.jpg)
Shakespeare has always been one of my favourite writers. And he has always been shrouded in mystery. Not much is known about the Bard but there is much speculation; especially concerning the Sonnets he penned to an unnamed love.
Who was this mysterious youth to whom Shakespeare penned so many sonnets? What was he like and what drove him to write? To create? Though many have speculated, none have been able to accurately capture the spirit of Shakespeare.
Until now.
Warwick Collins, who wrote the incredible novel Gents, returns to historical fiction with a novel titled, aptly, Sonnets. In it, we are treated to an intimate portrayal of an artist and a man.
The year is 1592. The London theatres have closed down due to the threat of plague. William Shakespeare, a playwright by trade, is no longer able to pen his plays. With no way to earn a living, he is forced to once again into the patronage of the Earl of Southampton, one Henry Wriothesley
Wanting to show some measure of gratitude, William Shakespeare begins to construct a series of sonnets addressed to his patron. After showing the sonnet to his patron, the Earl of Southampton gives him consent to continue composing sonnets, with one condition: make no references to any living person and hide all references to him.
After all, these are dangerous times.
Shakespeare agrees and continues to compose more sonnets. Soon, however, the subject of the sonnets changes focus as Shakespeare falls in love with Madam Lucia Florio who is married to another woman.
As they consummate their love, Shakespeare has no idea that he is involving himself in politics that will change his life, and his writing, forever.
The Sonnets is, without a doubt, one of the most beautiful novels I have ever read. The writing is like liquid poetry; indeed it is almost as if you are reading one of Shakespeare’s plays, so involving and captivating is the writing.
From the first page I found myself pulled into a world of love, lust and intrigue and I found myself never wanting to leave. Collins should be heralded for writing so convincingly of the Bards life. It is no easy task to pen a novel with William Shakespeare as the protagonist and pull it off with grace and beauty. Yet Warwick Collins does this with style and aplomb.
What is perhaps most interesting is that Collins adds depth to the already dense sonnets writing by Shakespeare. By interspersing thirty of Shakespeare’s sonnets through out the narrative of the novel, the reader comes away with a sense of what might have inspired the beautiful words.
In the end, The Sonnets is really a study of human nature in one of the most frightful times of history. It is a study of what drives us to love, live and survive and how art and writing can provide a release from even the most horrifying things in life.
The Sonnets is a beautiful, gorgeous novel from beginning to end and I was sad to finish it. I opened the book right away so that I could immerse myself in Shakespeare’s world and Collins’ poetic words. It took me a long time to write this review because I simply could not find the words to convey how beautiful, how truly magnificent it is.
Who was this mysterious youth to whom Shakespeare penned so many sonnets? What was he like and what drove him to write? To create? Though many have speculated, none have been able to accurately capture the spirit of Shakespeare.
Until now.
Warwick Collins, who wrote the incredible novel Gents, returns to historical fiction with a novel titled, aptly, Sonnets. In it, we are treated to an intimate portrayal of an artist and a man.
The year is 1592. The London theatres have closed down due to the threat of plague. William Shakespeare, a playwright by trade, is no longer able to pen his plays. With no way to earn a living, he is forced to once again into the patronage of the Earl of Southampton, one Henry Wriothesley
Wanting to show some measure of gratitude, William Shakespeare begins to construct a series of sonnets addressed to his patron. After showing the sonnet to his patron, the Earl of Southampton gives him consent to continue composing sonnets, with one condition: make no references to any living person and hide all references to him.
After all, these are dangerous times.
Shakespeare agrees and continues to compose more sonnets. Soon, however, the subject of the sonnets changes focus as Shakespeare falls in love with Madam Lucia Florio who is married to another woman.
As they consummate their love, Shakespeare has no idea that he is involving himself in politics that will change his life, and his writing, forever.
The Sonnets is, without a doubt, one of the most beautiful novels I have ever read. The writing is like liquid poetry; indeed it is almost as if you are reading one of Shakespeare’s plays, so involving and captivating is the writing.
From the first page I found myself pulled into a world of love, lust and intrigue and I found myself never wanting to leave. Collins should be heralded for writing so convincingly of the Bards life. It is no easy task to pen a novel with William Shakespeare as the protagonist and pull it off with grace and beauty. Yet Warwick Collins does this with style and aplomb.
What is perhaps most interesting is that Collins adds depth to the already dense sonnets writing by Shakespeare. By interspersing thirty of Shakespeare’s sonnets through out the narrative of the novel, the reader comes away with a sense of what might have inspired the beautiful words.
In the end, The Sonnets is really a study of human nature in one of the most frightful times of history. It is a study of what drives us to love, live and survive and how art and writing can provide a release from even the most horrifying things in life.
The Sonnets is a beautiful, gorgeous novel from beginning to end and I was sad to finish it. I opened the book right away so that I could immerse myself in Shakespeare’s world and Collins’ poetic words. It took me a long time to write this review because I simply could not find the words to convey how beautiful, how truly magnificent it is.
If you haven’t read The Sonnets, read it now. I can’t say it any plainer than that.
1 comment:
great summary
Post a Comment