LOVING WILL SHAKESPEARE

by Carolyn Meyer

ISBN 978-0152054519

Harcourt Children’s Books

reviewed by Barbara Mulcahy

02.04.2008

Carolyn Meyer has again come up with another wonderful story for readers aged 12+ and anyone who enjoys historical fiction will really find the book entertaining and enlightening.

It is not a heavy going book, and, with its large type, it will give the young reader a few relaxing evenings of pleasure. Not being drawn out, there are no boring long fillers to get through, there is excitement on every page – all 262 of them.

It starts in 1564 when the plague spread across England. Agnes, or Anne Hathaway as she became known, had a happy childhood until; at a very young age, she lost her mother to the plague and her father married again.

Her young life was blighted by her ill-tempered mother in law who worked her half to death and criticized her every move.

Will Shakespeare was born to her mother’s best friend who moved away shortly after he was born to escape the Black Death that was spreading. He was 7 years Anne’s junior, but they met up on numerous occasions by the time they were in their teens. Between those times Anne had a couple of love affairs. One time she was nearly caught kissing an itinerant theatre player. That would have meant being hauled in front of the “Bishops Council” at the Bawdy Court to be humiliated in front of the whole village.

This is one of Carolyn Meyer’s best works. It is highly exciting, both funny and sad and its as if you were reading Anne Hathaway’s private diary, pouring out her heartfelt needs down on paper.

The book tells of the work of the countryside in that age and the ways of the people. The story has been well researched and is historically accurate. It would make an ideal present for a young teenage schoolgirl.

Purchase a copy of this book at Amazon.com: Loving Will Shakespeare