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William Shakespeare Thriller #2
Assassin of Verona, The
All is not well in Venice.
Threatened daily by Papal assassins, William Shakespeare and his close friends Oldcastle and Hemminges are increasingly isolated—the lies that have protected them so far beginning to wear thin.
His companions want desperately to leave, but Will is tied to the city—his lover, the beautiful Isabella, is growing ever more sick. As tensions reach breaking point, their company is forced to split….
Once more full of swaggering charm, breathless action, and rapier-sharp dialogue, this is the second in Benet Brandreth’s highly acclaimed series reimagining the lost years of William Shakespeare.
Threatened daily by Papal assassins, William Shakespeare and his close friends Oldcastle and Hemminges are increasingly isolated—the lies that have protected them so far beginning to wear thin.
His companions want desperately to leave, but Will is tied to the city—his lover, the beautiful Isabella, is growing ever more sick. As tensions reach breaking point, their company is forced to split….
Once more full of swaggering charm, breathless action, and rapier-sharp dialogue, this is the second in Benet Brandreth’s highly acclaimed series reimagining the lost years of William Shakespeare.
MP3 CD
Published December 5, 2017
About the author
Benet Brandreth
6 books26 followersBenet Brandreth is an expert on Shakespeare's language and times, the rhetoric coach to the Royal Shakespeare Company and others, and a writer and performer whose last one-man show was a five-star reviewed sell-out at the Edinburgh Fringe and on its London Transfer. On top of all that he is a leading IP barrister. The Spy of Venice is his debut novel.
(Source: Amazon)
(Source: Amazon)
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 43 reviews
September 2, 2017
I gave the same rating to the first book in the series, but for different reasons to this sequel. I enjoyed the story more in this one but it had almost nothing to do with William Shakespeare this time. And the appearances he did make were annoying. He was not a likeable character in this one. The plot itself started quite light in humour but turned darker towards the end. I really liked Amelia and Hemminges.
I am no expert on Shakespeare although I've read a few of his plays. I don't know them well enough to identify the plays that some of this story line come from. I liked this element as it's a plausible way for Shakespeare to have turned from glover to playwright in just a few years- turning his supposed adventures into plays in the future. While my Shakespeare knowledge is nothing more a than scanty, it did seem to me that there was far more dropping of famous lines into this novel. In fact it seemed a little overladen!
So. I enjoyed this book despite having William Shakespeare in it, which is slightly odd, as the series is meant to be based on him!
Many thanks to Netgalley for providing an ARC of this book. All opinions are my own.
I am no expert on Shakespeare although I've read a few of his plays. I don't know them well enough to identify the plays that some of this story line come from. I liked this element as it's a plausible way for Shakespeare to have turned from glover to playwright in just a few years- turning his supposed adventures into plays in the future. While my Shakespeare knowledge is nothing more a than scanty, it did seem to me that there was far more dropping of famous lines into this novel. In fact it seemed a little overladen!
So. I enjoyed this book despite having William Shakespeare in it, which is slightly odd, as the series is meant to be based on him!
Many thanks to Netgalley for providing an ARC of this book. All opinions are my own.
June 4, 2023
“Our lives cannot all be poetry and love-making.” (3.5 stars)
THE ASSASSIN OF VERONA is Benet Brandreth’s second novel where he imagines the “lost years” of William Shakespeare as happening in Italy, with Shakespeare and two of his contemporaries thrust into the role of spies. Shakespeare and his companions are caught up, accidently at first, in the intrigues and plots that consumed the Pope and the court of Elizabeth the 1st. I enjoyed this more than its predecessor, but not so much for the plot, as for the clever manner in which Shakespeare’s later life is integrated into the story. Mr. Brandreth is at moments a really insightful writer. He weaves into this narrative observations about the writing of Shakespeare that are very well done and have thoughtful depth.
For me, the main pleasure of this book is the cleverness with which the author incorporates and winks at Shakespeare’s works. There are numerous allusions and subtle references to Shakespeare’s work, as well as nods to other historical and classical references made throughout the text. Here are a couple of examples.
- There is a witty joke made with what would become one of Shakespeare’s most quoted lines, “Shall I compare thee to a summer’s day”. He tries to impress a women with it, and she dismisses it as cliché. It made me chuckle.
- At one point, the plot points of the book loosely resemble elements of Shakespeare’s play TWELFTH NIGHT. Shakespeare muses while observing the things around him that if only minor tweaks to the “real life” situation around him were made it would be far more interesting.
- The novel’s dénouement is brought about by an adroit plot twist connected to Shakespeare’s innate observations and understanding of human nature.
Quotes:
• “All thought of consequence was banished, for a young man longs to feel his strength.”
• “How the life of the mind might roam as freely as a bachelor did, tasting as it willed, where it willed.”
• “No woman could meet such weight of expectation as lies in your eyes.”
• “To be unfortunate in love, come, sir, you know ‘tis common.”
• “There always seems another time, and another, until you find that time has wasted you.”
• “I have never been so alone as to have once been in her company and now to lack it.”
