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Mistress Shakespeare
A delicious and intriguing historical novel about the woman who was William Shakespeare’s secret wife— by New York Times–bestselling author, Karen Harper.
In Mistress Shakespeare, Elizabethan beauty Anne Whateley reveals intimate details of her dangerous, daring life and her great love, William Shakespeare. As historical records show, Anne Whateley of Temple Grafton is betrothed to Will just days before he is forced to wed the pregnant Anne Hathaway of Shottery. The clandestine Whateley/Shakespeare match is a meeting of hearts and heads that no one—not even Queen Elizabeth or her spymasters—can destroy. From rural Stratford-upon- Avon to teeming London, the passionate pair struggles to stay solvent and remain safe from Elizabeth I’s campaign to hunt down secret Catholics, of whom Shakespeare is rumored to be a part. Often at odds, always in love, the couple sells Will’s first plays and, as he climbs to theatrical power in Elizabeth’s England, they fend off fierce competition from rival London dramatists, ones as treacherous as they are talented. Persecution and plague, insurrection and inferno, friends and foes, even executions of those they hold dear, bring Anne’s heartrending story to life.
Spanning half a century of Elizabethan and Jacobean history and sweeping from the lowest reaches of society to the royal court, this richly textured novel tells the real story of Shakespeare in love.
In Mistress Shakespeare, Elizabethan beauty Anne Whateley reveals intimate details of her dangerous, daring life and her great love, William Shakespeare. As historical records show, Anne Whateley of Temple Grafton is betrothed to Will just days before he is forced to wed the pregnant Anne Hathaway of Shottery. The clandestine Whateley/Shakespeare match is a meeting of hearts and heads that no one—not even Queen Elizabeth or her spymasters—can destroy. From rural Stratford-upon- Avon to teeming London, the passionate pair struggles to stay solvent and remain safe from Elizabeth I’s campaign to hunt down secret Catholics, of whom Shakespeare is rumored to be a part. Often at odds, always in love, the couple sells Will’s first plays and, as he climbs to theatrical power in Elizabeth’s England, they fend off fierce competition from rival London dramatists, ones as treacherous as they are talented. Persecution and plague, insurrection and inferno, friends and foes, even executions of those they hold dear, bring Anne’s heartrending story to life.
Spanning half a century of Elizabethan and Jacobean history and sweeping from the lowest reaches of society to the royal court, this richly textured novel tells the real story of Shakespeare in love.
366 pages, Hardcover
First published February 5, 2009
About the author
Karen Harper
78 books1,468 followersA New York Times and USA Today bestselling author, Karen Harper is a former college English instructor (The Ohio State University) and high school literature and writing teacher. A lifelong Ohioan, Karen and her husband Don divide their time between the midwest and the southeast, both locations she has used in her books. Besides her American settings, Karen loves the British Isles, where her Scottish and English roots run deep, and where she has set many of her historical Tudor-era mysteries and her historical novels about real and dynamic British women. Karen's books have been published in many foreign languages and she won the Mary Higgins Clark Award for 2005. Karen has given numerous talks to readers and writers across the county. Her most recent books include THE SOUTH SHORES TRILOGY (CHASING SHADOWS, DROWNING TIDES and FALLING DARKNESS.) Her latest historical is THE ROYAL NANNY. Please visit her website at www.KarenHarperAuthor and her fb page at www.facebook.com/KarenHarperAuthor
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 281 reviews
June 14, 2018
History is not clear about Shakespeare - whom he married. It is accepted by most historians that he married Anne Hathaway. The mystery of Anne Whateley remains.
The author weaves a captivating story of Mistress Anne Whateley of Temple Grafton, located outside Stratford-Upon-the-Avon, where Will Shakespeare is from.
Anne tells her story, first of friendship, then of love to Will. They meet as youngsters. Anne notices early on that no matter what obstacle are thrown at Will; he is determined to be a poet. At the same time, they are both determined to be together against all odds, but fate separates and tries their love for each other not once, but twice. After the death of her father, she moves to London, a place she has longed to see for a long time. Will remains in Stratford and is forced to wed against his wish. The loveless marriage drains his spirit. A trial of acquaintance at the Tower brings him to London, where their paths cross again.
Anne is Shakespeare’s inspiration for so many of his works. His writing is also affected by shifts in power and conflicts, “…passions and power that can turn one’s world upside down and destroy destinies.” With his success he changes how players are viewed. “Will and his fellows had managed to help lift players from their reputations as impoverished, strolling entertainers to admired professional men.”
Overall, Anne’s voice is very vivid and authentic. I have to say that the cover is very misleading. I thought it would be some vain historical romance, which I’d put away very fast, but I couldn’t be more wrong. This is a historical fiction beautifully imagined and written. This is a phenomenal read.
@FB/BestHistoricalFiction
The author weaves a captivating story of Mistress Anne Whateley of Temple Grafton, located outside Stratford-Upon-the-Avon, where Will Shakespeare is from.
Anne tells her story, first of friendship, then of love to Will. They meet as youngsters. Anne notices early on that no matter what obstacle are thrown at Will; he is determined to be a poet. At the same time, they are both determined to be together against all odds, but fate separates and tries their love for each other not once, but twice. After the death of her father, she moves to London, a place she has longed to see for a long time. Will remains in Stratford and is forced to wed against his wish. The loveless marriage drains his spirit. A trial of acquaintance at the Tower brings him to London, where their paths cross again.
Anne is Shakespeare’s inspiration for so many of his works. His writing is also affected by shifts in power and conflicts, “…passions and power that can turn one’s world upside down and destroy destinies.” With his success he changes how players are viewed. “Will and his fellows had managed to help lift players from their reputations as impoverished, strolling entertainers to admired professional men.”
