The Secret Life of William Shakespeare
At the age of 18, William Shakespeare married Anne Hathaway, a woman six years his senior and already pregnant. These facts, among a smattering of additional information, are really all that’s known about the early life of English literature’s most celebrated author. From this paucity of hard facts, novelist Morgan sets out to explore Shakespeare’s personal life in some comprehensive way. He is successful in some respects, bringing into sharp focus the voice of Anne Hathaway, weaving in the personalities of Ben Jonson and Christopher Marlowe, and laying out Elizabethan life in a way that feels authentic. Morgan is no stranger to literary historical fiction, and readers of his previous works, including a novel about the Brontës (Charlotte and Emily, 2010), will note that The Secret Life of William Shakespeare takes liberties with the Bard’s words, motivations, and personality while staying true to the spirit of the Shakespeare we all know and love. An entertaining read. --Heather Paulson