• “Old fools think they have it still.”
• “Have a care for others. Yours is not the only suffering in the world.”
• “You who have such power to understand others’ thoughts and feelings. How is it you are so confounded by your own?”
• “To care, was in the end, to grieve.”
• “It’s a cruel thing to learn how vile a thing is a man.”
• “…we wish our cares were held in as high regard by others.”
• “Sorrow without hope leads on to madness.”
THE ASSASSIN OF VERONA ends on a fascinating (and bleak) note. Without giving anything away, I’m not sure what to think of it, but it is very intriguing, and speaks of the author’s foresight while crafting this novel and its predecessor.
I’m a sucker for novels about Shakespeare, and Mr. Brandreth is clearly a man who knows the works, and I would even say to some extent the mind, of the Bard well. That combination made for an interesting experience for this reader.
THE ASSASSIN OF VERONA is Benet Brandreth’s second novel where he imagines the “lost years” of William Shakespeare as happening in Italy, with Shakespeare and two of his contemporaries thrust into the role of spies. Shakespeare and his companions are caught up, accidently at first, in the intrigues and plots that consumed the Pope and the court of Elizabeth the 1st. I enjoyed this more than its predecessor, but not so much for the plot, as for the clever manner in which Shakespeare’s later life is integrated into the story. Mr. Brandreth is at moments a really insightful writer. He weaves into this narrative observations about the writing of Shakespeare that are very well done and have thoughtful depth.
For me, the main pleasure of this book is the cleverness with which the author incorporates and winks at Shakespeare’s works. There are numerous allusions and subtle references to Shakespeare’s work, as well as nods to other historical and classical references made throughout the text. Here are a couple of examples.
- There is a witty joke made with what would become one of Shakespeare’s most quoted lines, “Shall I compare thee to a summer’s day”. He tries to impress a women with it, and she dismisses it as cliché. It made me chuckle.
- At one point, the plot points of the book loosely resemble elements of Shakespeare’s play TWELFTH NIGHT. Shakespeare muses while observing the things around him that if only minor tweaks to the “real life” situation around him were made it would be far more interesting.
- The novel’s dénouement is brought about by an adroit plot twist connected to Shakespeare’s innate observations and understanding of human nature.
Quotes:
• “All thought of consequence was banished, for a young man longs to feel his strength.”
• “How the life of the mind might roam as freely as a bachelor did, tasting as it willed, where it willed.”
• “No woman could meet such weight of expectation as lies in your eyes.”
• “To be unfortunate in love, come, sir, you know ‘tis common.”
• “There always seems another time, and another, until you find that time has wasted you.”
• “I have never been so alone as to have once been in her company and now to lack it.”
• “Old fools think they have it still.”
• “Have a care for others. Yours is not the only suffering in the world.”
• “You who have such power to understand others’ thoughts and feelings. How is it you are so confounded by your own?”
• “To care, was in the end, to grieve.”
• “It’s a cruel thing to learn how vile a thing is a man.”
• “…we wish our cares were held in as high regard by others.”
• “Sorrow without hope leads on to madness.”
THE ASSASSIN OF VERONA ends on a fascinating (and bleak) note. Without giving anything away, I’m not sure what to think of it, but it is very intriguing, and speaks of the author’s foresight while crafting this novel and its predecessor.
I’m a sucker for novels about Shakespeare, and Mr. Brandreth is clearly a man who knows the works, and I would even say to some extent the mind, of the Bard well. That combination made for an interesting experience for this reader.
December 29, 2018
After his formidable debut with "The Spy of Venice", this 2nd exciting volume of William Shakespeare in the "The Assassin of Verona" is for me certainly another winner.
This new novel about William Shakespeare's exploits really once again got me gripped from beginning till the end, and although I'm not familiar with the kind of phrases and language symbolising Shakespeare, I still enjoyed it thoroughly for they also give a certain richness to the tale.
Once more story-telling is of a superb quality and the historical details in so far as they can be established have been perfectly worked out within this delightful tale.
The book continues as from the year AD 1585 until the Spring of AD 1586, and we follow William Shakespeare and his friends Hemminges and Oldcastle again, now mainly in the province of Veneto in the north-east of Italy.
Our main characters William Shakespeare and his friends Hemminges and Oldcastle find themselves at first in Venice, and because of a deadly secret they posses they are hunted by the Pope's agents, and to escape them they finally have to flee Venice and head for Verona, first Hemminges and Oldcastle, and later on Shakespeare himself after Isabella Lisarro's painful death.
In Verona, at first Hemminges and Oldcastle and later on Shakespeare himself, will meet Aemilia, the fierce daughter of Duke Leonardo, who's having an affair with her cousin Valentine, but the real danger is the arrival of Father Thornhill, the Pope's representative, who will seek out anyone who don't conform to the pope's agenda, and he will put everyone on edge and everything will turn into turmoil and fear especially for the heretic Englishmen.
