A review by taylorhathcock
By Any Other Name by Jodi Picoult

5.0

“Life as a woman is not without risks.”

Where do I even start? The characters? They were absolutely phenomenal and engaging. Emilia perhaps more than anyone. Her story caused me to feel so many things all at once. I was outraged, laughed, was happy for her, was utterly gutted, and completely destroyed in the span of a book. She is perhaps one of the most real characters I've read in a long time. Melina... she was so like her ancestor in so many ways and caused me to feel a variety of emotions. However, you can tell that Jodi poured her heart and soul into Emilia's character and she is supposed to be the one who shines. The writing? Engrossing, enthralling, enchanting... everything you could ever hope for. The story? Full of so many layers and emotions it was hard to put down. The various ways that Jodi was able to showcase the struggles of being a woman in a male dominated world never cease to amaze. 

I cannot remember the last time I was so engaged in a character... I think knowing that Emilia Bassano was a real person only makes the story that much more. I love how much thought went into creating this life and motivations for a character who is almost completely silenced by history. I also love when books challenge the male dominated narrative. I mean we see some good evidence, presented by Melina, clearly from Jodi's research as to why Shakespeare wasn't the true author of his plays. I love when a book makes you think like this. I love challenging the narrative and giving voice to the women lost in history. I think maybe that's why this has quickly become one of my favorites that Jodi has written. I truly loved how much this book made me feel. It was one of those stories I could get easily lost in. I loved so much about this book. You can tell this was the story Jodi always wanted to tell.