Okay, Mary McMyne, I see you consistently writing beautiful books about fascinating women characters. I see it, and I appreciate it.

A Rose by Any Other Name follows Rose Rushe, who wants nothing more than independence (namely, living with her, ahem, dear friend Cecely and making a living for herself as a court musician). But in 16th century England, that's not quite the role that's expected of her.

This book really rises or falls with its main character, and I loved Rose. She made lots of dumb and impulsive choices, absolutely, but those flaws are part of what makes a strong character. I loved her passion most of all, and her determination.

I felt the supporting characters were also quite strong, be it Cecely, Rose's mother, Will (Shakespeare, that is), or Henry. They all felt alive and like their own flawed people - some of them more flawed than others.

I also loved the inclusion of witchcraft and astrology, but then, I'm a sucker for witchy books. This does veer pretty strongly into a fantasy sub-genre with those parts of the plot, so if you're here for a fictional retelling of historical fiction, there's a bit more to this story than that!

Mary McMyne has a beautiful and poetic way of telling a story, which led to me tearing through this. Just a lovely story and bit of writing, and I look forward to seeing what story she takes on next and getting emotionally invested in her next female protagonist.

Thank you to the publisher, Orbit, and to NetGalley for the ARC.

The Dark Lady was a woman described in Shakespeare's sonnets (No 127-152). For years there have been many attempts to identify her with a real historical individual. A Rose by Any Other Name was a queer, gothic, alternative historical fiction about her.

This is my second read from the author after her uniques retelling The Book of Gothel. I lover her storytelling style. It is sensuous with words, describe the longing of music and magic perfectly from the FMC narration. The pace is slower than my usually likely but I think it is perfect for build the tension and flow of the plot. Rose the FMC isn't my favorite character and I not always agree with her decisions making, but I appreciate her skills, ambitions, her bravery to pursuit her dream. She doesn't willing to fit into the women stereotypes. Alot display of soft witchery magics, astrology and
unfamiliar Goddess being mentioned. The complicity of romances, the passion, the longing and the creativity urge are perfectly displayed. The characters are actually well developed and perfect to potrayed sosial injustices against women of Elizabethan Era (1558-1603).

Thank you Netgalley and Orbit from Little Brown Book Group UK for providing copy of this ebook. I have voluntarily read and reviewed it. All thoughts and opinions are my own. Expecting release date : 18 July 2024

It's the late 16th century. Rose's father died and his family refuses to take care of Rose, her mother and her five year old brother. To keep a roof over their heads Rose should marry. In a time where a woman is the property of either her male relatives or her husband, Rose wants to be independent. I'm all here for that, but Rose makes decisions that are selfish and seem stupid especially for a self-professed schemer and planner, and the time period this historical fantasy is set in. This made it very hard for me to root for Rose and I skimmed most of the second half of the book.

Historical fantasy? It's not just that Rose dabbles in astrology. No, there is actual magic involved and that - in my opinion - moves the story to the realms of fantasy.

A Rose By Any Other Name is queer reimagining of the Dark Lady of Shakespeare's sonnets. This was a book that whilst I mostly enjoyed reading it, I also had a few small issues with it.

Starting with the positives, one part of this book I did enjoy was its characterisation. From its portrayal of Rose - our Dark Lady - who is now a fully fleshed out character who dreams of playing music, schemes to avoid marriage and navigates her complicated relationship with her mother, to Shakespeare himself, here presented as a (very) flawed genius.

On a more negative note, I did struggle with the pacing in the first half of the book - it felt like it took awhile to get going.

My main issue, however, is that one of my pet peeves is historical fiction where characters who practise witchcraft end up being written as if they have actual magic. You can show that people believed in magic without making it real! Now historical fantasy is a different matter (I love a good historical fantasy!) but I hate books that blur the line between the two, or when historical fantasy is presented like straight historical fiction. (I realise now that this is published by Orbit, a SFF publisher, so I assume it is intended to be historical fantasy and I wish this had been obvious from the blurb etc. as I probably would have enjoyed it more if I'd known to expect that going in.)

With that issue aside (and I think that's in part very much a me thing) this was overall still a good read.

A Rose by any other name by Mary McMyne

England, 1591. Rose Rushe's passion for life runs deep-she loves mead and music, meddles with astrology, and laughs at her mother's warnings to guard her reputation. When Rose's father dies and a noble accuses her and her dear friend Cecely of witchcraft, they flee to the household of respected alchemists in London.

I didn't real take any liking to Rose or Cecely as characters , the premise of the book is good and I love reading about the era but this one , for me , doesn't quite hit the spot . Sorry.

I’m very conflicted by this book because while I wasn’t enamoured by it, I can appreciate the level of research that went into it. The links to the real Shakespearean England were accurate, and it was easy to see that McMyne had really done her research where the real people, sonnets and plays were concerned.