What will follow is another novel full with plots, hatched and discovered, and where Shakespeare and his fellow players within this story of love and hate will show courage and cowardice in order to survive their ordeals, and where also disguises are adopted and discarded in an attempt to keep their secrets and their lives alive.
Very much recommended, for this is for sure: "A Very Entertaining William Shakespeare Sequel"!
This new novel about William Shakespeare's exploits really once again got me gripped from beginning till the end, and although I'm not familiar with the kind of phrases and language symbolising Shakespeare, I still enjoyed it thoroughly for they also give a certain richness to the tale.
Once more story-telling is of a superb quality and the historical details in so far as they can be established have been perfectly worked out within this delightful tale.
The book continues as from the year AD 1585 until the Spring of AD 1586, and we follow William Shakespeare and his friends Hemminges and Oldcastle again, now mainly in the province of Veneto in the north-east of Italy.
Our main characters William Shakespeare and his friends Hemminges and Oldcastle find themselves at first in Venice, and because of a deadly secret they posses they are hunted by the Pope's agents, and to escape them they finally have to flee Venice and head for Verona, first Hemminges and Oldcastle, and later on Shakespeare himself after Isabella Lisarro's painful death.
In Verona, at first Hemminges and Oldcastle and later on Shakespeare himself, will meet Aemilia, the fierce daughter of Duke Leonardo, who's having an affair with her cousin Valentine, but the real danger is the arrival of Father Thornhill, the Pope's representative, who will seek out anyone who don't conform to the pope's agenda, and he will put everyone on edge and everything will turn into turmoil and fear especially for the heretic Englishmen.
What will follow is another novel full with plots, hatched and discovered, and where Shakespeare and his fellow players within this story of love and hate will show courage and cowardice in order to survive their ordeals, and where also disguises are adopted and discarded in an attempt to keep their secrets and their lives alive.
Very much recommended, for this is for sure: "A Very Entertaining William Shakespeare Sequel"!
October 30, 2017
An engaging and clever presentation of Shakespeare, although entirely fictional, this story lives up to expectations on the whole. Brandreth has a knack for telling a story and, the weaving of such, ensures the reader is fully immersed in the setting, characters and plot throughout. He makes use of Shakespearean quotations throughout, inventively inserting pieces of the man everywhere, so it becomes undeniably familiar and thereby comforting in its own way.
Having not read the first in the series, this narrative was completely new to me, but it was clear that it is not necessary to have first encountered the prologue in order to understand and engage with this one. Each one stands alone, following its own independent storyline and gaining its own credence.
In this narrative the reader encounters Shakespeare the spy, along with his fellow masters of espionage, Hemminges and Oldcastle, all past echelons of the stage, sharing adept skills in acting and politics, thereby presenting a threat to other nations. The action takes place wholly in Italy, most notably shared between Venice and Verona (or the outskirts mostly) and the characters are joined by a host of equally interesting individuals, both good and evil, in their quest to find out necessary information for their homeland and make it back to England in one piece.
The plot changes constantly, with twists and turns to keep the reader's interest and we are treated to a range of possibilities as we hurtle towards the end. Shakespeare, himself, does not especially shine in this role - in fact, he is morose and somewhat of a drag for a huge part of the novel, but there are many engaging moments within the story to keep everyone entertained.
There are some lovely descriptions and nice touches of narrative technique that make this a worthwhile and appealing read for those who like a different perspective and suspension of belief for light relief.
Having not read the first in the series, this narrative was completely new to me, but it was clear that it is not necessary to have first encountered the prologue in order to understand and engage with this one. Each one stands alone, following its own independent storyline and gaining its own credence.
In this narrative the reader encounters Shakespeare the spy, along with his fellow masters of espionage, Hemminges and Oldcastle, all past echelons of the stage, sharing adept skills in acting and politics, thereby presenting a threat to other nations. The action takes place wholly in Italy, most notably shared between Venice and Verona (or the outskirts mostly) and the characters are joined by a host of equally interesting individuals, both good and evil, in their quest to find out necessary information for their homeland and make it back to England in one piece.
The plot changes constantly, with twists and turns to keep the reader's interest and we are treated to a range of possibilities as we hurtle towards the end. Shakespeare, himself, does not especially shine in this role - in fact, he is morose and somewhat of a drag for a huge part of the novel, but there are many engaging moments within the story to keep everyone entertained.
There are some lovely descriptions and nice touches of narrative technique that make this a worthwhile and appealing read for those who like a different perspective and suspension of belief for light relief.
November 17, 2025
The Assassin of Verona is the second book in the author’s historical thriller series featuring William Shakespeare, now cast as spy as well as playwright. I haven’t read the first book, The Spy of Venice, and I felt I missed out by not knowing what happened in that book, such as how William came to be recruited into the role of spy, how his friendship with Oldcastle and Hemminges came about, and the origins of his relationship with beautiful courtesan, Isabella. The reader is rather plunged straight into the story without much recap of previous events.