Overall, Anne’s voice is very vivid and authentic. I have to say that the cover is very misleading. I thought it would be some vain historical romance, which I’d put away very fast, but I couldn’t be more wrong. This is a historical fiction beautifully imagined and written. This is a phenomenal read.
@FB/BestHistoricalFiction
February 4, 2012
This is quite possibly one of the worst books I have ever started to read. The author clearly thinks that her audience has no grasp of the period key people or events of the reign of Elizabeth I.
Here's the thing if you choose to read Historical Fiction for a certain period there is an extremely high chance that the reader will have an interest in there period. In my case an undergrad thesis. I found the tone patronizing. Key figures over explained and if you need to explain what a summer progress is then you clearly do not know your target audience.
Other notible authors who write historical fiction, within this period manage quite well and respect their readers enough to not have to speak down to them as if they were ignorant. If you a regular reader and have adverage IQ and no degree in History you can still understand their work.
If I wanted to read Turdor Fiction from Sesame Street I would turn to a school text book.
Highly disappointing.
Here's the thing if you choose to read Historical Fiction for a certain period there is an extremely high chance that the reader will have an interest in there period. In my case an undergrad thesis. I found the tone patronizing. Key figures over explained and if you need to explain what a summer progress is then you clearly do not know your target audience.
Other notible authors who write historical fiction, within this period manage quite well and respect their readers enough to not have to speak down to them as if they were ignorant. If you a regular reader and have adverage IQ and no degree in History you can still understand their work.
If I wanted to read Turdor Fiction from Sesame Street I would turn to a school text book.
Highly disappointing.
June 8, 2009
I ended up enjoying this book, but only gave it two stars because:
1) I put it down somewhere between page 30 and page 50 and didn't give it another thought
2) I finished it only because I felt like I might as well
3) Even when I started enjoying it (somewhere between page 100 and 150, I think) I was plagued by the thoughts of all the other books that I could have been reading
1) I put it down somewhere between page 30 and page 50 and didn't give it another thought
2) I finished it only because I felt like I might as well
3) Even when I started enjoying it (somewhere between page 100 and 150, I think) I was plagued by the thoughts of all the other books that I could have been reading
March 20, 2016
Lordy, so many feelings in this book. So much emotion! So much like a stuck record. But I felt that I had to get to the end of the damn thing for some reason so I struggled through. I guess this is a kind of fan fiction, as the writer is obviously obsessed with Shakespeare and "name-drops" play titles and quotes all the way through the book. Maybe if you're equally as obsessed, you'll enjoy this what-if-there-was-another-wife- fictional version of history... it's fluffy, sometimes I don't mind a bit of fluff, but this was just repetitive. I mean, part of the thing is that he originally married the Anne Whatley, narrator of this book, and then the next day was forced to marry Anne Hathaway because he'd got her pregnant. This is about when our Anne was 18. DECADES after this event she still has sudden hysterical sobbing fits and screams of "I hate him!" as if she's only just realised that he has another wife. We have the same sodding tantrums again and again throughout the book. Can anyone really nurse a broken heart that long and that intensely???? Then there's cheesey lines all over the place. One moment I remember when she's sneaking out of a house and kind of trips out of the window and tumbles on the ground outside. She makes this comment that she got away ok, no broken bones, but her heart was still broken.
So we have pathetic Anne (who swings from crying and being angry with him, to this kind of groupie running around doing good for him); to evil 2D snooty Anne - Anne Hathaway, who is painted as this ignorant, moody selfish old cow who has entrapped poor old Will even though neither of them like each other. And she's knowingly done it to keep the lovers apart. To be honest, Will didn't come out too great in my eyes, which is odd for something that feels like Shakespeare fan fiction. He was a selfish, jealous arsehole, who kept stringing our heroine Anne on for decades; never letting her go to get on with her life, but quite happy to have her running around after him, always on pause until he would next grace her with his presence, even though he was married to another woman and had several kids with her. And Christopher Marlowe doesn't come off well either as a nasty lecherous git. I don't really know enough about the period to comment on whether this is true to what records said of him or not.
So we have pathetic Anne (who swings from crying and being angry with him, to this kind of groupie running around doing good for him); to evil 2D snooty Anne - Anne Hathaway, who is painted as this ignorant, moody selfish old cow who has entrapped poor old Will even though neither of them like each other. And she's knowingly done it to keep the lovers apart. To be honest, Will didn't come out too great in my eyes, which is odd for something that feels like Shakespeare fan fiction. He was a selfish, jealous arsehole, who kept stringing our heroine Anne on for decades; never letting her go to get on with her life, but quite happy to have her running around after him, always on pause until he would next grace her with his presence, even though he was married to another woman and had several kids with her. And Christopher Marlowe doesn't come off well either as a nasty lecherous git. I don't really know enough about the period to comment on whether this is true to what records said of him or not.
November 26, 2010
I enjoyed this "what-if" drawn from a single line in a legal register from 1582 that had Shakespeare applying for a marriage bond to a woman named Anne Whately the day before he applied for one for Anne Hathaway, who was pregnant. Harper, assuming that the first Anne was no mistake and was a love match, imagines what might have happened if Shakespeare had two wives.
Having recently read Peter Ackroyd's biography of Shakespeare, I recognized many of the details known about his life and milieu as well as the Ackroyd's influence in guessing at Shakespeare's character. Harper mentions two other scholars who have previously argued for a second wife, so it's an old theory -- one with some teeth, given what little we do know about him. Unlike others in the London drama scene at that time, for example, Shakespeare was singularly focused and not known for wild living. Having a London wife would explain his lack of general carousing.
