As my title suggests, this book has everything! As a one-time, middle-aged college student of English literature, I looked forward to reading Sharratt's novel, set in the Renaissance. I had occasionally come across references to Shakespeare's "dark lady," believed to be his
…more muse, the inspiration for his sonnets. Sharratt fully acknowledges that "there is no historical evidence" to prove that her heroine was in fact Will's "dark lady" and while Sharratt references numerous Shakespeare scholars, she clearly enjoyed letting her imagination soar and we are the beneficiaries. The novel covers the fictional life of Amelia Bassano Lanier, a real-life, published Renaissance poet in an age when women supposedly knew their place, a place that did not include such public acclaim. The plot takes us from Aemilia's lovingly nurtured childhood in which her beloved father is established as her gold standard, so to speak, through her very unusual liberal education as a young woman in the home of a wealthy female guardian and mentor. Upon leaving the manor house, Aemilia seeks and wins the affections and protection of a powerful nobleman in the court of Queen Elizabeth, Lord Hunsdon. Alas, an unexpected pregnancy (some things never change!) results in Aemilia being cast out of the royal court into a loveless marriage. During this period, Aemilia meets the "ragged" poet, Mr. Shakespeare, with whom her life eventually takes on a happier note, for a time, at least. In an effort to avoid spoilers, I'll leave the ending to the reader. The novel is chock-full of characters and changes in fortune for our heroine, which keeps the plot moving along pretty well. However, with only a few exceptions, I never felt very invested in the characters or, for that matter, the events in which they find themselves, which is why I didn't give it a higher rating. (less)
