Jodi picoult is a force to be reckoned with as an author the amount of thought and detail in this book is outstanding. I don’t even want to think of the amount of time that went into researching.

This book shows the plight of woman through the ages from Emilia who was born in the 1569 who was an amazing author and playwright and such a show of strength. But as a woman not able to show her craft to the world

Then skip forward to 2013 to Melinda a descendent of Emilia who faces different battles but battles none the less

This book is a masterpiece it really is and has to go on the reading list. The characters and how they come alive on the page, the detail, the subject matter , just everything about this book is awesome inspiring

So pleased I got the opportunity to read it

‘By Any Other Name’ is unlike any Jodi Picoult book I have read before. She draws parallels between the dual timelines of Emilia Bassano and Melina Green. Melina is Emilia’s descendent and a playwright and has held a long time passion for proving that some of Shakespeare’s most famous works were written at the hand of Emilia.
I appreciated the parallels of Elizabethan England and modern day Manhattan and how women are still pushed aside over the voices of men, but also the marginalization of so many other groups within society but especially mainstream arts. I really liked the historical timeline as I felt like it was more vivid and engaging than the modern day although I can see why the comparison reads more poignantly as a social comment on today’s society.
I am a huge fan of Shakespeare and loved all of the little intricacies that Picoult wove into the narrative but even if you’re not it won’t take away anything from the story. Although I found Emilia’s character to be a strong and forthright female MC I will say that within the depiction of her marriage there is a trigger warning for abuse and domestic violence.
Overall a fresh and genius story and a novel that is thought provoking and will definitely stay with you; something I feel is a Picoult trademark.

For many years I have absolutely loved Jodi Picoult’s books but I must admit reading too many back to back became a bit unadvisedly because, although all equally excellent, they seemed to follow similar story arcs. This one completely breaks the usual mode but in a good way, while maintaining everything that is good about the author, Often, when you read historical fiction, the society the characters inhabit feels so removed from our own it’s hard to empathise with the protagonists but this was perfectly delivered. The characters were human and relatable even though (for the majority of the time, anyway) they lived in a totally different world, so you felt like you were GoIng back in them not just being shown history,
I would have liked to read a bit more bout the modern plot which kept shifting back l most too quickly but this didn’t dampen the story at all.

I love anything by Jodi Picoult but I’m not a huge historical fiction lover HOWEVER Jodi really pulls it out of the bag as I didn’t find any aspect of the book tedious when it came to the historical part. I found the book riveting, exciting and everything I want in a blockbuster of a book. I’m giving it all the stars!!!

I read this ARC for an honest review
All thoughts and opinions are mine

I love this author
and was so thrilled to be able to read this

You won't be disappointed
This was fabulous

I enjoyed this book and it had a very interesting premise. Bit of a slow burn but had to stick with it as I found it quite addictive!

I'll admit, it took me a while to get into this at the start and I'm concerned the format with the script pages will stop people reading because if you stick with it, it's a fantastic read. I adore dual timelines. I did prefer Emilia's story but mainly because Melina frustrated me and it felt preachy at times. Still, Jasper is a brilliant character and I loved a lot of the interaction between Melina and Andre. Emilia's story transported me. Loved it. So many layers to her and her world. I also really enjoyed meeting the literary figures of the time and all the references to famous lines from plays and sonnets. I cried towards the end!

This is very different to any Jodi Picoult book I’ve read.
What surprised me was how much I enjoyed Emilia’s story, to be honest I would have enjoyed it far more if it was purely her story but I do understand it highlights the struggles today and how much more work still needs to be done to address and overcome it.
It was very thought provoking and I’m glad I had the opportunity to read it.
Thank you NetGalley and the Publisher for this ARC

I've read a few books by Jodi Picoult before so I know to expect a powerful and emotional book. This definitely was a powerful book but I feel it is some what different from previous books I've read by this author so was not necessarily what I expected but I absolutely loved it. By Any Other Name is told in a dual timeline. The current time line follows playwright Melina who is trying to get her play recognised and promoted despite facing varying levels of misogyny and other difficulties. She discovers her ancestor was Emelia Bassano, one of the first published female poets and the subject of many rumours that she may have written works attributed to Shakespeare. Whilst Melina uses this as inspiration for her play and works to get it produced the second timeline goes back to the 1500s and follows Emila's life. Jodi Picoult has clearly done a huge amount of research for this book. She brilliantly weaves fact and fiction to really bring this historical character to life in a beautiful way. There is an abundance of Shakespeare references throughout as well. I only have a basic knowledge of his plays but enjoyed spotting the links throughout the book but I am sure those with greater knowledge than me will appreciate this even more. There is a handy guide a the back that references all these as well. This was a really great historical fiction that I will definitely be recommending

I’ve always been a massive fan of Jodi Picoult’s - I was really excited to see her tackle Shakespeare and the theory that he may only have leant his name to his plays. The dual timeline serves to show both how far women have progressed and yet how far there we still have to go. I loved the Shakespearean references littered throughout this book, the explanations for his inspiration were beautiful. I think I could have read this book with just Emilia. This felt very different from from Jodi Picoult’s other books, no plot twists or legal drama but it was more a more subtle, thought provoking read.

A completely different style of writing from Jodi Picoult and she has excelled with this dual-timeline novel. The starry is based on a real woman from the 1500s and there are many theories about her writing most of Shakespeare’s plays and sonnets. Picoult has done a huge amount of research and her writing is immaculate. This will be a huge hit, I’m sure.

This was my first book by Jodi Picoult and I loved it!