The author is clearly an aficionado of Shakespeare and makes liberal use of quotations from his plays throughout the book, not just in the dialogue. The prose is not exactly Shakespearean in style but tending that way. Many of the characters’ names are drawn from Shakespeare’s plays, including Orlando (As You Like It), Prospero (The Tempest), Aemilia (The Comedy of Errors) and Valentine (The Two Gentleman of Verona). Much of the action takes place in a forest, a familiar setting of Shakespeare’s plays, and some of the characters are in disguise, including posing as the opposite sex.
I didn’t find William a particularly likeable character. He’s plunged into melancholy by events in Venice pretty early on and seems to find it difficult to shake it off, leaving his two friends in a bit of a bind. Oldcastle is an engaging character, full of bluster and supremely confident he can play whatever part is needed, leading to some humorous scenes when his bluff is called. Hemminges is the man of action, a skilled tactician and handy in a swordfight. He finds himself drawn to Aemilia, admiring her pluck even if it does land a lot of people in trouble. Although there are villains, including the fanatical Father Thornhill who likes nothing better than torturing information out of people, the plot is for the most part quite lighthearted. That is until the end when it gets much darker and for some it’s definitely not ‘all’s well that ends well’.
The Assassin of Verona is an engaging historical mystery, peppered with Shakespearean allusions, albeit a bit on the slow side.
The author is clearly an aficionado of Shakespeare and makes liberal use of quotations from his plays throughout the book, not just in the dialogue. The prose is not exactly Shakespearean in style but tending that way. Many of the characters’ names are drawn from Shakespeare’s plays, including Orlando (As You Like It), Prospero (The Tempest), Aemilia (The Comedy of Errors) and Valentine (The Two Gentleman of Verona). Much of the action takes place in a forest, a familiar setting of Shakespeare’s plays, and some of the characters are in disguise, including posing as the opposite sex.
I didn’t find William a particularly likeable character. He’s plunged into melancholy by events in Venice pretty early on and seems to find it difficult to shake it off, leaving his two friends in a bit of a bind. Oldcastle is an engaging character, full of bluster and supremely confident he can play whatever part is needed, leading to some humorous scenes when his bluff is called. Hemminges is the man of action, a skilled tactician and handy in a swordfight. He finds himself drawn to Aemilia, admiring her pluck even if it does land a lot of people in trouble. Although there are villains, including the fanatical Father Thornhill who likes nothing better than torturing information out of people, the plot is for the most part quite lighthearted. That is until the end when it gets much darker and for some it’s definitely not ‘all’s well that ends well’.
The Assassin of Verona is an engaging historical mystery, peppered with Shakespearean allusions, albeit a bit on the slow side.
February 3, 2024
So, this is historical fanfic of that time Shakespeare could have been a spy in Italy. I would describe it as a mixed bag.
Really fantastic: his use of language! He absolutely knows his Shakespeare, and almost every line and most of the plot points were a gentle reworking of something the Bard wrote. It was very fun to try and identify it all.
The plot was uneven. I would say the last two-fifths were the best part, and they were _amazing_. I was very invested.
Not Fantastic: the author failed entirely to get inside the head of a person from that era. The philosophy and religion were absolutely wrong. It was amazing—he used all the right words but never stopped thinking like a 21st century functional atheist. I promise that was not standard then.
I myself did not love the passionate affair with a Venetian courtesan. Shakespeare in the story 100% had a wife and kids back in England. So.
Really fantastic: his use of language! He absolutely knows his Shakespeare, and almost every line and most of the plot points were a gentle reworking of something the Bard wrote. It was very fun to try and identify it all.
The plot was uneven. I would say the last two-fifths were the best part, and they were _amazing_. I was very invested.
Not Fantastic: the author failed entirely to get inside the head of a person from that era. The philosophy and religion were absolutely wrong. It was amazing—he used all the right words but never stopped thinking like a 21st century functional atheist. I promise that was not standard then.
I myself did not love the passionate affair with a Venetian courtesan. Shakespeare in the story 100% had a wife and kids back in England. So.
December 18, 2017
From the acclaimed author of The Spy of Venice comes the latest in the tale of William Shakespeare like you have never seen him!!!
Benet Brandreth’s The Assassin of Verona is described as ‘a thrilling novel of conspiracy, intrigue and rapier-sharp wit' and tells the story of Shakespeare’s ‘lost years’. It was published in September 2017 by Zaffre (imprint of Bonnier Zaffre)
This is a book that entertains, with swashbuckling wagers and feisty women, a very enjoyable read.
I have to begin this review with an admission. I read lots of books. I read lots of different genre, with a particular love for historical fiction. I am always fascinated by past lives and what it really would have been like to live in a particular era. Yet my knowledge of Shakespeare is extremely limited. I studied The Merchant of Venice and Hamlet in school and beyond that, I have to admit, I have never opened another play, biography or any book to do with this master of the English language.
This is where Benet Brandreth’s writing has won me over. I accept that many of the stories and characters are fictional, mere figments of the wonderful imagination of the author, but what a journey to be taken on.