Still, I would have liked for a story with a bit more grandeur and sweep. After all, this was the Elizabethan age and Shakespeare.
Having recently read Peter Ackroyd's biography of Shakespeare, I recognized many of the details known about his life and milieu as well as the Ackroyd's influence in guessing at Shakespeare's character. Harper mentions two other scholars who have previously argued for a second wife, so it's an old theory -- one with some teeth, given what little we do know about him. Unlike others in the London drama scene at that time, for example, Shakespeare was singularly focused and not known for wild living. Having a London wife would explain his lack of general carousing.
Still, I would have liked for a story with a bit more grandeur and sweep. After all, this was the Elizabethan age and Shakespeare.
August 6, 2016
I received this book as a First Reads giveaway.
First things first...the cover is beautiful!
Karen Harper is an excellent storyteller. She gave a unique and credible voice to Anne Whately, the first wife of William Shakespeare. It spans almost 50 years, from the time Anne and Will met as children up until middle age, when he had reached the height of him his fame. The descriptions of London, Temple Grafton, and Warwickshire were incredible. The relationship dynamics between Anne and Will were so *real*...it wasn't a fairytale, it was the tale of two people who were destined to be together but circumstances prevented it again and again.
For Shakespeare fans (which, admittedly, I'm fascinated by his life but not big fan of his work), for history buffs, and for those that love passion, love, and literature...check it out.
Thank you, GR, and Karen Harper for the copy of this novel! :) It was even signed to me personally, which was just amazing.
First things first...the cover is beautiful!
Karen Harper is an excellent storyteller. She gave a unique and credible voice to Anne Whately, the first wife of William Shakespeare. It spans almost 50 years, from the time Anne and Will met as children up until middle age, when he had reached the height of him his fame. The descriptions of London, Temple Grafton, and Warwickshire were incredible. The relationship dynamics between Anne and Will were so *real*...it wasn't a fairytale, it was the tale of two people who were destined to be together but circumstances prevented it again and again.
For Shakespeare fans (which, admittedly, I'm fascinated by his life but not big fan of his work), for history buffs, and for those that love passion, love, and literature...check it out.
Thank you, GR, and Karen Harper for the copy of this novel! :) It was even signed to me personally, which was just amazing.
August 13, 2018
An interesting book, with an entertaining slant on how Shakespeare was inspired to write his plays and characters. Told from the perspective of his 'other wife', Anne Whateley; portrayed as his muse.
I certainly appreciated how certain things were explained (such as Shakespeare's mumps and the 'other' Anne's lack of pregnancy).
The story, however, didn't particularly captivate me. Anne's telling of his life was at times a little droning - especially in the first few chapters.
I think it'd be a very good book if you enjoy romances (I don't).
I certainly appreciated how certain things were explained (such as Shakespeare's mumps and the 'other' Anne's lack of pregnancy).
The story, however, didn't particularly captivate me. Anne's telling of his life was at times a little droning - especially in the first few chapters.
I think it'd be a very good book if you enjoy romances (I don't).
February 9, 2012
As always, Karen Harper takes on a subject that while seeming small or inconsequential, has the potential to be larger than life. Sometimes, she nails her subject, as she did in her novel The Last Boleyn, but in the case of Mistress Shakespeare, I did not quite catch the same spark, the same magic that I did in her other novel.
April 9, 2023
'Shakespeare in Love' meets 'The Bigamist'. An intriguing and beautifully written novel of Renaissance England.
There are very few historically accurate facts that are known for sure about William Shakespeare. One true fact is that an entry in an Episcopal register dated Nov. 27, 1582, stated that a marriage license was issued to "Wm. Shaxpere and Anna Whateley". The very next day, on Nov. 28, 1582, a fee of £40 was paid as a financial guarantee for the wedding of "William Shagspere and Anne Hathwey".
Were they two different women? And if so, how did it come about that William Shakespeare was engaged to both of them, one day apart? More alarmingly, was Shakespeare a bigamist?
More historical facts -- Anne Hathaway went on to marry Shakespeare, and they had 3 children together (evidenced by baptismal records.) Their first child was born 6 months after their wedding license was secured, thus indicating that Anne was already pregnant before they were married. Will was a tender 18 years old at the time of their wedding, and Anne Hathaway was already a scandalous 26!
But if Shakespeare married Anne Hathaway, who was Anna Whateley? It is a question that historians have never been able to answer. This novel weaves a tale of the life and adventures of this would-be wife of Shakespeare.
Anne Whateley is presented as Will's first love, the woman he really wanted to marry. But -- since Anne Hathaway was already pregnant (Will had made a foolish, youthful blunder) he owns up to his responsibility and marries her instead. Broken hearted, and angry at Will, Anne Whateley moves to London. Years later, she meets up again with Will, who is now a struggling playwright. And still married to Hathaway... but of course, that won't stop them from getting involved.
The best thing about this book was the attention to detail of life in Elizabethan England. Rich, vivid writing. It's more than just a romance novel, it is a slice of history. At times it was a bit contrived, but I still enjoyed it. I would recommend this for Shakespeare fans who like historical fiction.
There are very few historically accurate facts that are known for sure about William Shakespeare. One true fact is that an entry in an Episcopal register dated Nov. 27, 1582, stated that a marriage license was issued to "Wm. Shaxpere and Anna Whateley". The very next day, on Nov. 28, 1582, a fee of £40 was paid as a financial guarantee for the wedding of "William Shagspere and Anne Hathwey".
