Welcome to Litsy!

*Squeals* thank you so much @MommyOfTwo for my #Jolabokaflodswap gifts! I was hoping for this book, and Lindt is just amazing. I absolutely adore the handmade bookmark and chapstick keychain (adorable and practical 😍). Merry Christmas to you & yours! 💚 ❤️
@MaleficentBookDragon thank you as always for hosting this Listy fav event! 💕

I have heard the theories that Shakespeare was not the author of the many works credited to him and this historical fiction puts forth a very well researched proposal about who may have been one of the actual authors. In addition, in delves into the life of a real person, highlighting the lack of rights of women at the time and misogyny faced by woman still today. While it did feel a little long, I never felt it was not worthy of my time. 4.25/5

I started this book last week, but today it hooked me so now I can‘t do anything except read. I rearranged my living room and created this reading corner. Love it already!
November 30, 2025

This dual timeline historical novel about the potential authorship of Shakespeare‘s plays is fascinating read. Well-researched and well-written (although a bit too heavy-handed at times for my taste), this was very thought-provoking as well as entertaining. I think this book‘s impact will stay with me. Don‘t skip the author‘s note at the end!

⭐️⭐️⭐️

This book felt overly long for me and sometimes came across as preachy, but I liked the author‘s exploration of the Shakespeare authorship question. I appreciate when historical fiction highlights women in history who we might not know about otherwise. 🎧

What an incredible story. I heard about the book because the author was interviewed on The Book Case podcast. I love that even though the book was historical fiction, it is really convincing you with facts that Shakespeare did not write his own plays. Picoult did an extensive amount of research into the subject, concluding that Emilia Bassano was the true author of most plays. Or at least that she was one of many authors using his name to write.

I normally love Jodi Picoult‘s books but this one I found tedious. She questions Shakespeare‘s authorship and drones on about how women don‘t get enough credit. I didn‘t feel invested in the characters at all and began to skim.

I always pick bestsellers/popular authors for our library‘s book club because I can get ahold of enough copies. I was dreading this pick because I‘m not big on Shakespeare and read the dismal reviews here of it. I was pleasantly surprised that despite myself I enjoyed the historical fiction section (the modern timeline much less so). Though it felt like a bodice ripper at times, maybe Shakespeare was a woman! Or a group of people!

♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️ “…a soulmate you would not have forever…”

Definitely not my favorite Picoult. I was wavering between pick and so-so. What I like about most of Picoult‘s books is that they make me think about opposing viewpoints and often question multiple characters and their actions. This did not do that.
Overall, a low pick for me.

This is what my blind date book turned out to be. Sounds good!

I love the dual narratives, dual timelines and the parallels between the two female protagonists. I knew of the controversy surrounding the authenticity of Shakespeare's authorship but I learned so much reading this.

So I miss my daughter being in 3rd grade, mostly because of her bookworm teacher. 😂 We were at school for a conference and popped into said former teacher's class where the subject, as usual, turned quickly to books, and she recommended this one. I've never read anything by Picoult, but this is the same teacher who recommended the Veronica Speedwell mysteries, which I adore, so I'm just curious to see if anyone else has read it?

Reading is such a personal thing some people hate this some like it wouldn‘t say anyone loves it , after watching a lot of Shakespeare recently at the RSC in Stratford upon Avon I bought this book there intrigued to find out more about Shakespeares dark lady Emilia bassano,100 odd pages in & chapters in Emilia‘s timeline I‘m so far enjoying but why the modern twist with Melina in manhattan?why didn‘t picoults editor tell her to ditch these parts?

Stopped reading Picoult years ago for a reason: I am a book snob. This was naff.
Case in point: 2 lovers are reunited,
“A small cry climbed the ladder of her throat, & then she was in his arms & pressed against him & his mouth was crushed to hers. His hands speared into her hair, scattering the pins like raindrops around them. She melted like wax, shaped against him, remade.” 🤮
Why did I read it? It was gifted in my book club Secret Santa.

I‘ve checked this one out of the library twice and can‘t seem to get to it!

#49bdaygiveaway. @wanderinglynn

I borrowed this book from the library because of the pretty cover, but decided to bail when I came across this part. Here the girl Emilia just got her first period and the Queen told her that it‘s a gift.
🙄🙄🙄🙄🙄

I kept putting off reading this book because of its length. Even when I started reading it two days ago, I lamented at how long it would take to read - HA. It was worth it and had to be this epic to truly capture the heartbreaking life of Emilia. Oh what a thought, and the author makes a fantastic case both in the story and in her note at the end. Book #114 in 2024

I read this for book club. At 1st I didn‘t think I‘d like it because of the Elizabethan era, but as I kept reading it I got really invested in Emilia‘s character in the 1500s timeline & was eager to see what would happen next! If you like historical fiction, you should like this one. The timeline set in current times is good too! It is interesting to be presented with a story that shows how Shakespeare didn‘t write the works credited to him.

