This is a truly worthwhile read. It is a fascinating look at various periods of upheaval and how one of Shakespeare's lesser-known works relates to them. I really enjoyed this book. It was thoughtfully written, contained a lot of information that I had not found elsewhere and there were many passages worth re-reading and taking the time to consider further.

If you are a student or fan of Shakespeare, I definitely recommend that you consider adding this book to your collection. I found the parts of this book that dealt with the Essex Rebellion particularly of interest and was impressed by how the author presented her research.

A book I wanted to share with others and want to keep to myself all at the same time--what a paradox.

This review is based on a complimentary copy from the publisher, provided through Netgalley. All opinions are my own.

This book was not quite what I thought it would be, but when I got into it, I liked it. I didn’t find as much poetry as I did history, but it was very informative. It’s not for everyone, but there is an audience out there for this book.

This book was more niche than I had expected, as a casual reader of Shakespeare. I could not get past the first chapter.

This is such an insightful and wonderful book. It gives a detailed look at Shakespeare's two narrative poems in the light of events going on at the time and, in particular, the concerns raised by the religious concerns the Act of Supremacy.

I loved how Asquith showed us a side of Elizabeth's reign that may have been suspected but only recently has gotten the historical study it deserves. i also loved that the book is very even-handed, especially in discussing the consequences of the Tudor seizing of the monasteries.

I also liked that in this book the author does not come down on any side of the different questions surrounding Shakespeare the man. Instead she relies on the texts and documented facts about Shakespeare to make her argument. She goes into far more detail about the lives of the main rebels.

It's an essential book for those interested in both Shakespeare and this period.

How do books like this get published? Asquith's newest foray into Shakespeare and history is a bumbling, self-contradictory mess in which she cherry-picks from some, often dated, aspects of the scholarly literature on the topic while ignoring the bulk of it. Her claims about how scholars think about Shakespeare are utterly false and twisted to promote her own inane agendas. In addition, she seems to think that rape is erotic, that the identity of Shakespeare dedicatee "Mr W. H." is fully and firmly decided, and that printed poems and plays were distributed, printed, and sold in identical ways. She cites no relevant studies on readership, audience, or reception, preferring to make assumptions and guesses as she goes along. Can I give it negative stars as a review?

In most countries in today’s world, those who comment on current events rarely use the tools that were employed centuries ago by poets and creators of literature. The specters of exile and death were ever-present, and those who wished to express their rebellious thoughts were forced to mask them within their creative works. William Shakespeare was no different.

Author Clare Asquith presents the question why two of Shakespeare’s sonnets were some of this bestselling works at the time of his death, yet over time have fallen so far as to be considered some of his most boring. The answer takes into account that over the last twenty years opinions hve changed, and it is now believed that English citizens considered Tudor Kings and Queens to be tyrannical.

Ms. Asquith offers a lively presentation of the political pushback in art and written works previous to and during William Shakespeare’s time, exposing the cleverness necessary to be able to present ideas that would have meant death if spoken openly. History lovers, along with students of Shakespeare, should find this book fascinating and illuminative. The author explains why Shakespeare’s “The Rape of Lucrece” and “Venus and Adonis” were not merely poems, but bold comments attacking Tudor tyranny. At the same time, she shares an intimate glimpse into the political history of England over 400 years ago. Entertaining and enlightening. Five stars.