A Rose by Any Other Name

by Mary McMyne

“A fascinating fictional exposé [with] a touch of mysticism and an LGBTQ+ twist.”--Booklist (starred review)

"A delightfully impish heroine... a tempestuous erotic connection... a captivating imagining of the life of the Dark Lady, the illusive inspiration for Shakespeare’s later sonnets."--Publishers Weekly (starred review)

My name has only been whispered, heretofore…

England, 1591. Rose Rushe’s passion for life runs deep—she loves mead and music, meddles with astrology, and laughs at her mother’s warnings to guard her reputation. When Rose’s father dies and a noble accuses her and her dear friend Cecely of witchcraft, they flee to the household of respected alchemists in London. But as their bond deepens, their sanctuary begins to feel more like a cage. To escape, they turn to the occult, secretly casting charms and selling astrological advice in the hopes of building a life together. This thriving underground business leads Rose to fair young noble Henry and playwright Will Shakespeare, and so begins a brief, tempestuous, and powerful romance—one filled with secret longings and deep betrayals.

In this world of dazzling masques and decadent feasts, where the stars decide futures, Rose will write her own fate instead.

From the author of The Book of Gothel comes the lush, magical story behind Shakespeare's sonnets, as told by one of his most famous subjects—the incendiary and mysterious Dark Lady.

Genres: Fantasy, Historical Fiction, Historical, Fiction, Historical Fantasy, Romance, Adult

375 pages, Kindle Edition

First published July 18, 2024

About the author

Mary McMyne is the author of the novels The Book of Gothel and A Rose by Any Other Name. Her fairytale poetry chapbook, Wolf Skin, won the Elgin Chapbook Award. A graduate of the NYU MFA program, she has received the Faulkner-Wisdom Prize for a Novel-in-Progress and a grant from the Sustainable Arts Foundation, among other honors. She is the poetry editor for Enchanted Living. Find her across social media as @MaryMcMyne.

Reviews

[Jasmine · Rating 4 out of 5]

A Rose by Any Other Name is packed with spells, romance, and astrology.

When Rose Rushe’s father dies, and she is accused of witchcraft, she and her family must flee to avoid persecution. They arrive at a family friend’s household in London, where Rose finds herself smothered by the constraints of the time. It’s her dream to become a court musician. She eventually sneaks out and gets mixed up with a wealthy noble and Shakespeare.

This book immediately grabbed my attention. It has a very moody and gothic feel.

The pacing is a bit slow, which I didn’t mind.

There’s some spice, but it’s not overly explicit.

If “Mercury was in Gemini” means anything to you, you might love that aspect of the book. There are tons of astrology references. I know next to nothing about astrology, so I often had to look up what the references meant or breeze right past them.

If you enjoyed the author’s last novel, chances are you will enjoy this standalone as well. She creates a dark, moody atmosphere very well.

Thanks to Redhook for providing a copy to review.

https://booksandwheels.com

[Bethany (Beautifully Bookish Bethany) · Rating 3 out of 5]

I loved The Book of Gothel, but this historical fantasy one was more of a mixed bag for me. I found around the first 30% to be incredibly tedious and I considered not continuing, but just then things really picked up. Theres a forbidden sapphic relationship, Will Shakespeare finally makes an appearance, and weird magic stuff starts going on. It kept me fairly interested through the rest of the book. That said, I will echo other reviewers in my thoughts on Rose- for a woman who pushes so many boundaries, she's kind of a boring character a lot of the time because things just sort of happen to her. And things just kind of work out for her in a way that doesn't always feel earned. I don't know, there were things I liked about this and other things that were more middle of the road. I do think the concept is cool- bringing to life the woman who inspired many of Shakespeare's sonnets. If it sounds like your thing, give it a try. Just expect the beginning to be slow going. I received a copy of this book for review from the publisher, all opinions are my own.

[S. ≽^•⩊•^≼ I'm not here yet]

Mother Gothel writer wrote a tale of another seems-to-be-a-witch in the time of Shakespeare.

[Erika George · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ok, if your favorite character from Game of Thrones was Margaery Tyrell, you ✨MUST ✨ read this book.

