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A review by shelbyanoel
By Any Other Name by Jodi Picoult
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
informative
inspiring
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
By Any Other Name has a beautiful storyline, well researched, and well thought through. Emilia and Melina are so deeply intertwined in the chapters. Jodi Picoult has truly outdone herself in her latest work the time and investment into making this come and pass and the backup of research, and support was so worth it.
By Any Other Name had caught my interest and bit of personal investment for me. Several years ago in college I took a Shakespeare class for a semester. What shook me the most was the debate and controversy of Shakespeare himself. We studied 12 different works over the course of the semester, unpacked their characters, thoughts, and the history of time with the publication. We read a biography of Shakespeare, too. I have revisited the thought of Shakespeare not being the author so many times and that I was just supposed to 'accept' it as is and move on with 'great class' and just 'enjoyed reading works'. Fast forward to this book, I cannot even express how excited this book made me as I felt that it unpacked an issue that has been challenged time and time again, but just 'accepted'.
Jodi also tied in women's rights being overlooked, women looked down upon, how historically we were the 'inferior' sex. We have come a long ways since the 1500's and I think we still have ways to go and improve in woman's rights and our treatment. There were diverse characters in Melina's world, too. Each one absolutely necessary to share Melina's life and build on Emilia's. Emilia's character was beautifully written. She had such depth and self-reflectiveness. All the traits that I personally would want in a character standing up against the odds of culture and society. Shifting forward to her ancestor Melina, I found it humorous and ironic in the plot to have her take on a 'man' switch of identity, very Shakespearean to do. I also thought that the way that Jodi brought in quotes of various sonnets, plays, and works with proper timelines at the end was helpful to refer to. hank you Jodi and Random House Publishing and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this beautifully written work as an ARC. It will truly be something that I continue to reflect on and a top for 2024.
Truly if you are classics fan, a fan of humanities and art, a believer of strong female characters, of historically relevant and deep issues, I would recommend this book without hesitation.
By Any Other Name had caught my interest and bit of personal investment for me. Several years ago in college I took a Shakespeare class for a semester. What shook me the most was the debate and controversy of Shakespeare himself. We studied 12 different works over the course of the semester, unpacked their characters, thoughts, and the history of time with the publication. We read a biography of Shakespeare, too. I have revisited the thought of Shakespeare not being the author so many times and that I was just supposed to 'accept' it as is and move on with 'great class' and just 'enjoyed reading works'. Fast forward to this book, I cannot even express how excited this book made me as I felt that it unpacked an issue that has been challenged time and time again, but just 'accepted'.
Jodi also tied in women's rights being overlooked, women looked down upon, how historically we were the 'inferior' sex. We have come a long ways since the 1500's and I think we still have ways to go and improve in woman's rights and our treatment. There were diverse characters in Melina's world, too. Each one absolutely necessary to share Melina's life and build on Emilia's. Emilia's character was beautifully written. She had such depth and self-reflectiveness. All the traits that I personally would want in a character standing up against the odds of culture and society. Shifting forward to her ancestor Melina, I found it humorous and ironic in the plot to have her take on a 'man' switch of identity, very Shakespearean to do. I also thought that the way that Jodi brought in quotes of various sonnets, plays, and works with proper timelines at the end was helpful to refer to. hank you Jodi and Random House Publishing and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this beautifully written work as an ARC. It will truly be something that I continue to reflect on and a top for 2024.
Truly if you are classics fan, a fan of humanities and art, a believer of strong female characters, of historically relevant and deep issues, I would recommend this book without hesitation.