I just finished posting the following review on Amazon of this excellent novel:
I applaud this author for her meticulous research and thought -provoking thesis about those who may have written under the name of Shakespeare. I have heard this theory before, that Shakespeare's own history and relative lack of literary prowess meant that others had written the brilliant plays and poems that have been attributed to him. The fact that one of these writers was a woman is tantalizing indeed. No on is surprised that Emilia needed to make herself invisible as that has been the unfortunate lot of women in history, as well as within certain regimes today. Erasure....and treated as inferiors.
The one thing that I found surprising was Melina's equal sentiment of needing to feel invisible. Surely in the brash New York of today and in North America generally this is not so. At least, I would hope not. Regardless, women like Emelia, George Sand and so may others have paved the way for all women to stand up proudly and to speak their truth. Along with all who stand outside the white, patriarchal universe.
If women had been honored and respected throughout history by church and family instead of being treated like chattel and abused under the so-called "sanctity of marriage", perhaps we would be living in a better world today.
I applaud this author for her meticulous research and thought -provoking thesis about those who may have written under the name of Shakespeare. I have heard this theory before, that Shakespeare's own history and relative lack of literary prowess meant that others had written the brilliant plays and poems that have been attributed to him. The fact that one of these writers was a woman is tantalizing indeed. No on is surprised that Emilia needed to make herself invisible as that has been the unfortunate lot of women in history, as well as within certain regimes today. Erasure....and treated as inferiors.
The one thing that I found surprising was Melina's equal sentiment of needing to feel invisible. Surely in the brash New York of today and in North America generally this is not so. At least, I would hope not. Regardless, women like Emelia, George Sand and so may others have paved the way for all women to stand up proudly and to speak their truth. Along with all who stand outside the white, patriarchal universe.
If women had been honored and respected throughout history by church and family instead of being treated like chattel and abused under the so-called "sanctity of marriage", perhaps we would be living in a better world today.