The Assassin of Verona tells the tale of William Shakespeare in his years in espionage working as a spy for Queen Elizabeth. There is a papal plot to destroy the Queen and it is up to Shakespeare and his two travelling companions to bring the names of these Catholic spies to the attention of the crown.
As they attempt to make their way from Venice back to England their scent is picked up and they soon find themselves on the run from the notorious Father Thornhill, a man with little compassion, ‘a gaunt face, high cheekbones, pale eyes, and a wolfish look of judgement and dislike’. Not one to shy away from using any torturous methods available to get his way, Father Thornhill is not a person to be trifled with.
William Shakespeare finds love in Venice with the beautiful courtesan, Isabella Lisarro. Though he is married in England, Shakespeare is unable to help his burning passion for this woman, as is evident in all his thoughts and actions.
‘William sat upon a bench on the balcony with his feet upon the balustrade and looked not at the splendours of Venice but only at Isabella. She wore a simple dress and her feet were bare. Shorn of her splendid armour of jewels, gowns, artfully plied tresses, she looked as he imagined Venus would were she to grace a mortal life with her presence. Showing her wonders, by their simplicity, divine.’
As William struggles in his affair with Isabella, there is another lovers dilemma in Verona. Young Aemilia, is frustrated with her father, as he dismisses the love she feels for her cousin Valentine and intends on forcing her hand in marriage with a very mercenary Count. This man has money and land but he is a man with a dark heart and as his wife, Aemillia is only too aware of the hardships she will have to endure. Aemillia, unprepared to pledge herself to a life of servitude to such an ogre of a man, devises a plan to thwart her father’s wishes.
Eventually all paths must cross, as Benet Brandreth words weaves a dramatic tale. Filled with flamboyant characters, valorous acts and corrupt men of God. The Assassin of Verona is a treat of a read.
I thoroughly enjoyed immersing myself among the words and thoughts of the Bard himself, as brought to us through the writings of Benet Brandreth.
‘There is a challenge for any writer setting his scene in a time when English was spoken, but not as it is today – how to honour that speech and give the book the feel of the time without it’s archaic nature getting in the way without creating a barrier to understanding’
The Assassin of Verona is a novel that is full of wit and charm. It’s quite clear that the author has a love for all things Shakespeare, with his enthusiasm for the subject evident in every word, every page. Yes there is a certain type of language used throughout, but it is written in a very accessible fashion, making this book a very engaging and appealing read for all.
The Assassin of Verona is a novel of pure escapism. So with that in mind grab your sword, throw off your cape – an exciting adventure awaits!!
Benet Brandreth’s The Assassin of Verona is described as ‘a thrilling novel of conspiracy, intrigue and rapier-sharp wit' and tells the story of Shakespeare’s ‘lost years’. It was published in September 2017 by Zaffre (imprint of Bonnier Zaffre)
This is a book that entertains, with swashbuckling wagers and feisty women, a very enjoyable read.
I have to begin this review with an admission. I read lots of books. I read lots of different genre, with a particular love for historical fiction. I am always fascinated by past lives and what it really would have been like to live in a particular era. Yet my knowledge of Shakespeare is extremely limited. I studied The Merchant of Venice and Hamlet in school and beyond that, I have to admit, I have never opened another play, biography or any book to do with this master of the English language.
This is where Benet Brandreth’s writing has won me over. I accept that many of the stories and characters are fictional, mere figments of the wonderful imagination of the author, but what a journey to be taken on.
The Assassin of Verona tells the tale of William Shakespeare in his years in espionage working as a spy for Queen Elizabeth. There is a papal plot to destroy the Queen and it is up to Shakespeare and his two travelling companions to bring the names of these Catholic spies to the attention of the crown.
As they attempt to make their way from Venice back to England their scent is picked up and they soon find themselves on the run from the notorious Father Thornhill, a man with little compassion, ‘a gaunt face, high cheekbones, pale eyes, and a wolfish look of judgement and dislike’. Not one to shy away from using any torturous methods available to get his way, Father Thornhill is not a person to be trifled with.
William Shakespeare finds love in Venice with the beautiful courtesan, Isabella Lisarro. Though he is married in England, Shakespeare is unable to help his burning passion for this woman, as is evident in all his thoughts and actions.
‘William sat upon a bench on the balcony with his feet upon the balustrade and looked not at the splendours of Venice but only at Isabella. She wore a simple dress and her feet were bare. Shorn of her splendid armour of jewels, gowns, artfully plied tresses, she looked as he imagined Venus would were she to grace a mortal life with her presence. Showing her wonders, by their simplicity, divine.’
As William struggles in his affair with Isabella, there is another lovers dilemma in Verona. Young Aemilia, is frustrated with her father, as he dismisses the love she feels for her cousin Valentine and intends on forcing her hand in marriage with a very mercenary Count. This man has money and land but he is a man with a dark heart and as his wife, Aemillia is only too aware of the hardships she will have to endure. Aemillia, unprepared to pledge herself to a life of servitude to such an ogre of a man, devises a plan to thwart her father’s wishes.