This is a historical fiction novel and the author has given voice to, not Shakespeare, but his muse, the Dark Lady. This was an alluring, tempestuous, sensuous and powerful read set in with Elizabethan England.

I was so happy to see astrology incorporated into this novel! It was such a fresh and exciting take on making witches in the context of this time period. Between reading peoples charts based on their birth date and time, and complaining that a certain planet was ruling the season, I was wishing my knowledge of astrology was better so I could be a witch too!
There is still more witchy stuff but I have not seen astrology used like this before! I had never heard of the Queen of Heaven before, and was very interested in how that was used! I loved picking up the little bits of Shakespeare sonnets here and there, and the implied ones as well!

Reasons to read this book:
✨Lovely banter (I mean, he is SHAKESPEARE)
✨Sapphic relationship
✨Elizabethan England
✨Female power
✨Astrology
✨Witchy vibes
✨The sweetest dog

Would I reread? Yes! I listened to an audiobook version of this, but I would love to own this book and reread! (wow, that narration was fantastic???! )
Would I recommend? Yes! 10/10 recommend the audiobook, and I think fans of witchy books, Shakespeare and Elizabethan England will really like this story!

[natsuki jam #1 fan • wari · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 🌟

as a shakespeare lover myself, i do love a good retelling. i did love everything about this but i think it was dragged out a bit too long for my liking hence why i didn’t rate this four stars. if you’re into magic, betrayal, lesbians and shakespeare then i think this is the book for you!

[Ash Barron · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely loved this book! I loved the dark and tense flow of the story, the visceral images of magic and longing and desperation Rose felt throughout the story. It was a story I felt deserved to be savored rather than devoured in one go. I wouldn't recommend this to anyone who doesn't enjoy sitting through stories that have a slower build to them, but I felt that the slow build was necessary to the story and had a way of sinking the emotions into you so that you understood what the characters were truly feeling. I would definitely recommend this to others! I enjoyed reading it and pondering over it afterwards!

[Allison · Rating 5 out of 5]

A triumph of feminist imagination. Rose Rushe is the Dark Lady we've all been waiting for, and her story of star-signs and spellbooks, betrayal and true love will enchant readers of historical fantasy. I adored it.

[Haven]

DNF'd at 160 pages because the main character isn't remotely intelligent but thinks she is and is rapidly digging her own grave because she thinks she's special. Came for the angst, left after the stupidity. Her perspective and the way that she thinks the rules of her world and society don't apply to her makes her insufferable.

[Jamedi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Review originally on JamReads

A Rose by Any Other Name is an excellent queer historical fantasy written by Mary McMyne, published by Orbit Books, which explores the enigmatic figure of the Dark Lady from Shakespeare's sonnets, while transporting us to Elizabethan England in a story full of love, astrology, witchery, feminism, and injustice, enhanced with a gorgeous prose.

Rose Rushe has a passion for experiencing life, from mead to music, practising astrology and hoping to one day fulfill her dream of becoming a court musician, against the desires of her mother; however, all that life is truncated when her father dies, and a noble family accuses her and her friend Cecely of practising witchcraft (naivety has a price), forcing them to flee to the house of a respected alchemist. A safe refuge, but which starts feeling as a cage when their bond deepens; an oppression which they escape turning towards the occult, an underground business that leads young Rose towards a young noble, Henry, and playwright Will Shakespeare, starting a powerful and tempestuous romance.

Taking the main role in our play is the character of Rose, who will also act as the narrator; a young woman who doesn't fit the stereotypes of what it's expected for the time. Becoming a musician is a dream that gets frustrated by circumstance, and she will be forced into a marriage to protect her family; however, that freedom she yearns for will end with her practising astrology, and entering in contact with the duo of Henry and Will, starting a romance with Will. A difficult relationship which shows the more passionate side of the bard from Stratford-upon-Avon, bordering the obsession at many points; but from passion is where the best of our creativity is unleashed.
Cecely also plays an important role in the story, and her relationship with Rose is not less tempestuous than others; personally, while it might not be likeable, I felt Rose's mother was one of the finest craft characters in the whole book. In general, McMyne gives us excellently fleshed characters, part of a more complex society.

