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bookb1itch's review against another edition
emotional
informative
inspiring
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Thank you to Better Reading for an advance prrof copy of this book. This is the review I submitted to them:
Jodi Picoult delivers! Told in her trademark addictively realistic style, supported by research into the lives of real characters, she asks: did Shakespeare deserve the accolades showered upon him over the past four centuries? Did he even write most of the plays and poems? Picoult has me convinced - how did he alone achieve such a huge body of work, whilst acting full-time? Also, how could a man who most likely never left England write so convincingly about the Danish court and life in Italy? Not to mention how a humble actor could write with such knowledge of the legal process. Emilia's story is addictive - I just had to know how it was all going to work out for her, if indeed it would. The parallels with Melina's story in the present are extremely unsettling- have we made much progress on the road to equality in over four hundred years? Bottom line, this is a gripping and highly entertaining combination of the stories of two remarkable women, fighting for recognition where men control the narrative. Highly recommended!
Jodi Picoult delivers! Told in her trademark addictively realistic style, supported by research into the lives of real characters, she asks: did Shakespeare deserve the accolades showered upon him over the past four centuries? Did he even write most of the plays and poems? Picoult has me convinced - how did he alone achieve such a huge body of work, whilst acting full-time? Also, how could a man who most likely never left England write so convincingly about the Danish court and life in Italy? Not to mention how a humble actor could write with such knowledge of the legal process. Emilia's story is addictive - I just had to know how it was all going to work out for her, if indeed it would. The parallels with Melina's story in the present are extremely unsettling- have we made much progress on the road to equality in over four hundred years? Bottom line, this is a gripping and highly entertaining combination of the stories of two remarkable women, fighting for recognition where men control the narrative. Highly recommended!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Misogyny, Sexism, Sexual content, Violence, Grief, Pregnancy, Alcohol, and Classism
Moderate: Alcoholism, Child death, Domestic abuse, Infidelity, and Miscarriage
Minor: Panic attacks/disorders, Antisemitism, Abortion, War, and Pandemic/Epidemic
juanat77's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
sad
tense
medium-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
4.0
Any Other Name by Jodi Picoult
Jodi Picoult is a must buy for me. I read anything written by her without reading the synopsis. She often writes about controversial issues while also educating the reader on a specific subject (my favorite part).
Any Other Name is different from her other novels, while in her other books she often has multiple POVs in the same time period this one has a historical blend to it, taking place in the 1500s and continuing to present day. Picoult shows how some challenges women face really did not change in the past 500 years within a chauvinistic world. This well-researched tale invites us to think, “Did Shakespeare really write his own stories?” This book shows playwright Emilia Bassano’s life in 1500s England and the obstacles she goes through. Due to the time period she lived through, her voice was not valued as a woman and the literary works that she created were not attributed to her, but rather the well-known figure, William Shakespeare who would claim her stories as his own, showcasing the challenges women like Emilia endured during this time and how they were not seen as equals to their male counterparts.
Fast forward to present day, Melina Green, a playwright and descendant of Emilia experiences challenges of her own. Although woman do have more of a voice in present day some things remain the same. Melina faces similar challenges that Emilia experienced in a male dominated Broadway world. She too, hides behind a man so that her play could be taken seriously.
I loved the connection between Emilia and Melina within the story along with how well written it was. I also really appreciated the character of Jasper, the quirky theatre critic, who showed a unique perspective within the text.
Previously to reading this book, I was not incredibly knowledgeable of Shakespeare. Picoult really helps readers who might have a base level understanding of his work learn more about the playwright. This book showcased people who felt unseen and without a voice while also showing the strength and perseverance they had.
Thank you NetGalley and Random House for the opportunity to read this thought-provoking novel in exchange for an honest review.
Releases 8/20/24
#NetGalley #ByAnyOtherName #randomhouse
Content Warnings
Moderate: Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Child death, Cursing, Death, Emotional abuse, Infertility, Infidelity, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Grief, Abortion, Death of parent, Pregnancy, Abandonment, Alcohol, War, and Injury/Injury detail
astoriareader's review against another edition
challenging
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
3.5
SYNOPSIS
- Melina Green is an aspiring playwright. Unfortunately, the theatre world often overlooks female writers. Despite this, she has written a play that shines a light on the life of her ancestor, Emilia Bassano. Melina chose to write about Emilia after doing in-depth research and discovering she may have been the writing of some of Shakespeare’s works. In fact, Shakespeare may not have written any of his own work.
- Due to the bias against female playwrights, Melina's best friend, Andre, submits the play to a festival under a false male name to increase its chances of being recognized and selected for production.
- The book alternates between Melina’s situation in the present day and Emilia’s life in the 1500s.
MY THOUGHTS
- Jodi Picoult is an excellent writer, and she is an automatic read for me. This book is different than her other books, and honestly, it wasn’t my favorite of hers that I’ve read.
- Picoult did a ton of research, and I enjoyed reading the Author’s Note at the end.
- I liked learning about the Shakespeare’s authorship question & how hard it has been for women playwrights.
- I am also a big Broadway theatre fan, so it made me consider how often certain playwrights are selected.
- I enjoyed the overall plot, the premise, and the different POVs. But, I thought the story dragged. I think this could have told in significantly less pages & better execution.
- This is also a personal preference, but I like it when books are organized in shorter chapters. It flows better IMO. Here, the sections are SO long. It is daunting. I wish they were broken up differently.
TL;DR: ⭐️⭐️⭐️🥝. 3.5 stars. Historical fiction. Very solid premise, plot, & topic, but IMO it dragged & the execution could have been a lot better. Nevertheless, Picoult is an amazing writer!
Thanks to Random House Publishing Group, Ballantine Books, and Netgalley for this digital ARC in exchange for an honest review. This book will be published on August 20, 2024.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Misogyny, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, and Violence
Moderate: Miscarriage, Abortion, and Pregnancy
Minor: War
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