by Maggie O’Farrell
I hated this book. Such one-dimensional characters (and way too many characters, too). Shakespeare’s abusive father John is all bad. Agnes’ stepmother Joan is all bad; no drop of affection whatsoever for two children she raised from babies. Shakespeare’s mother Mary is a dolt; I never thought less of the two main characters, with whom we’re supposed to feel sympathy, than when they literally laughed at Mary behind her back for being upset that her son was moving to London.
A couple of the characters see Agnes not as a mysterious woodsprite but as an imbecile. I thought it was an interesting perspective and chose to see her this way through the remainder of the book, which helped me get through it.
And hate it I did! I wanted them all to get the plague.
Tytania 