Write your own review!
Lori Beth J. (West Chester, PA)
Shakespeare's Dark Lady
The Dark Lady's Mask in an engaging historical novel. It is about the poet Aemila Bassano Lanier and the many masks she had to wear throughout her life to survive as a woman and a poet in a time that was not kind to women. The novel is rich in historical detail and introduced me to many figures from that time. Mary Sharratt impressed me with her research. I would recommend this book to anyone who is fond of The Renaissance period, Shakespeare, and strong female characters.
Lois P. (Hillsborough, NC)
Tale of loves and losses in Shakespearean England
A gripping novel that brings alive the historical poet, Aemeia Bassano Lanier. We learn to love her as a young girl and follow her through to middle age. We see her struggle with the limiting issue of being a female in these times. Beautifully researched and filled with rich historical details, this is a great read for those who love historical fiction or those who would enjoy a vivid story.
Dona H. (Muskegon, MI)
What if?
Using her extensive Shakespearean research and a delightful imagination, Mary Sharratt asks what if The Dark Lady of Shakespeare's work was a young woman who actually co-wrote several of his plays and was romantically involved with him. An uncommonly clever woman, Aemilla struggles to obtain an education, is denied a chance to use it, and is forced into a loveless marriage, but never gives up her quest for equality. I sympathized with her every step of the way and loved the way she rose to each challenge.
Grace W. (Corona del Mar, CA)
Rich Tapestry
I couldn't put down The Dark Lady's Mask and I didn't want it to end. The story is a rich tapestry, finely woven with exquisite details of place, well-developed characters, highly evolved themes. It is a novel of Shakespeare's muse, yet more deeply it is a story of an educated woman and the on-going challenges faced by educated women. This book is wonderful in all aspects and especially in its portrayal of women, society, religion, arts, and commerce of the Elizabethan age. A must read!
Marcia C. (Jeffersonville, PA)
The Dark Lady's Revenge
A beautiful, talented musician and aspiring writer, Aemilia Bassano Lanier, defies Elizabethan conventions. She dresses as a man, rides horseback and travels the countryside. In a totally chance meeting she is intrigued by a young Will Shakespeare and when London is threatened by the plague, she convinces him to run to Italy with her. Thus begins a wonderful collaboration between the two which produced several of what came to be known as Shakespeare's comedies. I loved Aemilia for her fearlessness, determination and resilience. Even after Shakespeare abandoned her, she pursued her dream of publishing her
…more writings under her own name in the face of overwhelming odds. This book has a great story, traveling with Aemilia from London to northern Italy and back to London. Her pursuit of her dream to be published is true. Her role as Shakespeare's Dark Lady, probably not so much. This book is a wonderful read, filled with ups and downs and some surprising twists of fate. (less)
Peggy H. (North East, PA)
Truth can be Stranger than FictionHow
This book introduced me to real life feminist Aemilia Lanier. Part way through I had to do some research to see what was real about this character, and, to my surprise...it all was! And that is what made it really interesting and a great read. A wonderful addition to my Shakespeare trivia.
Ginny B. (Lansdale, PA)
Historical Fiction, Feminism, Romance, Cross-dressing, Renaissance,Inquisition
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 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
…more 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)The Dark Lady's Mask is historical fiction, suggesting who might have been the muse of William Shakespeare. Masks and muses play a big part in the book. There are many references to both.
If you like reading Philippa Gregory and CW Gortner, you will surely like this novel. It is however a bit long.
Aemilia is the central muse of this story and her life is what keeps you reading. She was a very talented and educated woman who came from a family of musicians. Plays of this time period, especially in England, were only written and acted by men. The author, Mary Sharratt, makes a good case for Aemilia Bassano Lanier
…more to have been Shakespeare's muse. She convinced me! Unfortunately, part of the not knowing, always leaves questions that we will probably never know the real answer. His sexuality is also in question.
Read the book, do some reference work on Aemilia Lanyer (her last name change was probably a printing error) and Anne Hathaway! Read the author's Historical Afterword at the end of the book! And then you decide! (less)
