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A review by kelly_e
By Any Other Name by Jodi Picoult
challenging
informative
reflective
slow-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
Title: By Any Other Name
Author: Jodi Picoult
Genre: Fiction
Rating: 4.00
Pub Date: August 20, 2024
I received a complimentary eARC from Penguin Random House Canada via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. #Gifted
T H R E E • W O R D S
Fascinating • Provocative • Dense
📖 S Y N O P S I S
Two women, centuries apart—one of whom is the real author of Shakespeare’s plays—are both forced to hide behind another name to make their voices heard.
In 1581, Emilia Bassano—like most young women of her day—is allowed no voice of her own. But as the Lord Chamberlain’s mistress, she has access to all theater in England, and finds a way to bring her work to the stage secretly. And yet, creating some of the world’s greatest dramatic masterpieces comes at great cost: by paying a man for the use of his name, she will write her own out of history.
In the present, playwright Melina Green has just written a new work inspired by the life of her Elizabethan ancestor Emilia Bassano. Although the challenges are different four hundred years later, the playing field is still not level for women in theater. Would Melina—like Emilia—be willing to forfeit her credit as author, just for a chance to see her work performed?
💭 T H O U G H T S
Anytime Jodi Picoult announces a new book, I am going to be interested simply because she is such a skilled writer and never shies away from writing about polarizing topics. Reading the synopsis for By Any Other Name I wasn't sure how her 2024 release would land for me personally. I have very little interest in Shakespeare and minimal knowledge about the theatre world. Despite those factors I knew I still wanted to read it, especially given her foray into historical fiction.
First off, this novel is incredibly well researched and skillfully written. Told through the voices of two women centuries apart, this novel tackles the historical and contemporary challenges faced by women and their plight to receive the recognition they deserve. Picoult creates two vivid timelines, two separate settings, and two distinct casts of characters, while challenging Shakespeare's authorship and offering up an alternative theory.
While I appreciated the rich historical detail and thought the dual timelines element worked well in the beginning, the contemporary storyline eventually took me out of the story. Some of Melina's actions and choices felt entirely inconsistent with what Picoult is trying to do with this narrative. I understand this timelines is needed to showcase how women continue to have to work harder to be recognized, yet it could have taken a different route and easily achieved the same goal.
By Any Other Name is unlike any other of Picoult's previous novels. Personally, I was less engaged and it took me over a month to get through, yet overall I enjoyed what this story attempts to do. I have a feeling opinions will be very split with this one, especially for anyone who goes in hoping for something similar to her previous contemporary novels. The extensive author's note at the end if a must read to offer more context and her thought process in crafting this story.
📚 R E A D • I F • Y O U • L I K E
• Shakespeare
• the Elizabethan era
• stories about resilient women
⚠️ CW: misogyny, sexism, gaslighting, emotional abuse, domestic abuse, physical abuse, rape, sexual assault, sexual violence, infidelity, adult/minor relationship, epidemic/pandemic, pregnancy, miscarriage, abortion, death, death of child, death of parent, grief, sexual content, classism, antisemitism, alcohol, alcoholism, toxic relationship
🔖 F A V O U R I T E • Q U O T E S
"Life as a woman is not without risks."
"There once was a girl who became invisible so that her words might not be."
"History is written by those in power."
"Grief was the tax of having something precious."
Author: Jodi Picoult
Genre: Fiction
Rating: 4.00
Pub Date: August 20, 2024
I received a complimentary eARC from Penguin Random House Canada via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. #Gifted
T H R E E • W O R D S
Fascinating • Provocative • Dense
📖 S Y N O P S I S
Two women, centuries apart—one of whom is the real author of Shakespeare’s plays—are both forced to hide behind another name to make their voices heard.
In 1581, Emilia Bassano—like most young women of her day—is allowed no voice of her own. But as the Lord Chamberlain’s mistress, she has access to all theater in England, and finds a way to bring her work to the stage secretly. And yet, creating some of the world’s greatest dramatic masterpieces comes at great cost: by paying a man for the use of his name, she will write her own out of history.
In the present, playwright Melina Green has just written a new work inspired by the life of her Elizabethan ancestor Emilia Bassano. Although the challenges are different four hundred years later, the playing field is still not level for women in theater. Would Melina—like Emilia—be willing to forfeit her credit as author, just for a chance to see her work performed?
💭 T H O U G H T S
Anytime Jodi Picoult announces a new book, I am going to be interested simply because she is such a skilled writer and never shies away from writing about polarizing topics. Reading the synopsis for By Any Other Name I wasn't sure how her 2024 release would land for me personally. I have very little interest in Shakespeare and minimal knowledge about the theatre world. Despite those factors I knew I still wanted to read it, especially given her foray into historical fiction.
First off, this novel is incredibly well researched and skillfully written. Told through the voices of two women centuries apart, this novel tackles the historical and contemporary challenges faced by women and their plight to receive the recognition they deserve. Picoult creates two vivid timelines, two separate settings, and two distinct casts of characters, while challenging Shakespeare's authorship and offering up an alternative theory.
While I appreciated the rich historical detail and thought the dual timelines element worked well in the beginning, the contemporary storyline eventually took me out of the story. Some of Melina's actions and choices felt entirely inconsistent with what Picoult is trying to do with this narrative. I understand this timelines is needed to showcase how women continue to have to work harder to be recognized, yet it could have taken a different route and easily achieved the same goal.
By Any Other Name is unlike any other of Picoult's previous novels. Personally, I was less engaged and it took me over a month to get through, yet overall I enjoyed what this story attempts to do. I have a feeling opinions will be very split with this one, especially for anyone who goes in hoping for something similar to her previous contemporary novels. The extensive author's note at the end if a must read to offer more context and her thought process in crafting this story.
📚 R E A D • I F • Y O U • L I K E
• Shakespeare
• the Elizabethan era
• stories about resilient women
⚠️ CW: misogyny, sexism, gaslighting, emotional abuse, domestic abuse, physical abuse, rape, sexual assault, sexual violence, infidelity, adult/minor relationship, epidemic/pandemic, pregnancy, miscarriage, abortion, death, death of child, death of parent, grief, sexual content, classism, antisemitism, alcohol, alcoholism, toxic relationship
🔖 F A V O U R I T E • Q U O T E S
"Life as a woman is not without risks."
"There once was a girl who became invisible so that her words might not be."
"History is written by those in power."
"Grief was the tax of having something precious."
Content Warnings
Graphic: Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, Gaslighting
Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Child death, Death, Infidelity, Miscarriage, Grief, Abortion, Pregnancy, Classism
Minor: Alcoholism, Sexual content, Antisemitism, Death of parent, Alcohol, Pandemic/Epidemic