Were they two different women? And if so, how did it come about that William Shakespeare was engaged to both of them, one day apart? More alarmingly, was Shakespeare a bigamist?
More historical facts -- Anne Hathaway went on to marry Shakespeare, and they had 3 children together (evidenced by baptismal records.) Their first child was born 6 months after their wedding license was secured, thus indicating that Anne was already pregnant before they were married. Will was a tender 18 years old at the time of their wedding, and Anne Hathaway was already a scandalous 26!
But if Shakespeare married Anne Hathaway, who was Anna Whateley? It is a question that historians have never been able to answer. This novel weaves a tale of the life and adventures of this would-be wife of Shakespeare.
Anne Whateley is presented as Will's first love, the woman he really wanted to marry. But -- since Anne Hathaway was already pregnant (Will had made a foolish, youthful blunder) he owns up to his responsibility and marries her instead. Broken hearted, and angry at Will, Anne Whateley moves to London. Years later, she meets up again with Will, who is now a struggling playwright. And still married to Hathaway... but of course, that won't stop them from getting involved.
The best thing about this book was the attention to detail of life in Elizabethan England. Rich, vivid writing. It's more than just a romance novel, it is a slice of history. At times it was a bit contrived, but I still enjoyed it. I would recommend this for Shakespeare fans who like historical fiction.
September 20, 2022
I found the start of this novel slow, but being a fan of Shakespeare, I vowed to finish it. The story gained traction with each page turn. I found myself liking Anne Whatley. Will had his moments, but it's Anne's story. The speculative take on the existence of a first Anne as a separate person from the second known as his wife is intriguing. History doesn't bear this out nor does it dismiss it. This fictional plausibility and the author's well-researched historical framework provide a firm foundation for this novel. Will and those players last known as the King's Men won't fade from history. This fictional story warms the lens with a love story buoying the possible behind-the-scenes inspiration.
April 26, 2022
A beautiful story!
Page 363 wrecked me.
There were ups and downs and while I wouldn’t call it a page turner, there were times I just couldn’t seem to put it down. Any lover of Shakespeare’s work should give this a read. I thoroughly enjoyed it!
Page 363 wrecked me.
There were ups and downs and while I wouldn’t call it a page turner, there were times I just couldn’t seem to put it down. Any lover of Shakespeare’s work should give this a read. I thoroughly enjoyed it!
June 11, 2019
Very enjoyable! Karen Harper does excellent research.
October 2, 2011
Karen Harper set herself a challenging task: to balance the historical record of who William Shakespeare was with her speculation about a second Anne in his life, the Anne Whately who may have been a typo, but who Harper posits as a real person. Also, she had to write a story about Shakespeare without the connection to his writings feeling contrived or too neatly wrapped up. Third, she had to depict about 50 years in time without it feeling like a summary. In the second and third tasks, I feel she succeeded, though only just. In the first, I can only comment on the things that stood out to me.
I am no Shakespeare scholar, but I'm well aware that Shakespeare wasn't appreciated in his time. He was successful, which was why his plays survived, but he was far more looked down on than this novel suggests. I understand why Anne might gush on and on about his "genius," but that no one rolls his eyes at her irked me. In retrospect, we see his genius, but people of his time didn't all embrace him, and that glossing-over bothered me.
The idea of a writer gaining inspiration or coming up with character traits or lines felt true to me. Most writers will describe taking just bits and pieces of real life to put into their writing, and never cleaving anything off to shove in whole. So that the Will Shakespeare of this novel commented on only finding inspiration from his Anne and his personal trials felt real enough, and that it gave the author wiggle room to keep from having to write out his play's plots scene by scene probably helped free up a lot of the narrative. Still, there were times when the inspiration felt a bit pat, or like the inspiration was shoehorned in.
The timeline often confused me, though that may have been the fault of the audiobook. Maybe the text has some white space between events and timeskips. But it would seem to me, listening to the audio version, that one minute they'd be talking or arguing, and the next it would be five years later. Due to the timeline, I was often curious why one event or another would stick out in Anne's mind, and then weeks, months, or years would pass before anything more stuck out to her. Often, the events seemed like they weren't particularly memorable. Also, Anne often promises things about upcoming scenes that she fails to deliver. She apologizes for the upcoming scene of the first time she meets Will Shakespeare, but it seemed quite memorable for meeting the love of one's life, to me. She promises that the next time she sees her Will, she's much changed, but I never detected any difference.
I think that the book could've been written better, but it was enjoyable enough, and I didn't yell at it, like I often do with Shakespeare retcons. And so, if you like historical romance with minimal sex (oh, they have plenty of it, but everything is left to the imagination) and the idea of Shakespeare having a second wife doesn't repulse you, you may enjoy this. Don't expect a rehash of any of his plays, though. Harper weaves in elements of Shakespeare's play without offering us a blatant ripoff, and I appreciated that much originality.
I am no Shakespeare scholar, but I'm well aware that Shakespeare wasn't appreciated in his time. He was successful, which was why his plays survived, but he was far more looked down on than this novel suggests. I understand why Anne might gush on and on about his "genius," but that no one rolls his eyes at her irked me. In retrospect, we see his genius, but people of his time didn't all embrace him, and that glossing-over bothered me.
The idea of a writer gaining inspiration or coming up with character traits or lines felt true to me. Most writers will describe taking just bits and pieces of real life to put into their writing, and never cleaving anything off to shove in whole. So that the Will Shakespeare of this novel commented on only finding inspiration from his Anne and his personal trials felt real enough, and that it gave the author wiggle room to keep from having to write out his play's plots scene by scene probably helped free up a lot of the narrative. Still, there were times when the inspiration felt a bit pat, or like the inspiration was shoehorned in.