However, I didn’t love the writing. I’m not a huge fan of first person at the best of times, but considering Rose was a very feisty and passionate main character, she felt surprisingly passive. A lot of language simply suggested that things were just… happening. Events were talking place around Rose and she barely had an active role in them. I felt most engaged during the last 20ish percent of the novel, but Rose was actually asleep for most of that!

Maybe it was a plot issue too, but it felt as though all the other side characters resolved Rose’s issues for her, and she just kept making more. The story also felt pretty thin at times, with the goalposts moving for no good reason other than to drag it out further.

I really enjoyed the queer twists though, and I thought Will was a very interesting character albeit very unlikable.

(This did teach me that a virginal must be portable or something though, because I thought they were huge keyboards, and they categorically *cannot* be that big with the way Rose spent the book dragging hers around. Either that or she never skips arm day idk)

Thanks to NetGalley and Little, Brown for the opportunity to read and review this book!

I really enjoyed McMyne's debut, The Book of Gothel and thought I saw a lot of promise as an author. That book had a great sense of historic atmosphere and a compelling main character... this book, not so much.

The main challenge I had with this book is that the events described in the synopsis don't actually happen until past the halfway mark. Instead, we start with Rose making a series of ill-advised choices, most of which make no sensible person in her position would make. This is compounded by the fact that McMyne clearly wants this to be a historical novel, but only on her own terms. Rose and her companions face a lot of period-appropriate misogyny, but as soon as the author needs something to happen for plot purposes, she conveniently forgets about the consequences that the time period brings for women who step outside the boundaries... especially those who also happen to be queer and/or non-white. While I don't necessarily want to read books where everything sucks, many of the emotional plot beats don't land simply because the consequences the character face don't feel congruent.

I did like that this book shows a different side of Shakespeare than most; here's, he's still a struggling playwright in the early phases of his career, and demonstrates all the typical follies of mortal men. Given his outsized place in literary culture, I enjoyed seeing how his contemporaries might have understood him to be, even if that wasn't as the hero we know him to be today. I probably would have enjoyed this novel more had Shakespeare played a larger role, as hinted by the synopsis.

This was a historically set story and I enjoyed following a character who is on the other side of Shakespeare’s writing. Rose is persecuted and goes through a lot in this book but shes a likeable fierce character with a big heart.

Mary McMyne's "A Rose by Any Other Name" transports readers to Elizabethan England, where the spirited Rose Rushe navigates a world of intrigue, romance, and the occult.

Set in 1591, the novel unfolds against the backdrop of a society steeped in superstition and secrets. Rose, a free-spirited young woman with a penchant for mead and astrology, finds herself accused of witchcraft alongside her friend Cecely. Fleeing to London, they seek refuge with alchemists, but their sanctuary soon feels confining. To secure their freedom, they delve into the occult, offering astrological advice and charms clandestinely.

The narrative deepens with Rose's encounters: a passionate romance with the noble Henry and a tempestuous involvement with the playwright Will Shakespeare. Amidst dazzling masques and decadent feasts, Rose grapples with her desires and confronts betrayals that test her resilience.

McMyne's prose is richly descriptive, evoking the vibrant tapestry of Elizabethan England vividly. The portrayal of Rose is particularly compelling, a nuanced portrayal of a woman who defies societal expectations and shapes her own destiny. The intersections of love, ambition, and fate are masterfully woven into the fabric of the story, drawing readers into Rose's world with each turn of the page.

For fans of historical fiction, "A Rose by Any Other Name" offers a satisfying blend of captivating characters, evocative storytelling, and an immersive historical backdrop. McMyne's narrative prowess shines through, making this novel a recommended read for those who enjoy diving into the past through vibrant and meticulously crafted narratives.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for providing me with a copy of the book. This review has also been posted on Goodreads and StoryGraph.

Historical fiction? Check. Shakespeare? Check. Set in England in 1591, this novel captivated me with its leading character, Rose—a well-crafted figure—the engaging storyline, and the author's vivid descriptive style. Fans of 'The Book of Gothel' will likely find this book enjoyable. It comes highly recommended as a satisfying read. My thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for providing me with a copy of the book.

A Rose by Any Other Name is the second novel by Mary McMyne and it is a historical fiction. It follows Rose Rushe in 1591, England. Rose has a passion for life and loves all the things she shouldn’t such as music, mead and astrology. Rose’s father dies and she is accused of witchcraft alongside her friend, Cecely. They flee to London and Rose ends up meeting Will Shakespeare and begins a romance filled with Secret longings.

This was enjoyable to an extent and I do love historical settings but I have similar feelings on this to what I did with The Book of Gothel. The character work wasn’t the best for me, it felt very one dimensional. I didn’t love the story in general but I think fans of The Book of Gothel will enjoy this. I’m giving this 3 stars.

Set in England 1591, this was a novel that I really enjoyed both for the leading character, Rose, who was a well drawn character, the story and the descriptive style that the author used. Recommended as a good read. Thank you to netgalley and the publishers for giving me a copy of the book.