While this is a character-driven story, we can also enjoy how well researched A Rose by Any Other Name is; McMyne paints a really complete portrait of Elizabethan England with a gorgeous prose, bordering the lyrical. A society full of injustice and that is extremely biased against women, putting our characters in difficult situations as a consequence; witchery and astrology are smoothly woven into the plot.

A Rose by Any Other Name is an excellent queer historical fantasy, bringing the spotlight to a rather unknown figure such as the Dark Lady, using her to create a powerful and feminist story. A big recommendation to any reader of the genre, similar to the Book of Gothel.

[Olesya Gilmore · Rating 5 out of 5]

My endorsement!: A bold and inventive tale about a woman ahead of her time in an Elizabethan England you can practically see and touch, timely, feminist, and wonderfully original.

Out July 16!

[Michal Taylor · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved it

I could feel the relationships- the tension created moved the story along at a gripping pace. And good will out!

[Franzi · Rating 1 out of 5]

I have nothing good to say about this book.

[Anya Leonard · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book had such an original premise, I loved it. I had read the author's prior book, The Book of Gothel and loved it and I knew this would be no different. I was right! The story weaves a tale that encompasses the characters who are the subjects of Shakespeare's sonnets, and creates such an interesting and lively world around them. We meet Rose, who is a young woman, her mother, a healer and alleged witch, and Shakespeare himself. I felt transported while reading this book, which is definitely not easy to do when working with such well known characters such as the Bard himself. However, I felt like this book had very clear and serious research done that provided such an interesting backdrop, and added to the story so well. I would absolutely recommend this book to anyone who loves a well-researched, well-written, and well-rounded historical fiction jam!

This ebook was provided by NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

[Cassidy Holechek · Rating 2 out of 5]

The entire time I was reading this I couldn’t wait for it to end. I don’t know why I even finished it.

[Emily Catherine · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5 rounded up

I’m very conflicted by this book because while I wasn’t enamoured by it, I can appreciate the level of research that went into it. The links to the real Shakespearean England were accurate, and it was easy to see that McMyne had really done her research where the real people, sonnets and plays were concerned.

However, I didn’t love the writing. I’m not a huge fan of first person at the best of times, but considering Rose was a very feisty and passionate main character, she felt surprisingly passive. A lot of language simply suggested that things were just… happening. Events were talking place around Rose and she barely had an active role in them. I felt most engaged during the last 20ish percent of the novel, but Rose was actually asleep for most of that!

Maybe it was a plot issue too, but it felt as though all the other side characters resolved Rose’s issues for her, and she just kept making more. The story also felt pretty thin at times, with the goalposts moving for no good reason other than to drag it out further.

I really enjoyed the queer twists though, and I thought Will was a very interesting character albeit very unlikable.

(This did teach me that a virginal must be portable or something though, because I thought they were huge keyboards, and they categorically *cannot* be that big with the way Rose spent the book dragging hers around. Either that or she never skips arm day idk)

Thanks to NetGalley and Little, Brown for the opportunity to read and review this book!

[Beth · Rating 4 out of 5]

I went into this one blind. I just saw the quote on the cover "must-read romantic historical fantasy" and that was all I needed. Obviously I knew it had something to do with Shakespeare because of the title. This book was nothing like I expected. I enjoyed the story don't get me wrong but I was definitely not expecting a story about a bisexual witch in the 1500s. So Rose and her mom are witches which is not something you wanted to be in the rule of Elizabeth I. They get into some trouble and need to flee. Unfortunately Rose's mom wants her to marry someone she does not want to marry. Rose needs to flee again. She makes some money reading star charts but it is a dangerous business. Along the way she meets Will Shakespeare and has an affair with him, but she really loves her best friend Cecely. She is trying to find a way they can be together but she keeps getting herself into trouble. This is plot driven and so I wanted to keep reading to see how she would get out of all of her troubles.

-I had learned that if your relationship with a man becomes strained, an easy way to fix it is to ask him to teach you something.

-"If the spells work, does it matter? It's best not to think too deeply about ideas you can hang for."

-Hurt is the mother of hatred.

[Olga · Rating 4 out of 5]

Mary McMyne’s A Rose by Any Other Name swept me off my feet with its daring blend of historical precision, witchcraft, astrology, and the messy, exhilarating passions of the Elizabethan court. It’s an intoxicating waltz through Shakespearean England, with intrigue in every shadowed corner and desire pulsing in every whispered word.