The timeline often confused me, though that may have been the fault of the audiobook. Maybe the text has some white space between events and timeskips. But it would seem to me, listening to the audio version, that one minute they'd be talking or arguing, and the next it would be five years later. Due to the timeline, I was often curious why one event or another would stick out in Anne's mind, and then weeks, months, or years would pass before anything more stuck out to her. Often, the events seemed like they weren't particularly memorable. Also, Anne often promises things about upcoming scenes that she fails to deliver. She apologizes for the upcoming scene of the first time she meets Will Shakespeare, but it seemed quite memorable for meeting the love of one's life, to me. She promises that the next time she sees her Will, she's much changed, but I never detected any difference.
I think that the book could've been written better, but it was enjoyable enough, and I didn't yell at it, like I often do with Shakespeare retcons. And so, if you like historical romance with minimal sex (oh, they have plenty of it, but everything is left to the imagination) and the idea of Shakespeare having a second wife doesn't repulse you, you may enjoy this. Don't expect a rehash of any of his plays, though. Harper weaves in elements of Shakespeare's play without offering us a blatant ripoff, and I appreciated that much originality.
August 19, 2013
I seem to be going through an Elizabethan phase, I’ve been picking up so many books from this era.
The fact that Shakespeare had married Anne Hathaway is a well known fact. What is not so well-known is that there is two days before Shakespeare married Anne Hathaway, there exists a permission for him to marry Anne Whateley of Temple Grafton, a place close to Stratford-Upon-Avon. Two days later, some family friends of Anne Hathaway seem to have placed a bond for Shakespeare to marry Anne Hathaway Scholars have generally dismissed it as a clerical error but what if it weren’t? What if, Anne Whateley was a real person. What if, she was in reality Shakespeare’s muse and secret love. The person he wrote those sonnets for. What if Shakespeare was forced to marry Anne Hathaway because she became pregnant, while being in love with someone else all through?
Karen Harper uses that bit of fact and weaves a story around it. The story is told by Anne Whateley, from the time they met, as children to the time of Shakespeare’s death. It’s a believable tale. One can imagine how things happened, and how their love stood the test of time. Harper’s words transport you into that time. You are right there, with Anne as she tests her boundaries, takes up challenges and lives her life on her own terms. Anne Whateley comes across as a strong person, although it does make you wonder why she accepts the her role in Shakespeare’s life. All she really wanted was to be known as Mistress Shakespeare, but all her life, she hides away, in London, supporting Shakespeare in any way she can, all the while, knowing that for the world, Mistress Shakespeare is another Anne, in Stratford.
Another book where it is difficult to figure out where the fact ends and fiction begins. Harper has taken facts and beautifully interwoven them with fiction. She has also, very clearly, used pieces from Shakespeare’s plays in the book, so very naturally, that it looks entirely possible that Anne Whateley was indeed the person, that Harper has built up for us. It had me turning to Google to find out more. A book that makes you wonder if the historians have actually missed something that was staring at their faces.
A wonderful read, if you like historical fiction.
The fact that Shakespeare had married Anne Hathaway is a well known fact. What is not so well-known is that there is two days before Shakespeare married Anne Hathaway, there exists a permission for him to marry Anne Whateley of Temple Grafton, a place close to Stratford-Upon-Avon. Two days later, some family friends of Anne Hathaway seem to have placed a bond for Shakespeare to marry Anne Hathaway Scholars have generally dismissed it as a clerical error but what if it weren’t? What if, Anne Whateley was a real person. What if, she was in reality Shakespeare’s muse and secret love. The person he wrote those sonnets for. What if Shakespeare was forced to marry Anne Hathaway because she became pregnant, while being in love with someone else all through?
Karen Harper uses that bit of fact and weaves a story around it. The story is told by Anne Whateley, from the time they met, as children to the time of Shakespeare’s death. It’s a believable tale. One can imagine how things happened, and how their love stood the test of time. Harper’s words transport you into that time. You are right there, with Anne as she tests her boundaries, takes up challenges and lives her life on her own terms. Anne Whateley comes across as a strong person, although it does make you wonder why she accepts the her role in Shakespeare’s life. All she really wanted was to be known as Mistress Shakespeare, but all her life, she hides away, in London, supporting Shakespeare in any way she can, all the while, knowing that for the world, Mistress Shakespeare is another Anne, in Stratford.
Another book where it is difficult to figure out where the fact ends and fiction begins. Harper has taken facts and beautifully interwoven them with fiction. She has also, very clearly, used pieces from Shakespeare’s plays in the book, so very naturally, that it looks entirely possible that Anne Whateley was indeed the person, that Harper has built up for us. It had me turning to Google to find out more. A book that makes you wonder if the historians have actually missed something that was staring at their faces.
A wonderful read, if you like historical fiction.
February 10, 2013
I loved the story! I'm amazed that I enjoyed it so much, who would have thought....Let me explain, I enjoy Shakespeare as much as the next person, but during a class I took at University I had to dwell into his history, which there's isn't much, his life and works don't mesh together and there's a lot of historians that believe that Shakespeare the author was a completely different person. And let me say I do not know enough to have an opinion.
But that's the beauty of fiction, and this one really made me like the man, the actor, the poet, and the play write. Don't get me wrong I found him to be selfish, frustrating and often times an idiot, but he was human. He made mistakes and he tried to fix them. He was honorable in his own way. The true star of the book was Anne Whateley. She was a childhood friend, later his love and the one that he truly wanted to marry. She had no choice but to along with his marriage to the other Anne (Hathaway), I could understand her anger and sadness. She had to live with the decisions that were made for her and Will. She was a strong and independent woman in a time that you didn't see it often. She ran her father's business. And she was also a true admirer of Queen Elizabeth. But the one thing she wanted the most was to be recognized as the true Mistress Shakespeare.
