Shakespeare's Daughter: Peter W. Hassinger

"Susanna Shakespeare finds the small town of Stratford-upon-Avon much too quiet and provincial.  She yearns to travel to London to see her father's world of players and poets, and to follow a secret dream of her own.  Once Susanna arrives in London, nothing is quite as she expected it to be--least of all her relationship with her famous father.  But propelled by her love for Thomas Cole, a Catholic chorister, and her desire to sing, Susanna discovers that it is only with the support of those who love her that she has the strength to succeed.

"Screenwriter Peter W. Hassinger creates a Shakespearean tale rife with imagery and beauty that pays homage to the Bard himself."

I didn't realize it when I first picked up the book that this is a young adult novel.  I thought it was just a shorter adult book.  Still, I was extremely impressed!  When compared to another book I just read (see the depressing review just before this one), this book is BY FAR magnificently and remarkably better than some of the other material I've delved into as of late.  I was extremely impressed with the plot and the characters.  While the plot itself was a little bit heavy on the religious turmoil of the time--something I fear might put off some readers--the rest of the storyline more than makes up for it.  The language is lyrical and the descriptions are woven as if from magic.  Hassinger's background as a screenwriter is very evident in the eloquent manner in which he describes his characters' surroundings.  Though a YA book, this is definitely one to treasure.

The portrayal of William Shakespeare was definitely an interesting one and--though it's most assuredly a fanciful tale with contrived personalities of its characters--I took delight in witnessing Shakespeare's interactions with his children.  It was the children that made this story for me.  Their personalities were so touching and lifelike.  Their dialogue was charming.  I could picture them perfectly.  Even though anyone who knows about the life of William Shakespeare knows the tragedy that befalls his family, I was still touched by the loss they suffered.  It was extremely well-written and I tragically, morbidly beautiful.

While I very much enjoyed Susanna as a character, her actions were not always true to the time period. Now, one can argue that Susanna behaved the way she did because she's a great example for female readers of a strong young woman until he is blue in the face, but that does not necessarily mean I am willing to overlook the historical inaccuracies.  ***These aren't really spoilers, but I do discuss tiny bits of the story to prove my point.  Fair warning!***  Under NO circumstances would a Tudor-era father allow his daughter to flit around alone with a boy!  The informality between some of the characters also rubbed me the wrong way.  The interactions between Tom and Susanna were another issue I had.  Their lack of modesty and uncharacteristic behavior was not what they would have been raised to practice--not to mention a devout Catholic boy like Tom!

However, if one is willing to overlook the issues with some historical inaccuracies, this is a simply MAGICAL book.  I devoured it in about two days and I'm definitely giving it to my thirteen-year-old cousin tomorrow!  This book is a wonderful and quick read that I recommend.  It has Shakespeare, art, history, and amazing writing all rolled into one.  What's not to like?