Rose, the tenacious and fiercely flawed protagonist, is a woman of her time yet ahead of it—an ambitious dreamer with fire in her heart. Some may argue she’s too passive in key moments, but I saw her as deeply human, navigating a world determined to strip her of agency. And her sizzling sapphic romance? It’s as scandalous as it is heartfelt, bringing depth and modern resonance to the narrative.


McMyne truly summons a world. From the creak of Rose’s virginal to the courtly scheming and celestial star charts, every detail immerses you further into the era. The queer twists and Shakespearean entanglements add spice, making the plot as unpredictable as a witch’s brew.


It’s not a perfect ride—the pacing occasionally falters, and Rose’s moments of dormancy might test some readers’ patience—but the rich, erudite tapestry of themes and settings more than makes up for it. If you crave stories of women reclaiming power, drenched in historical drama and a touch of the supernatural, A Rose by Any Other Name is your next obsession. 

[Sara Jesus · Rating 3 out of 5]

Quem era a figura por detrás do sonetos de Shakespeare? Esta história recria o ambiente elisabetano, e cria a musa do famoso dramaturgo como uma mulher influente nas artes de astrologia e bruxaria.
Rose que para escapar do seu casamento começa a compor música para peças de teatro, sendo astróloga de nobres e dançarina em bordeis. Sonha ter uma vida independente, e viver numa pequena casa com Cecely.
Gostei dos referencias á astrologia, aos livros de feitiços e ao ambiente referente ao teatro de Will Shakespeare. Não gostei da relação entre Rose e Will. Assim como a relação de Will e Henry, nunca compreendemos o que de facto existia entre ambos.

"A Rose by any other name" é um livro um pouco ambíguo, mas não deixa de ser interessante na medida que tenta recriar a vida enigmática de Shakespeare. Teria esta "The dark lady" existido mesmo? Ou foi de facto um produto da imaginação do artista?

[Regan Ralston · Rating 5 out of 5]

Women of history, and of the English canon, are often written, hidden, between lines composed by misogynistic men. Even men who - at times - build depth into their feminine characters, are clouded by ego. McMyne’s novel A Rose By Any Other Name plucks these fragments and gives them life in her female-focused cast of characters.

Others have criticized the protagonist, Rose Rushe, as being too moved by the whims of others: “things just happen to her.” While critics view this as a weakness in character development, I see it as an internalized exploration of historical critique. Yes, women were pushed around and imposed upon. However, this novel gives us insight into the internal world of Rose - even as she is moved by the waves of a patriarchal world. The conclusion of this novel reveals a key insight into this internal space, and I find her true character shines in the ways she is able to subtly shift the flow of her fortunes with meaningful agency!

For lovers of Shakespeare, with a critical feminist eye, this is a fantastic portal into the world of his notorious Dark Lady.

[Léa · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars! This book dragged in some places but once it hit the 50% mark, I was sucked in. Witchcraft and astrology, queer representation, beautiful writing and complex characterization - what’s not to love?

[Jordan (Forever Lost in Literature) · Rating 4 out of 5]

*3.75

[Rose · Rating 4 out of 5]

I obviously HAD to pick this up when I saw it in the bookstore and it was a fun one! The beginning was a little slow but I read the second half in one sitting and enjoyed the hell out of it. The main character is bisexual/queer, and a very fun character.

[Alyssa Palombo · Rating 5 out of 5]

Blurb to come!

[Stacey · Rating 4 out of 5]

it's gay and it slaps

[Lauren · Rating 5 out of 5]

There really is nothing more petty than a scorned man.

[emma · Rating 2 out of 5]

Thank you Redhook and Orbit for an arc copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are very much my own.

1.5 stars rounded up

I had such high expectations for this book, a queer and feminist retelling of Shakespeare sonnets?? That could have been amazing! The freedom! The vast room for so much brilliant insight or commentary on sonnets!? However, the author focused more on the main character wanting to play music for the queen—which is not to say that’s a bad thing for an author to do, I just thought it was hmm a weird way to go? I also thought the mc was very selfish in her choices and actions. It’s hard to explain this book without spoiling it all.