Not only were the characters wonderfully written but the setting of the late 1500's and early 1600's London felt real. I'm not an historical expert but I felt like I was truly experiencing London in that era. She gave me a glimpse on how people lived, concerns about family life, property and social standing, and along the way I also experienced the fear of the plague.
4.5/5
But that's the beauty of fiction, and this one really made me like the man, the actor, the poet, and the play write. Don't get me wrong I found him to be selfish, frustrating and often times an idiot, but he was human. He made mistakes and he tried to fix them. He was honorable in his own way. The true star of the book was Anne Whateley. She was a childhood friend, later his love and the one that he truly wanted to marry. She had no choice but to along with his marriage to the other Anne (Hathaway), I could understand her anger and sadness. She had to live with the decisions that were made for her and Will. She was a strong and independent woman in a time that you didn't see it often. She ran her father's business. And she was also a true admirer of Queen Elizabeth. But the one thing she wanted the most was to be recognized as the true Mistress Shakespeare.
Not only were the characters wonderfully written but the setting of the late 1500's and early 1600's London felt real. I'm not an historical expert but I felt like I was truly experiencing London in that era. She gave me a glimpse on how people lived, concerns about family life, property and social standing, and along the way I also experienced the fear of the plague.
4.5/5
September 17, 2009
I enjoyed this novel about a possilble other love of William Shakespeare. It was interesting to have theorized the way William Shakespeare's plays come about, with Anne Whateley being his muse, inspiration and means of his poems and plays getting to the public. I liked how the author wove in lines from the plays. The descriptions of the plague and daily life and the intrigues of Elizabeth's reign were eyeopening and quiet intersting. The desciption of Maud's death of the black death are heartrenching. I had never thought of it with such graffic imagery.
Anne was a very real character. She loved Will for all his faults, but wished to be rid of her love for him, and to be able to care for another, to get past the hurt he caused her, but loved him so much that time and again she forgave him.
Quotes I like:
"Time was more precious than gold; we snatched at its nuggets of minutes and moments."
"a clever and tart tongue is tastier than a sweet one"
"whether with me or afar, you are my muse. This play may not tell the world that, but I pray it tells you so."
"the hightest compliment to me: when we were finished with our loving, Will was so sublimely moved that he forgot his new book...It was then I knew the power I had over not only the body of the man but his brain too."
"it was the custom in days of yore to count how manyof the holly leaves were pointed - or male - and how many were rounded - the so-called female. Then whichever kind was in the majority supposedly decided whether the husband or wife ruled to rooste in the coming year."
"It is often a burden to see our parents through adult eyes, but we must love them yet."
Anne was a very real character. She loved Will for all his faults, but wished to be rid of her love for him, and to be able to care for another, to get past the hurt he caused her, but loved him so much that time and again she forgave him.
Quotes I like:
"Time was more precious than gold; we snatched at its nuggets of minutes and moments."
"a clever and tart tongue is tastier than a sweet one"
"whether with me or afar, you are my muse. This play may not tell the world that, but I pray it tells you so."
"the hightest compliment to me: when we were finished with our loving, Will was so sublimely moved that he forgot his new book...It was then I knew the power I had over not only the body of the man but his brain too."
"it was the custom in days of yore to count how manyof the holly leaves were pointed - or male - and how many were rounded - the so-called female. Then whichever kind was in the majority supposedly decided whether the husband or wife ruled to rooste in the coming year."
"It is often a burden to see our parents through adult eyes, but we must love them yet."
March 10, 2010
Just okay. I was really looking forward to this because like most, the whole back story of: "Was there really another Anne?" "Who was she?" "What happened to her?" was pretty fascinating. I knew going in that this was a novel, not non-fiction, but to me, this read more like a teen love story. Even the language in "Shakespeare In Love" was more complex than this. The character of William Shakespeare just seemed so ... simple-minded, which then had my mind wandering to the notion that if he was really that dim-witted then how in heaven's name did he end up writing all of those fantastically intricate plays and poetry? Anne's character was better drawn and much more clever than Will (hmmmm...maybe she was really Shakespeare) but even she had so many "oh I hate him/oh I love him" moments that I started gritting my teeth, and it frankly, got a bit boring and that combined with Will's retarded jealousies got very wearing.
What was a shame is that there were some great sections in this; the exit from the London plague for one, that were wonderful both for the narrative and the dialogue. As a whole though, I wasn't lovin' this.
What was a shame is that there were some great sections in this; the exit from the London plague for one, that were wonderful both for the narrative and the dialogue. As a whole though, I wasn't lovin' this.
November 13, 2015
In the reviews here on Goodreads, it seems this book got mostly three stars. I'm giving it five stars because I really loved it. Yes, there were moments that I thought were somewhat annoying, but Karen Harper is a Shakespeare scholar and if this is indeed her theory of Shakespeare's Dark Lady, I think she really did an excellent job with this story.
I loved all the references to Shakespeare's many plays, and there were so many quotes from his plays, poetry, and sonnets, which made the book all the more enjoyable for me, and worthy of five stars.
There is no question that Ms. Harper is an authority on the Elizabethan period, in addition to Shakespeare and his works, and all the interesting people who were in and out of Shakespeare's life -- Southampton, Essex, Henslowe, Marlowe, the Burbages, Queen Elizabeth, King James, etc. And his family background is extremely interesting, with his relations to the Ardens.