I enjoyed this one, I found it interesting. There are two timelines, one set in the present day and the other in the 16th/17thC. I preferred the timeline in the Shakespearean era. However, I did think it was a little too long, somewhat drawn out. But all in all it gives food for thought!

A library book.

Loved this story that has the best female characters and asks the question “did Shakespeare have a woman and others write for him?” Emilia Bassano is a real person and the authors notes has convinced me…I think we have something to think about with Shakespeare! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️. Another excellent book by Jodi Picoult.

4.5⭐️/5⭐️

3.5 Stars • The idea behind the book was much better than the book itself.

By Any Other Name by Jodi Picoult is a novel that explores themes of identity, authorship, and the historical silencing of women's voices through the lens of two female playwrights:

Emilia Bassano: A historical figure from Elizabethan England, who, in the novel, is portrayed as the true author behind some of Shakespeare's plays. ⬇️

This definitely was not in my top 10 favorite Jodi Picoult books. I found it confusing, and too long. Interesting concept for sure, just not for me.

This book was kind of disappointing. Author did another story within a story and I don't think that was smart. In the modern day story, there was no character development, a lot had already happened and we were dropped into the middle of it. I didn't connect with main character. In the play the MC wrote, I liked it alright but was still meh. Disappointing and barely made it to a so so rating.

Jodi and Shelby Van Pelt 😍

I enjoyed this book, but it just felt unnecessarily long. Loved the dual POVs (I found Emilia‘s chapters more engaging).

The book posed interesting questions about Shakespeare‘s legacy and I felt this was done in a respectful way.

One thing that got to be a bit too much was the constant portrayal of Emilia‘s suffering, which at times is what made me take a break from the story.

Great read if you are patient with it.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Many years after Melina graduated from Bard College, the course she remembered most was not playwriting seminar or a theatre intensive but an anthropology class.
#firstlineFridays
@ShyBookOwl
And #schoolspirit #college
@eggs @Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks

I hate to say this because I love the author and so many people love the book, but it was a DNF for me. I read 1/3 but just didn‘t enjoy the historical chapters

This book will be in my top favorites for the year. It is my favorite Jodi Picoult book ever. I had a hard time putting it down and at the same time hated for it to end. It's long but was a fairly quick read for me. I was so invested in this book.

Full review: https://lsmoore49.blogspot.com/2024/09/by-any-other-name-by-jodi-picoult.html

I‘m a huge fan of Jodi Picoult‘s books. I had a little trouble getting into the beginning of this novel. Even so, I loved this historical fiction novel. The story of 2 women from very different centuries woven together by blood ties who are both playwrights. I loved them both. Life challenges made things difficult for each of them, yet they did what was necessary in order to survive. Poetry and plays were interspersed throughout. 5/5

Slow pick. Even though I don‘t like all her stories, Jodi remains auto read for me because her social commentary makes me think outside my box. I almost DNF‘d this one because I couldn‘t get into the 1552 story, but hung on for the 2023 angle. I found my rhythm at 30% in and began to question the role of the real William Shakespeare‘s in the works attributed to him. …It seems it‘s harder for me to read JP outside of a contemporary setting.

I love historical fiction that covers something different than war. The dual timeline worked so well in braiding the themes from one era to another, which is kind of depressing when you think of how slow societal ideals change. The historical timeline had old English writing with modern dialogue, which was both a relief for me but admittedly took me out of the story at times. I never liked Shakespear and really enjoyed this read.

Picoult‘s latest surrounds the theater & the plausible idea that William Shakespeare may not be the pen responsible for the plays & sonnets published in his name. Split between a modern storyline with struggling playwright Melina Green & the 16th century life of Emilia Bassano, a published poet, courtesan, wife & mother (along with redundant pages of Melina‘s script), Picoult packs a lot in that is sure to lead to lively dialogue amongst readers!

Now Available! 🥳🎉📚
By Any Other Name- Jodi Picoult

Book Review- https://www.boleybooks.com//by-any-other-name/

#boleybooks #byanyothername #jodipicoult #bookbeast #netgalley #pubday #bookbuds

Not my favorite Jodi book. But still a good read!

https://reecaspieces.com/2024/08/20/by-any-other-name-by-jodi-picoult-bookreview...

1 chapter read and already hooked! #arc

BOOKMAIL. Best mail.

Jodi Picoult
Random House Publishing

Tackle the TBR 🤓📚
What are you reading?
#boleybooks #jodipicoult #byanyothername #bookbeast #NetGalley #bookbuds #bookchat

I was having a not so great day and then I received this unrequested ARC… 😭😭

I‘m so excited to read this!