I can, hypothetically, see the influence of Shakespeare’s sonnets in this work. Although, I feel as though the author used the sonnets as a way to write heavily marketed female rage. The mc plays “the woman scorned who gets retribution” however it was very poorly done. The author uses Shakespeare when it furthers the mc’s agenda for music or witchcraft, never in the lens of a formal retelling.

Another thing I was NOT expecting was for the mc to basically say Shakespeare has a ✨slutty little waist✨. 🧍‍♀️was not on my bingo card 🧍‍♀️

[Brittany (hauntedbycandlelight) · Rating 5 out of 5]

“𝒀𝒐𝒖 𝒃𝒆𝒍𝒊𝒆𝒗𝒆 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒔𝒕𝒂𝒓𝒔 𝒉𝒐𝒍𝒅 𝒔𝒘𝒂𝒚 𝒐𝒗𝒆𝒓 𝒎𝒆𝒏’𝒔 𝒉𝒆𝒂𝒓𝒕𝒔?”
𝑰 𝒔𝒎𝒊𝒍𝒆𝒅 𝒎𝒚𝒔𝒕𝒆𝒓𝒊𝒐𝒖𝒔𝒍𝒚. “𝑫𝒐𝒆𝒔𝒏’𝒕 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒎𝒐𝒐𝒏 𝒔𝒘𝒂𝒚 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒕𝒊𝒅𝒆?” “𝑻𝒉𝒆𝒓𝒆 𝒊𝒔 𝒏𝒐 𝒐𝒄𝒆𝒂𝒏 𝒊𝒏 𝒎𝒆,” 𝒉𝒆 𝒔𝒂𝒊𝒅.

After reading The Book of Gothel, I knew I had to get my hands on A Rose By Any Other Name. This was a slow burn historical fantasy romance with witches and Shakespeare. But mostly, it was about Rose.

Rose is my girl. I fell in love with her character. She’s wild, sassy and an Aries. She is the muse to Shakespeare sonnets.

She fiercely independent. Which made me love her because she’ll be damned if society tells her how to behave.

This book has so much to offer: witches, sapphic romance, a tryst with William, the occult, and astrology. It’s also set in the Elizabethan era.

“𝑻𝒉𝒆𝒓𝒆 𝒊𝒔 𝒂 𝑯𝒆𝒂𝒗𝒆𝒏 𝒊𝒏 𝒆𝒂𝒄𝒉 𝒐𝒇 𝒖𝒔, 𝒂 𝒉𝒐𝒍𝒚 𝒈𝒆𝒐𝒎𝒆𝒕𝒓𝒚, 𝒂 𝒎𝒂𝒑. 𝑺𝒐𝒎𝒆 𝒐𝒇 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒂𝒔𝒑𝒆𝒄𝒕𝒔 𝒘𝒆 𝒎𝒂𝒚 𝒉𝒂𝒗𝒆 𝒇𝒐𝒓𝒈𝒐𝒕𝒕𝒆𝒏, 𝒔𝒘𝒂𝒍𝒍𝒐𝒘𝒆𝒅, 𝒂𝒍𝒍𝒐𝒘𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒎 𝒕𝒐 𝒃𝒆 𝒐𝒗𝒆𝒓𝒄𝒐𝒎𝒆 “


Thank you to Hachette Canada for my gifted copy!

[Leah M · Rating 5 out of 5]

After reading The Book of Gothel, I became an instant fan of Mary McMyne. She’s a fantastic writer, and I loved reading that one so much that I couldn’t wait to start this one. However, these two books differ quite a bit, swinging from fantasy to historical fiction, while still retaining McMyne’s gift for creating compelling characters and writing a plot that kept me wanting to read.

In this book, McMyne shows off her research abilities. Her depiction of Elizabethan England is impeccable and thoroughly researched. She brings us to the time of William Shakespeare, and gives us insight into the passion that Ol’ Bill brought to the table. Also, imagining the life and circumstances of the Dark Lady, the mysterious woman who helped to inspire the later sonnets in Shakespeare’s repertoire.