Eventually all paths must cross, as Benet Brandreth words weaves a dramatic tale. Filled with flamboyant characters, valorous acts and corrupt men of God. The Assassin of Verona is a treat of a read.
I thoroughly enjoyed immersing myself among the words and thoughts of the Bard himself, as brought to us through the writings of Benet Brandreth.
‘There is a challenge for any writer setting his scene in a time when English was spoken, but not as it is today – how to honour that speech and give the book the feel of the time without it’s archaic nature getting in the way without creating a barrier to understanding’
The Assassin of Verona is a novel that is full of wit and charm. It’s quite clear that the author has a love for all things Shakespeare, with his enthusiasm for the subject evident in every word, every page. Yes there is a certain type of language used throughout, but it is written in a very accessible fashion, making this book a very engaging and appealing read for all.
The Assassin of Verona is a novel of pure escapism. So with that in mind grab your sword, throw off your cape – an exciting adventure awaits!!
January 13, 2018
Lost Years
Im Geheimen lebt William Shakespeare in Venedig. Im Jahr 1586 tritt er dort als Assistent der englischen Botschaft auf. Er und zwei Freunde sind allerdings in großer Gefahr, denn sie kennen die Namen vieler katholischer Spione in England. Deshalb trachtet der Papst ihnen nach dem Leben. Shakespeare und seinen Freunden bleibt nichts anderes übrig als zu fliehen. In Verona lebt Aemelia, die Tochter des Herzogs. Sie ist eine freiheitsliebende Persönlichkeit, die es absolut nicht ausstehen kann, bevormundet zu werden. Und so ist die von ihrem Vater arrangierte Ehe mit Count Claudio überhaupt nicht nach ihrem Geschmack. Viel lieber mag sie ihren Cousin Valentine.
Bei „The Assassin of Verona“ handelt es sich um den Nachfolgeband zu „The Spy of Venice“. Zu Beginn des vorliegenden Bandes merkt man auch, dass es sich nicht um einen ersten Band handelt. Das Geschehen beginnt irgendwie mittendrin und so bedarf es einer ganzen Weile und einiger eigener Ermittlungen hinsichtlich des Lebens des großen Autors und des geschichtlichen Kontexts, um verstehen zu können, an welchem Punkt ungefähr die Story einsetzt. Zur kurzen Erläuterung: die Handlung ist angesiedelt in den sogenannten verlorenen Jahren Shakespeares, über die kaum etwas bekannt ist. In dieser Zeit der Herrschaft Elisabeth I versuchten die Katholiken die Herrschaft in England zurückzuerlangen. Im Original gelesen, kommt die shakespearische Sprache hinzu, die die Lektüre nicht unbedingt einfach macht, selbst wenn man seinen Shakespeare kennt.
Erst nach und nach erschließt sich der Charme der Geschichte. Die tragische Liebe Shakespeares zu Isabella, die ihm sicherlich mehr als nur ein Gedicht oder Sonnet eingehaucht hat, Anklänge an Stücke, die man einmal gelesen hat, Namen, die Erinnerungen wecken. Selbst wenn einem Shakespeare mit englischen Original nicht so geläufig ist, lässt sich doch einiges wieder erkennen. Uns so verfolgt man Shakespeares Erlebnisse mit immer größerem Verständnis und ist schließlich gefesselt sowohl von der Geschichte als auch von dem fein ziselierten Gebrauch der Sprache. Der Autor kennt und versteht seinen Shakespeare und mit seinem Werk erfüllt er diese vorher erwähnten verlorenen Jahres wahrhaftig mit Leben, mit Inspiration für den späteren Stückeschreiber.
Eine tolle Romanidee, im Original für einen Nichtmuttersprachler allerdings nicht ganz einfach zu lesen. Sollte man auf der Suche nach einem größeren Publikum sein, bedürfte es sicherlich einer präzisen und kenntnisreichen Übersetzung.
3,5 Sterne
Im Geheimen lebt William Shakespeare in Venedig. Im Jahr 1586 tritt er dort als Assistent der englischen Botschaft auf. Er und zwei Freunde sind allerdings in großer Gefahr, denn sie kennen die Namen vieler katholischer Spione in England. Deshalb trachtet der Papst ihnen nach dem Leben. Shakespeare und seinen Freunden bleibt nichts anderes übrig als zu fliehen. In Verona lebt Aemelia, die Tochter des Herzogs. Sie ist eine freiheitsliebende Persönlichkeit, die es absolut nicht ausstehen kann, bevormundet zu werden. Und so ist die von ihrem Vater arrangierte Ehe mit Count Claudio überhaupt nicht nach ihrem Geschmack. Viel lieber mag sie ihren Cousin Valentine.