The best part about this book for me, is that it inspired me to go back and reread some of the poems and sonnets.
I loved all the references to Shakespeare's many plays, and there were so many quotes from his plays, poetry, and sonnets, which made the book all the more enjoyable for me, and worthy of five stars.
There is no question that Ms. Harper is an authority on the Elizabethan period, in addition to Shakespeare and his works, and all the interesting people who were in and out of Shakespeare's life -- Southampton, Essex, Henslowe, Marlowe, the Burbages, Queen Elizabeth, King James, etc. And his family background is extremely interesting, with his relations to the Ardens.
The best part about this book for me, is that it inspired me to go back and reread some of the poems and sonnets.
August 19, 2016
Thank you to my beautiful daughter Autumn May for sending me this book.
Firstly I have not studied nor read any of William Shakespeare's works, for this reason I probably would not have picked this book off the shelf myself. However Mistress Shakespeare did not disappoint, in fact it has piqued my interest! Mistress Shakespeare is a well researched novel based in the Tudor period. The story starts in 1601 with the prologue, then takes you back to 1564 telling the story of Anne Whateley's relationship with William Shakespeare from when they were young until his death. The novel is written in Five Acts. The details in the book bring it to life and capture you from the very first page. I for one enjoyed the smattering of Tudor English written throughout the book. I would suggest to anyone even those that are not familiar to Shakespeare, that if you are looking for a beautifully researched and written novel about the Tudor Period, this one is perfect.
Thank You Autumn.
Firstly I have not studied nor read any of William Shakespeare's works, for this reason I probably would not have picked this book off the shelf myself. However Mistress Shakespeare did not disappoint, in fact it has piqued my interest! Mistress Shakespeare is a well researched novel based in the Tudor period. The story starts in 1601 with the prologue, then takes you back to 1564 telling the story of Anne Whateley's relationship with William Shakespeare from when they were young until his death. The novel is written in Five Acts. The details in the book bring it to life and capture you from the very first page. I for one enjoyed the smattering of Tudor English written throughout the book. I would suggest to anyone even those that are not familiar to Shakespeare, that if you are looking for a beautifully researched and written novel about the Tudor Period, this one is perfect.
Thank You Autumn.
March 8, 2009
In Mistress Shakespeare we discover who the "Dark Lady" is and the influence she had not only on William Shakespeare's poems and works, but also throughout his lifetime. Harper takes a questionable, historical subject and leaves the reader with no self-doubts to his one true love. Enthusiasts of Shakespeare's plays and poems will enjoy the interweaving of his writings from start to finish.
May 19, 2016
It never ceases to amaze me how timely the words of Shakespeare are even in today's world :) This was a swirling, mesmerizing tale of the "perhaps that might have happened" behind the words, sensuous and flowing, that Shakespeare wrote and I have to admit I enjoyed pretty much every word in this book of a possible mistress and how that may have impacted the plays and sonnets he wrote. This book came to me through the Goodreads giveaways and I am oh so glad that it did.
June 6, 2016
I could not put this wonderful romance, historical fiction piece down. I learned lots about Shakespeare, life in the late 1590s, and about his two loves. Best of all, it's the perfect read to prepare for this year of Shakespeare and the 400th anniversary of the Bard's death.
Of course, it's fiction, but Karen Harper does such a great job at historical fiction, you'll find it's as close to the truth as she can discover.
Read and enjoy!
Of course, it's fiction, but Karen Harper does such a great job at historical fiction, you'll find it's as close to the truth as she can discover.
Read and enjoy!
November 16, 2020
It just too far too long to read! The premise was good. The concept of william Shakespeare’s ‘ other life ‘ was good...I liked the characters . But there where parts of it that just need to be shortened.
I don’t want use the works droned in... but there parts I felt did make me feel this
I think shorter and swifter and puncher would have made me score it higher
Thankfully no bodice ripping... to ruin it...
I don’t want use the works droned in... but there parts I felt did make me feel this
I think shorter and swifter and puncher would have made me score it higher
Thankfully no bodice ripping... to ruin it...
March 14, 2009
Enjoyable romp through Shakespearean England. I loved the political and religious intrigue, and the view of the theatre industry. The love and friendship between Will and Anne was interesting and touching, as it changed and matured through their lives. A sweet love story, in the end.
October 15, 2009
Nope, not going to finish it. This book is just too boring and life is too short to force my way through books that have no merit.
February 15, 2015
I did enjoy this one, but it takes place over about 30 years and so feels a bit rushed at times.
June 25, 2022
Wonderful read. I teared up at the end.
June 7, 2018
I almost quit reading this book several times, but every now & then an event would occur to move along the stultifying plot and I would give it another chance. It was like that all the way through. When the author (whom I am sure I would like very much in person) let go of all the twee, self-conscious, Shakespearian references, and just wrote the story, it was interesting and worthwhile. Unfortunately, she seemed bound and determined to tie everything to a famous Shakespeare quote or scene, until it resembled the modern counterpart of speaking only in movie quotes!
I must say that I support her absolute acceptance of William Shakespeare of Stratford as being the "real" Shakespeare. As I have stated elsewhere, his knowledge and use of glover's terms as well as of the names of Warwickshire wildflowers, gives all the proof necessary that he was born and raised in Stratford, the son of a glove-maker.
The premise of this novel is an intriguing one, that Shakespeare registered to marry another Anne the day before his marriage to Anne Hathaway. The original document still exists. Also, widely scattered through-out the book are some excellent scenes which take us to the English country-side or the London of the late 16th, early 17th centuries. A few of the highlights are: Queen Elizabeth's visit to Kenilworth Castle, the birth of the Devenant's baby and the final courtroom drama. In fact, the book would have been improved if that had been the conclusion. The actual ending was anti-climactic.