Writing compelling characters wasn’t a fluke—McMyne does it just as well in this book. I’m not overly familiar with Shakespeare or the Dark Lady, although I did read a few Shakespeare plays and sonnets in high school. That didn’t stop me from thoroughly enjoying this book, which is predominantly character-driven. Rose is an independent, strong-willed, smart, free-spirited, talented, and cunning young woman. She dabbles in astrology, and has a gift for music and aspirations to play in the queen’s court. Unfortunately, she’s a woman in Elizabethan times and not the present day, so her options are extremely limited. When her father dies, a marriage to someone who can provide for her along with her mother and younger brother becomes a priority that can’t be ignored. Rose isn’t exactly a chaste woman worrying about her reputation, but neither is her best friend Cecely, another thing that made them approximately 400 years ahead of their time.

These two find themselves hopping in and out of trouble, from one bad situation to another. Through it all, astrology is incorporated into the story, as are some spells that have been passed down to Rose from her Italian mother. But as these two run from the frying pan and into the fire, they find themselves in ever-worsening circumstances, to the point where they’re accused of being witches. But then again, any woman in those times who thought for herself and wasn’t reliant on a man and knew a little too much was always in danger of being accused of being a witch. There’s a sapphic thread to the story as well, and I really loved that aspect of their relationship, especially since all the men seemed like such jerks in the story. Yes, even Shakespeare.

The audiobook is narrated by Suzie Rai, and she did a good job with the story. She kept it intriguing and was fantastic with the accents. However, when she voiced the majority of the male characters, she used a nasal tone rather than using a deeper vocal tone, and it made it feel really immature instead of providing a voice that I can conjure a character image for. Instead, all I was able to visualize was a cartoonish type of character, where I can normally visualize a person, like I did for Rose and Cecely.

Overall, I think I probably would have enjoyed this more if I had read it in ebook or physical book format, and avoided the way the voices for the male characters kind of grated on my ears. Besides that, I didn’t have any other issues with this one, and I especially liked that it focused exclusively on Rose. While she was a muse for Shakespeare, he doesn’t appear in the story at all for the first half, and then even after that, he’s still very much a side character. It allows Rose to be the star in her own story, which was so rare for the women of those times, and very much appreciated in these times. This one is a good fit if you like stories about feminists before their times, historical fiction with a dash of magical realism, and strong women with big dreams in societies that wanted to keep them small.

[Melody Bowles · Rating 3 out of 5]

A Rose By Any Other Name pitches a look at the Dark Lady, a figure who appears several times in Shakespeare’s sonnets. Initially I wondered why this book was considered fantasy rather than solely historical fiction, but of course Shakespeare and witches go hand in hand. Shakespeare himself stars as a major character and is as much a delight and disaster as I hoped he would be.

Rose is a young lady with magical heritage living in the countryside. The sudden death of her father means she must move to the city and marry to secure a comfortable life for her mother and five year old brother. Unfortunately, Rose is much more interested in her close friend Cecily than any man, although it takes her a while to realise this.

Much of the book centres Rose’s efforts to build a life on her own terms, working against both her prospective husband Richard, her mother’s wishes and society at large. Although the book includes Rose’s romances with Cecily and Shakespeare, they are not the focus. It is about Rose’s journey of self-discovery - not only concerning her deep feelings for Cecily, but her magical talents and heritage too.

I found Rose’s relationship with her mother the most interesting one. They mistrust and work against each other, despite their similarities. They are both ambitious women who must pretend to be obedient and docile to survive.

Shakespeare is characterised as a genius writer and fantastic lover, though often vain, self centred and whimsical. Unlike other male characters, he sees Rose’s cleverness and creativity without chastising her for it.

The back matter explains the author’s workings, on both creating the magical rituals in the book and writing the character of Shakespeare. I appreciated this, as not being well versed on the history made me wonder which parts were considered true and which were completely made up!

Read A Rose By Any Other Name if you’d like thoughtful historical fiction with a touch of witchcraft.

[Kendall Seibel · Rating 4 out of 5]

LOVED it ! Charming, mystical, witty writing that beautifully captures love, loss, magic, and theatre in a way that is easy to read and also thrilling to get through. it’s been a while since i read a whole book in one day but once i got into this one, i couldn’t put it down! loved the LGBTQ+ representation in shakespearean times.