By Any Other Name by Jodi Picoult ~ a Review

by MK French

In 1581, aristocratic ward Emilia Bassano is highly educated and witty but has no voice of her own. Forced to become the mistress of the Lord Chamberlain, she sees how plays move the public. She strikes a deal with actor William Shakespeare to pretend to be the author of her works. Years later, her descendant Melina Green wrote a play based on her life. The theater world is still difficult to break into for women, so her best friend submits the play to a festival under a male pseudonym.

Amazon affiliate links are used on this site. A free book was provided for an honest review.

August 2024; Ballantine Books; 978-0593497210
audio, ebook, print (544 pages); women's fiction

Melina's play is uncomfortable, and the critic reviewing it puts down her professionalism as well as its contents, stating that it isn't a universal experience. Her professor doesn't go to bat for her either. It's a painful passage to read; any woman pressured into doing things they're uncomfortable with will be very familiar with her play and the male reactions to it. If they don't experience it, then it's not universal enough. We see how the shape of her life changed after that until she finally writes the play her best friend submits as Mel Green, as the director notoriously only treats men as equals. In the modern timeline, we also get the reviewer's POV and see from his perspective more about the theatrical world.

In Emilia's timeline, she writes, helps pick apart plays behind the scenes for Lord Hunsdon, the Lord Chamberlain of entertainment for Queen Elizabeth. She strikes up friendships with the nobility, particularly those with literary salons, and Kit Marlowe. He convinced her to write plays with a man's name, and they found Shakespeare to do it. She also has a double life with a nobleman whom she falls in love with but cannot truly be with. There's more freedom in being a courtesan than a wife, when her funds can be taken, her body abused, and her soul crushed on a husband's whims. The life she ultimately had fuels the plays Shakespeare bought from her and remained the truest way to express herself. 

I enjoyed reading the afterward to the novel as well. In it, Jodi Picault outlined her research, the reasoning behind Emilia Bassano as the author of several of Shakespeare's plays, and even the story behind the miniature portraits that play a role within Emilia's story. There are even extensive notes for all of the quotes used within Emilia's story, which were fun to pick out.

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Born and raised in New York City, M.K. French started writing stories when very young, dreaming of different worlds and places to visit. She always had an interest in folklore, fairy tales, and the macabre, which has definitely influenced her work. She currently lives in the Midwest with her husband, three young children, and a golden retriever.

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