample food for thought. Today being marked as Shakespeare's death anniversary, reading and finishing this now is making me think about reading the books again. Recommend the book for all Shakespeare lovers.
July 27, 2014
Did not finish . Didn't garb me .
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews