First off thank you NetGalley for this early copy of By Any Other Name. What a great story. You can see all the research Jodi Picoult must have done to write this story. Never did I feel that she was pushing the story line to suit her end goal. It really made me believe that William may not have been the author of all his plays and perchance it was an array of writers and the leader among them. Emilia Bassano. Whatever the truth is, this story captivated me from the get go and I really enjoyed it.
Weaving back and forth from modern day to the time of Shakespeare's the author blends the story of two women who voices couldn't be heard due to the time in which they lived and / or the biases of men about women's talents and their right to use them.
The best part of this was the collection of facts of the time period of what would have been normal behavior for writers, women and likely collaboration among writers. I liked the relationships the author created with our main female characters, and how they panned out and the women responded to what life dealt them.
100 % recommend anyone to read this book! I can also see this made into a movie or tv mini series.

It’s a Jodi Picoult book I have to read it. This book is so different from her others (I much prefer her older work, but I did enjoy the plot idea of this book)..
I will say it was hard for me to get into because the book focuses a lot on poetry and Shakespeare which isn’t really an interest of mine. I will say Jodi did an excellent job with her research on the topics. I learned quite a bit while reading this and can appreciate that.
I enjoyed learning about the women’s playwrights and Shakespeare controversies.
I enjoyed the overall plot, and both POV’s. I will say to me Emilia’s dragged a little (a lot sometime!).
Even though it wasn’t what I expected I am glad I read it, and learned a lot.
I appreciate the ARC

Jodi Picoult is one of my long-term favorite authors! While this one had some similar qualities of her others, the time period in which half (or more) of the book was written, made this one feel so different than her general contemporary reads. I don't think I have ever willingly read a book that takes place in the sixteenth century, but if it has the name Picoult on it, I'm going to read it. I've never been a fan of Shakespeare and I still got a lot of enjoyment out of this book, so don't let that part of the description turn you away. Actually, maybe if you aren't a fan, you will like this more!.

I found the life of Bassano so fascinating and tragic. Although the writing of this era did slow me down, I grew to really enjoy her chapters. The modern story was also interesting but I felt like, at times, the characters were too quick to accept their wrongdoings and learn from it. The thing that I liked the most about this book was that I learned something completely new about a topic that I never would have explored on my own. You could tell this book was really well researched, as all of her others. Be sure to read the author's note and to see pictures of Bassano and Henry.

PS; If you like lonnnnng chapters, this book is not for you! I personally don't care, but I know a lot of readers do.

Thank you NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine for this eARC in exchange for an honest review.

This is a book that is too sweet to pass up. The parallel time lines was handled beautifully. Piccoult is a master at weaving stories that readers can immerse themselves in and fall in love with. This addresses the very real struggles that women have faced in male dominated areas - in this case the arts; writing stories, novels, plays. So many works through the years have been placed under a man's name in order to simply be given a fair look. In this story the lives and journeys of two very different women, from two different parts of the world and two different timelines is told. Their fates are the same, their stories intersecting, and their voices echoing forward.

Piccoult has created a work that will no doubt draw scrutiny, and maybe even some backlash from some people. However, I think it is worth the read - worth the experience and emotions it evokes. She has handled this subject well.

I received a free copy of this book ARC from Netgalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

This book alternates between two characters' perspectives in two time periods. Emilia Bassano is introduced to us as a young girl whose family is in Queen Elizabeth's court of musicians. As a young woman who grows up surrounded by courtiers, she receives an education and has a passion and talent for writing. She eventually goes on to become Lord Chamberlain's mistress, which puts her in an advantageous position of being close to theater. While women weren't allowed to publicly produce plays, she finds a way to bring her work to the public by using someone else's name--Shakespeare.

In the present time, Melina Green is also struggling as a female playwright. After finding out that Emilia Bassano is her ancestor, she writes a very successful play about her. The only issue is that Melina, too, finds herself in the predicament where others think her play was written by a man.

I really liked this book! The storyline drew me in right away since I love anything set in the Elizabethan times. The theory of Shakespeare's plays being written by a woman is fascinating to me and makes me want to learn more. I could tell that this book was very well researched. I suspect that this book will stick with me for a long time!

I'm not sure that this book will be for everyone. The subject matter does seem a little niche to me, but I think that anyone who appreciates Elizabethan culture and Shakespeare, will love this book.

Thank you NetGalley and Ballantine Books for the ARC!

Jodi Picoult does it again! If you are a fan of her books, you will not be disappointed in this new one. This book will hit you in all your feels and you will find yourself thinking about the characters long after you finish this one. Do yourself a favor and get this book!!

This was a fascinating tale of the possibility that Shakespeare was not the author of his tales, but instead a woman named Emilia Bassano, may be one of the writers who wrote the plays and sonnets that Shakespeare paid for and used as his own. (Treason to the literati I am sure!)

Initially, we are introduced to a young playwright, Melina Green, a descendant of Emilia, who seems to face the same brick walls that Emilia face living in the 1530's, where women lacked any kind of say or voice in the world. Melina is facing the same challenges as she struggles in modern times to become a playwright and have her work presented on stage.

By Any Other Name is presented in two time spans, hundreds of years apart, yet present the concept that in some areas, women have not really advanced at all.

Most interesting to me however, is the many references and "what ifs" that Jodi Picoult presents about Shakespeare and his ability to have produced the works that have come down to us.

Could it be that Shakespeare a name revered by so many scholars and learners was not the author? What if it was someone (s) else and what if it was a woman? Revolutionary idea perhaps, but as all things there just might a bit of truth to this. Prepare to have your ideas altered by so much contained in this story.

Thank you to Jodi Picoult, Random House, and NetGalley for a copy of this book.

Jodi Picoult is an amazing author, but the content didn’t hit the spot for me. The writing was great, the subject matter was my problem.

The storyline switches between the 1500s, Shakespearean era, and present day. The present day storyline attracted me but much of the book was in the 1500s timeline. While the writing was fantastic and everything the main character went through in the 1500s was heartbreaking, the writing style of the time was difficult to understand at times.

The connection between the two female main characters and the focus on being able to confidently take credit for accomplishments as a woman was a fantastic overall theme.


Thank you to NetGalley, Ballantine Books, and Jodi Picoult for this ARC!

This story needs a trigger warning.
I was enjoying this story immensely up until Emilia who is 13 had sex with the man who bought her.
This story could have been amazing without the pedophilia aspect.
I stopped reading 17% in.

I have been a Jodi Picoult fan ever since I read my sister's keeper when I was in high school!!

Thank you to the publisher for allowing me an advanced copy of By Any Other Name!!

Jodi Picoult always will pull the tears from your eyes! She knows how to write all the emotions into each word put on paper. Forever 5/5.

Jodi Picoult does it again. This is an enchanting and special tale of the connection between a woman and her ancestor. Picoult uses two timeliens to weave together a tale of courage and the importance of a legacy. The story is stronger in the Shakesperean era than it is in the present but it still a great novel and I look forward to its release!

This historical fiction was EVERYTHING. The story. The themes. The feminism. The prose. The emotions. It was all so wonderfully done.

I haven’t saved this many quotes from a book…ever.

I loved both timelines so much. I loved both female main characters and their interactions with everyone around them.

Read this book. August 20.

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for this eARC.

Historical fiction. Melina's passion is becoming a playwright, but she soon realizes the roadblocks for women of this world--just as her ancestor, Emilia Bassano, who lived in Shakespeare's time, experiences. Melina discovers that Emilia was the first-known woman poet published during her lifetime. Hungry for more, Melina uncovers the Shakespearean controversy--his works were not his own. In fact, she's soon convinced that Emilia wrote many plays attributed to Shakespeare. While Melina researches, she writes the play that catapults her into a parallel controversy, toppling her world and worldview.
Picoult's voice throughout this novel is passionate, insightful, and thoughtful. This topic is controversial, but Picoult's research supports and strengthens the storyline/research beyond opposing assertions regarding Shakespearean authorship. I could not put this novel down--I had to keep reading. Picoult continues to push boundaries and publish intricate and complex storylines that entertain as well as cause readers to reexamine their own thinking and, in this case, remind oneself that written history is ultimately someone's perspective.

I am a huge Jodi Picoult fan and have read every single one of her books and an automatic read for me. This was very different and while I enjoyed it, it was not my favorite of hers. It dragged in some spots for me and felt about 100 pages too long, but you can tell Jodi put SO much time into her research and readings of Shakespeare.

This book goes between two points of view- Emilia in the 1500/1600s and Mel, current day. Emilia was a writer and poet, which was pretty unheard of so many years ago and she is not a fictional character, while Jodi told her story the best she could and guessing along the way, Emilia was a real person and led an incredible life. It hits on forbidden love, abortion, and at a time where women had zero say- being so strong to take her of her family and herself. So incredible, it had me researching late at night about her and how I truly think she wrote many of Shakespeare's greatest plays . (Wild right?!) Mel, who is also a playwright, finds out Emilia is an ancestor of hers and when she starts to dig in to her life, she realizes she has an incredible story and play to write.

I highly recommend, just know it is not a fast read and very unique to Jodi's past novels.

I am a HUGE Jodi Picoult fan as both an author and a person. I have read everything she's ever written, so it pains me to say that this was not a favorite of mine. However, I do feel that has more to do with me and not the book itself. The vast majority of this bool takes place or revolves around the Shakespearean era, which is not a huge interest area of mine. While not a topic I was particularly interested in, it was a very well written book and in true Picoult fashion, it was VERY clear that it was extremely well researched. If you are a fan of poetry, historical fiction, and Shakespeare then I do highly recommend this book to you. T

Jodi is one of my absolute favorite authors, so when this book came available as an ARC I was so excited! Unfortunately this one just wasn’t for me. It’s about 70/30 historical fiction to current times. It also doesn’t “read” like her usual books. It was still good and I would recommend to anyone who loves historical fiction, but this just wasn’t a typical Jodi book for me!

By Any Other Name by Jodi Picoult
Publishing date - 08/20/24
Rating (5/5) ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Jodi Picoult’s books are an automatic read for me. I have read all of her books and loved every one of them!

Synopsis - Mel has written a play about her ancestor, Emilia, who is the true author of many of Shakespeare’s plays and poetry. Both Mel and Emilia are forced to hide behind men’s names to see their writing be accepted into the theater, even centuries apart.

This book is different from her usual work as it is historical fiction. It’s clearly very well researched. I loved Emilia’s chapters best but the alternating viewpoints were enjoyable and added to the novel.

I’m now wondering if Shakespeare really did write his own works … 🤔 Highly recommend this one for fans of Shakespeare & historical fiction!

Thank you Netgalley , Random House Ballantine , & Jodi Picoult for this e-ARC.

The book is shown in two women’s perspective. Both are writers trying in a world when most men can do. The author did a pretty good job of telling the story of two women from the past century and present. Knowing that it represents a writer trying to create something good.

Thanks to the publishers and NetGalley for giving me an opportunity to read this book and do a review.

Jodi did it again. This time she motivates us to think about whether or not Shakespeare really wrote his plays. She tells the story in two time frames. One is for shakespeare’s era with a woman who may have written many of the plays attributed to him. The character is based upon a real person. The other time frame is a contemporary one and the protagonist in this time frame is a young woman trying to become a playwright who has the same last name as the woman living I the 1600s. Piccault carefully takes is back and forth so that one doesn’t get confused or bewildered asi occasionally do in books that jumps between times/characters. It was one of those books that kept me reading late into the night.

Mel has written a play about her ancestor, Emilia, who is the true author of many of Shakespeare’s plays and poetry. Both Mel and Emilia are forced to hide behind men’s names to see their writing be accepted into the theater, even centuries apart. Told in alternating points of view, these ancestor’s stories share parallels despite being set in completely different times.

As a huge fan of Jodi Picoult, I was very honored to receive an early copy of her newest novel to review. This book is different from her usual work as it is historical fiction. It’s clearly very well researched and compelling. I want to know more about the question of Shakespeare being the true author of his work and I highly recommend reading Jodi’s author note at the end about her research process. I highly recommend this book. It will make you think, reconsider history, and question how we view gender roles in history and in the present.


Thank you to Jodi Picoult, Random House Ballantine, and Netgalley for the opportunity to be an early reviewer.