Bei „The Assassin of Verona“ handelt es sich um den Nachfolgeband zu „The Spy of Venice“. Zu Beginn des vorliegenden Bandes merkt man auch, dass es sich nicht um einen ersten Band handelt. Das Geschehen beginnt irgendwie mittendrin und so bedarf es einer ganzen Weile und einiger eigener Ermittlungen hinsichtlich des Lebens des großen Autors und des geschichtlichen Kontexts, um verstehen zu können, an welchem Punkt ungefähr die Story einsetzt. Zur kurzen Erläuterung: die Handlung ist angesiedelt in den sogenannten verlorenen Jahren Shakespeares, über die kaum etwas bekannt ist. In dieser Zeit der Herrschaft Elisabeth I versuchten die Katholiken die Herrschaft in England zurückzuerlangen. Im Original gelesen, kommt die shakespearische Sprache hinzu, die die Lektüre nicht unbedingt einfach macht, selbst wenn man seinen Shakespeare kennt.
Erst nach und nach erschließt sich der Charme der Geschichte. Die tragische Liebe Shakespeares zu Isabella, die ihm sicherlich mehr als nur ein Gedicht oder Sonnet eingehaucht hat, Anklänge an Stücke, die man einmal gelesen hat, Namen, die Erinnerungen wecken. Selbst wenn einem Shakespeare mit englischen Original nicht so geläufig ist, lässt sich doch einiges wieder erkennen. Uns so verfolgt man Shakespeares Erlebnisse mit immer größerem Verständnis und ist schließlich gefesselt sowohl von der Geschichte als auch von dem fein ziselierten Gebrauch der Sprache. Der Autor kennt und versteht seinen Shakespeare und mit seinem Werk erfüllt er diese vorher erwähnten verlorenen Jahres wahrhaftig mit Leben, mit Inspiration für den späteren Stückeschreiber.
Eine tolle Romanidee, im Original für einen Nichtmuttersprachler allerdings nicht ganz einfach zu lesen. Sollte man auf der Suche nach einem größeren Publikum sein, bedürfte es sicherlich einer präzisen und kenntnisreichen Übersetzung.
3,5 Sterne
September 25, 2017
I love Shakespeare as much as the next person. I studied it through high school, sixth form and university, which gave me a decent passing knowledge of most of his plays and means I a couple of quotes memorised that are unlikely to come in useful for the rest of my life.
Still. There’s one thing Shakespeare can do well and it’s write a ripping yarn, and that same passion for storytelling shines through in The Assassin of Verona.
If there’s one thing that shines through in Brandreth’s writing, it’s his passionate love of Shakespeare. Following on from his first novel in the William Shakespeare Thriller series, The Spy of Venice, the story charts the adventures of Will, and his friends Oldcastle and Hemminges as they navigate the rocky politics of sixteenth-century Italy- in particular, the new Pope and his spies.
And while in theory that makes for a great story, Brandreth’s dedication to the Bard makes for some teething problems that disrupt an otherwise-exciting story. The story itself is thrilling, and the first half could happily pass as a medieval Bourne: with chases through the canals of Venice, the slowly unfolding plot, the suspense and danger that comes from the new Pope, intent on bringing Protestant England back to the Catholic church…it has the potential to be a great novel.
Then it takes an odd left turn into the realms of Shakespearean drama. Oldcastle, Hemminges and Will take a back seat in favour of a plot concerning Aemelia, a strong-willed girl who wants to marry her lover Valentine in spite of her father’s will. And there are outlaws. And an evil priest. Brandreth deftly handles the plot, and laces the story with intrigue, suspense and some machinating characters, but the change of tone is a little bit jarring. It doesn’t help that he liberally sprinkles his words with phrases taken from the plays and sonnets: it feels, sometimes, that the novel is merely a vehicle for Shakespeare’s own ideas and words, which cramps the style and takes away from the book being a piece of work in its own right. Shakespeare’s all well and good, but having the confidence to own and develop your own ideas is better.
The other problem lies with the characters. I loved the stalwart Hemminges and Falstaffian Oldcastle- even the headstrong Aemilia- but Will remained an enigma. The Assassin of Verona has very few links to the previous novel- and I haven’t read it, so I can’t claim I’m an expert here- but Will has very little character development and is actually mad for half the novel, before. That was confusing, and hard to swallow: very little effort was put into fleshing out his character here, and meant that the author could easily have substituted Shakespeare for another character and the story wouldn’t have turned out that differently.
Despite that, though, the story remains gripping, interesting and heaven for people who like their Shakespeare with a bit of flair. Brandreth can definitely tell a story, and the ending is ultimately satisfying, but I found it just that little bit too frustrating to properly appreciate- which is a shame because there’s a lot of good there too. Here’s hoping his next will be even better!
Still. There’s one thing Shakespeare can do well and it’s write a ripping yarn, and that same passion for storytelling shines through in The Assassin of Verona.
If there’s one thing that shines through in Brandreth’s writing, it’s his passionate love of Shakespeare. Following on from his first novel in the William Shakespeare Thriller series, The Spy of Venice, the story charts the adventures of Will, and his friends Oldcastle and Hemminges as they navigate the rocky politics of sixteenth-century Italy- in particular, the new Pope and his spies.
