Genre: Historical
Fiction
Description:
The story takes place during the reign of
the English Tudor Queen Elizabeth I, in 1589 (the year after the defeat of the
Armada: QEI has been on the throne for about 30 years). The story is a
fictional take on a conventional Will Shakespeare (husband of Anne Hathaway,
three children, they are all living in Stratford-upon-Avon, he writing plays in
London). It is not, actually, the Shakespeare I subscribe to – but the story
works fine, whoever you believe Shakespeare actually was. The author wisely
leaves vague the parts of the Stratfordian Shakespeare that have never been
adequately explained; although he has engaged with the possibility of a lengthy
trip to the continent in general and Italy in particular. This is the third in
Wildman’s trilogy of books based on Shakespeare’s ‘lost years’.
Author:
Wildman’s website tells us “I have always
been fascinated by … lives in the near and distant past. There are so many
wonderful stories to tell, and many intriguing gaps in the historical record
into which a writer can insert their own version of events. I’ve had a lot of
fun trying to create entertaining stories based on real historical events and
people, and I hope you will enjoy reading the fruits of my labour.” He read The
Eagle of the Ninth, by Rosemary Sutcliffe (a classic of the genre, of
course) as a lad, and all through his career in Australia – in the oil
industry, banking, and management consulting – continued to be fascinated by
history and historical fiction. Now, retired from business and seeking new
challenges, he has returned to his first love: the past. He obviously relishes
the research which he turns into books – so far five novels and a travelogue –
and his joy in his new career shines through. He obviously reads widely in his
chosen periods.
Appraisal:
The story has much to tell the reader about
late Tudor England: the sights, sounds, and smells are all here. The
competitive nature of the London theatre scene, the growing popularity of
plays, the in-fighting at Court are all here too. Onto this beautifully set
scene is superimposed a crime directly affecting Shakespeare which, if he
cannot solve it, will mean the end of his career as a playwright before it has
properly begun, not to mention financial ruin. As this plot takes over, the
pace of the book picks up satisfyingly.
A lot of research has gone into the making
of this novel. Occasionally the author has thrown slightly overlarge wodges of
it into the mix. Do not let that deter you. Nobody is going to check you have read
every word. But if you are at all interested in what Shakespeare wrote and when;
who his friends, colleagues and enemies were; and what it was like to be a
playwright in those days, you will find this book a goodly – and informative –
romp through the stews, politics and personalities of London.
Buy now
from: Amazon US Amazon UK
Format/Typo
Issues:
No significant issues.
Rating: ****
Five Stars
Reviewed
by: Judi Moore
Approximate word count: 85-90,000 words