Things I could have done without: 1) Will's continual jealousy. It was unbelievable, unnecessary and uninteresting.
2) Will's antipathy to Queen Elizabeth. This attitude was not credible, because, however he felt personally (and no one really knows,) he was a businessman who believed in making his supporters and patrons happy.
3) As mentioned before, the overreaching connections of all things Shakespeare. In many places it was more a string of the known facts rather than a progressive story.
While I think this book might have earned a 2.5 rating; I found it more irritating than likable, and so, I did not round-up.
I must say that I support her absolute acceptance of William Shakespeare of Stratford as being the "real" Shakespeare. As I have stated elsewhere, his knowledge and use of glover's terms as well as of the names of Warwickshire wildflowers, gives all the proof necessary that he was born and raised in Stratford, the son of a glove-maker.
The premise of this novel is an intriguing one, that Shakespeare registered to marry another Anne the day before his marriage to Anne Hathaway. The original document still exists. Also, widely scattered through-out the book are some excellent scenes which take us to the English country-side or the London of the late 16th, early 17th centuries. A few of the highlights are: Queen Elizabeth's visit to Kenilworth Castle, the birth of the Devenant's baby and the final courtroom drama. In fact, the book would have been improved if that had been the conclusion. The actual ending was anti-climactic.
Things I could have done without: 1) Will's continual jealousy. It was unbelievable, unnecessary and uninteresting.
2) Will's antipathy to Queen Elizabeth. This attitude was not credible, because, however he felt personally (and no one really knows,) he was a businessman who believed in making his supporters and patrons happy.
3) As mentioned before, the overreaching connections of all things Shakespeare. In many places it was more a string of the known facts rather than a progressive story.
While I think this book might have earned a 2.5 rating; I found it more irritating than likable, and so, I did not round-up.
July 24, 2024
So what if the literary genius secretly had two wives... what if the famous ‘Dark Lady’ of his sonnets was a half-Italian girl who lived only a few miles from his own home in Stratford and was the real love of his life?
Rather than taking us through the well-worn debate over ‘who really wrote Shakespeare,’ Karen Harper’s entertaining novel explores the far more interesting premise, ‘who really was Shakespeare’s wife?’Church records in Worcester, discovered in the 19th century, do indeed show that a marriage licence was issued to William Shakespeare and a woman called Anne Whateley to marry in the village of Temple Grafton near Stratford-upon-Avon.
In Harper’s imaginative rewriting of Shakespeare’s life in London, Whateley is his childhood sweetheart who becomes his secretly wedded bigamous wife and muse, closely involved with the productions of his work and the inspiration for his famous sonnets.
Whateley is the narrator, giving us the exciting and intimate details of their dangerous and daring life and love in a newly Protestant country that still fears a Catholic insurrection and will stop at nothing to seek out the covert followers of the old religion.
Essentially a romantic romp, Shakespeare’s Mistress is well researched and as colourful as one would expect of a novel featuring England’s greatest writer, the spectacle of the Tudor court, the teeming streets of London and a mixed bunch of Elizabethan characters.
A new and daring version of Shakespeare in love...
Rather than taking us through the well-worn debate over ‘who really wrote Shakespeare,’ Karen Harper’s entertaining novel explores the far more interesting premise, ‘who really was Shakespeare’s wife?’Church records in Worcester, discovered in the 19th century, do indeed show that a marriage licence was issued to William Shakespeare and a woman called Anne Whateley to marry in the village of Temple Grafton near Stratford-upon-Avon.
In Harper’s imaginative rewriting of Shakespeare’s life in London, Whateley is his childhood sweetheart who becomes his secretly wedded bigamous wife and muse, closely involved with the productions of his work and the inspiration for his famous sonnets.
Whateley is the narrator, giving us the exciting and intimate details of their dangerous and daring life and love in a newly Protestant country that still fears a Catholic insurrection and will stop at nothing to seek out the covert followers of the old religion.
Essentially a romantic romp, Shakespeare’s Mistress is well researched and as colourful as one would expect of a novel featuring England’s greatest writer, the spectacle of the Tudor court, the teeming streets of London and a mixed bunch of Elizabethan characters.
A new and daring version of Shakespeare in love...
Read
February 19, 2024The lack of concrete information about Shakespeare's life leaves fertile ground for novelists, who feel free to speculate and build a story. The most notable recent example, of course, was Hamnet by Maggie O'Farrell. I loved that book, and the theatrical version, which I saw in London last fall. It told the story of Anne Hathaway, whose name was probably pronounced more like Agnes. In that novel, Shakespeare is largely offstage.
Here we have yet another alternate history--a memoir supposedly written by Anne Whately, who may have been Shakespeare's first love and is a strong candidate for the Dark Lady of the sonnets. That makes for an interesting story, but it's not entirely convincing. The exposition can be heavy-handed--though granted, there's a great deal of background to convey. Shakespeare pops in and out of the story over a period of decades, between Stratford and London, with political intrigue and the Plague playing major roles as well. I was not entirely convinced by the love story between Anne and Will.
Here we have yet another alternate history--a memoir supposedly written by Anne Whately, who may have been Shakespeare's first love and is a strong candidate for the Dark Lady of the sonnets. That makes for an interesting story, but it's not entirely convincing. The exposition can be heavy-handed--though granted, there's a great deal of background to convey. Shakespeare pops in and out of the story over a period of decades, between Stratford and London, with political intrigue and the Plague playing major roles as well. I was not entirely convinced by the love story between Anne and Will.
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