By Any Other Name is a historical novel with two timelines, one in the 1500s and the second a current timeline, ending slightly in the future in 2027. The two timelines have a very clear link and you discover this early in the book. Both timelines follow a woman. The 1500s timeline follows the adult life of Emilia Bassano and the current timeline is the story of Melina Green. I liked each storyline equally and the link between the two, with the overarching storyline is fascinating, well written, tackles some serious issues and is a very enjoyable read.

As with all of the best historical fiction, in my opinion, I am not quite sure where fact ends and fiction takes over. The author included an extensive list of sources, so clearly there is some factual basis for the novel.

Highly recommended to anyone who enjoys historical fiction.

Many thanks to NetGalley for an early copy in exchange for an honest review.

DNF (20%) - This was a departure from what I usually enjoy, and unfortunately, I wasn't able to get into it. This being my first encounter with Picoult's work, I had different expectations. The book heavily incorporates elements of historical fiction, poetry, and Shakespeare, which didn't resonate with my personal tastes. It's clear that this book caters to an audience with a preference for these themes, but they simply aren't my cup of tea. For those who appreciate these literary styles, it might be a more engaging read.

Thank you to Random House for my advanced copy.

I loved reading a different perspective of Shakespeare's work and loved reading about Emilia's life and the role of women from her time. Also seeing how Emilia's narrative was building up Melina's narrative was really exciting because of the expectations from Melina's life.

As a Jodi Picoult fan this was not what I expected

I LOVED IT

I was totally unaware of the background to this wonderful story and was referring to Google to check facts. I’ve discussed this with many of my peers and they too were unaware and look forward to this book being published

A terrific read that I’d highly recommend and I’m giving it one of my rare 5*

With thanks to the publisher and author for ARC in return for an honest review

How charmed a life: to play at being a woman yet take off the costume at the end of the day and go about the world with the privileges of a man.’ So thinks Emilia Bassano, mistress of Elizabeth 1’s Lord Chamberlain, Henry, Lord Hunsdon. Whilst well treated by this much older man, she is entirely reliant on him for everything and, understandably, resentful of this.
Jodi Picoult has used this woman from history to explore the well-scrutinised premise that William Shakespeare was not author of the plays which bear his name. The author has clearly researched elements of life in Elizabethan England thoroughly and presented the reader with a clever woman who loves to write and observe. Picoult’s suggestion that Emilia finds an ally of sorts in Christopher Marlowe, a recognised rebel and fellow ‘outsider’, works well in tying the sixteenth century thread of this novel to its twenty-first century counterpart.
Skip several hundred years and, in contemporary New York, Emilia’s descendent, Melina Green, is keen to become heard and recognised as a playwright. However, she, too, is beset by misogynistic critics, keen to champion male rather than female writers. How to publish? Her flatmate may just have the answer.
Emilia’s story is fascinating and very well told. It is also fun to recognise the many literary references to Shakespeare and other Elizabethan writers. However, readers don’t need to know these to enjoy the narrative. In comparison, the modern day Melina sections, whilst tackling important themes, are less compelling.
My thanks to NetGalley and Michael Joseph, Penguin Random House for a copy of this book in exchange for a fair review.

I have to admit, this is my first time reading anything by Jodi Picoult. I know, I know – late to the party. But what do they say? Better late than never, something like that.

Two timelines are so trendy these days... I have to say this feature did this book a favour. Historical one, a view through the eyes of Emilia, a contemporary of the famous Shakespeare. Her life was rocky one, from the beginning to the end as for so many women of her time.

It is a very interesting and important topic the author picked, allowing the invisible women, whose words we read today, to become visible.

The second timeline picks up nowadays, and another woman with different and yet similar struggles, who creates a play based on the before mentioned Emilia. We read, what she wrote, what she wrote, but we all thought he wrote. A bit of simulacrum here. To a point, one’s starting to question a lot of things that happened in the past. It doesn’t help I coincidentally listen to the series of audiobooks by Alexandra Walsh and her take on Tudor’s history and women within it (The Marquess House Saga). Given the somewhat overlapping timeline, I couldn’t but notice how certain themes are the same/similar spoken in the books by two different authors.

Giving women voice and visibility, who cannot do themselves, as only their work prevails is an important task. Even more so, if we assumed that the work was done not by them… I know it’s a work of fiction, however it does have some weight of truth in it. I’m sure we all could find examples that would match this story, if only we look hard enough.

I am so surprised by how much I enjoyed By Any Other Name. I have read every Jodi Picoult novel, and am a big fan of hers, however her last couple of releases have been hard work for me. I've never got on well with anything Shakespeare related and on the many viewings of Romeo and Juliet and Macbeth in school I would have my head in my own book instead. For those reasons I was concerned if I was going to enjoy this next read from Jodi. I'm pleased to report I needn't have been concerned, because it was brilliant. The 'dated' parts of the story were so much easier to read than other works set at that time, and the story just so interesting. I now have an interest in Shakespeare history!

By Any Other Name by Jodi Picoult

Another fabulous title by the author and an almost what if ?
Dual timeline 1581 and now , two women , Emilia Bassano and Melina Green.
It's a really good storyline for both times which when I read dual timelines I usually prefer one to the other.
Both strong women finding their way .

I will start by declaring Jodi is already one of my favourite ever authors but when I read this was going to be split between historical and contemporary I was sceptical if it would keep my attention.
But I loved this story.
I was captivated from the start. Emilia may possibly be the strongest heroine I have read about and while Melina is in a whole new world, she still faces some of the same struggles.
The way Jodi intertwined their stories was nothing short of magical.
This story will stay with me a long time and I am grateful I had the chance to read it.

Thank you to netgalley and the publisher for an earc of this story. My review and opinion of this novel has not been influenced.