And while in theory that makes for a great story, Brandreth’s dedication to the Bard makes for some teething problems that disrupt an otherwise-exciting story. The story itself is thrilling, and the first half could happily pass as a medieval Bourne: with chases through the canals of Venice, the slowly unfolding plot, the suspense and danger that comes from the new Pope, intent on bringing Protestant England back to the Catholic church…it has the potential to be a great novel.
Then it takes an odd left turn into the realms of Shakespearean drama. Oldcastle, Hemminges and Will take a back seat in favour of a plot concerning Aemelia, a strong-willed girl who wants to marry her lover Valentine in spite of her father’s will. And there are outlaws. And an evil priest. Brandreth deftly handles the plot, and laces the story with intrigue, suspense and some machinating characters, but the change of tone is a little bit jarring. It doesn’t help that he liberally sprinkles his words with phrases taken from the plays and sonnets: it feels, sometimes, that the novel is merely a vehicle for Shakespeare’s own ideas and words, which cramps the style and takes away from the book being a piece of work in its own right. Shakespeare’s all well and good, but having the confidence to own and develop your own ideas is better.
The other problem lies with the characters. I loved the stalwart Hemminges and Falstaffian Oldcastle- even the headstrong Aemilia- but Will remained an enigma. The Assassin of Verona has very few links to the previous novel- and I haven’t read it, so I can’t claim I’m an expert here- but Will has very little character development and is actually mad for half the novel, before. That was confusing, and hard to swallow: very little effort was put into fleshing out his character here, and meant that the author could easily have substituted Shakespeare for another character and the story wouldn’t have turned out that differently.
Despite that, though, the story remains gripping, interesting and heaven for people who like their Shakespeare with a bit of flair. Brandreth can definitely tell a story, and the ending is ultimately satisfying, but I found it just that little bit too frustrating to properly appreciate- which is a shame because there’s a lot of good there too. Here’s hoping his next will be even better!
April 4, 2019
The story wasn’t bad. It just seems that the characters are always wallowing in self misery
September 17, 2017
Whilst I struggle to put some books down when I’m reading I confess I did sometimes struggle to pick this one up!! I apologise if that sounds negative because ultimately I did enjoy the book and got a lot from reading it. Thanks to Bonnier Zaffre and Readers First for the opportunity to read it.
The author clearly is besotted with Shakespeare and if ever a book was testament to that then this is that book! There was much about the book I did get; The Shakespearian allusions, characters, quotes, locations - In fair Verona where we lay our scene.’ I love historical fiction although I’ll admit I’m more a Tudor, Plantagenet kinda girl! But I don’t shy away from other periods and I found this to be authentic and appears to be well researched. The plot itself was tight and exciting, like Dan Brown writing in umpteenth century Italy. The characters are convincing enough. But what I didn’t get, and it is bugging me, is the William Shakespeare character himself. I’m worried I’m being thick - uncharacteristically I might add ;-) . The part played by William was not dependent upon him being Shakespeare. Or so it seemed to me. The story would have held up just as well. Perhaps had I read The Spy of Venice it might be clear but the only conclusion I can arrive at is that this is an imaginative speculation as to how the Bard may have spent the so called ‘lost years’ of his life.
This is a witty, intelligent and erudite book of major appeal to scholars and lovers of Shakespeare who will delight and revel in the quotations and their placings with the narrative and chapter headings. I was quite proud of how many I did recognise. I referred earlier to my struggle to pick the book up and that was largely due to the concentration required to fully appreciate this well written text. The story itself is easily accessible but this is a book of language too and in order to fully enjoy that the words require a dissection almost to completely appreciate the skill of this writer.
I wonder, to a degree, whether this book is really aimed towards a niche audience of Shakespeare aficionados but forsooth, methinks there is much in this mighty tome to verily satisfy the many - O, let my books be then the eloquence and dumb presages of my speaking breast.
The author clearly is besotted with Shakespeare and if ever a book was testament to that then this is that book! There was much about the book I did get; The Shakespearian allusions, characters, quotes, locations - In fair Verona where we lay our scene.’ I love historical fiction although I’ll admit I’m more a Tudor, Plantagenet kinda girl! But I don’t shy away from other periods and I found this to be authentic and appears to be well researched. The plot itself was tight and exciting, like Dan Brown writing in umpteenth century Italy. The characters are convincing enough. But what I didn’t get, and it is bugging me, is the William Shakespeare character himself. I’m worried I’m being thick - uncharacteristically I might add ;-) . The part played by William was not dependent upon him being Shakespeare. Or so it seemed to me. The story would have held up just as well. Perhaps had I read The Spy of Venice it might be clear but the only conclusion I can arrive at is that this is an imaginative speculation as to how the Bard may have spent the so called ‘lost years’ of his life.
This is a witty, intelligent and erudite book of major appeal to scholars and lovers of Shakespeare who will delight and revel in the quotations and their placings with the narrative and chapter headings. I was quite proud of how many I did recognise. I referred earlier to my struggle to pick the book up and that was largely due to the concentration required to fully appreciate this well written text. The story itself is easily accessible but this is a book of language too and in order to fully enjoy that the words require a dissection almost to completely appreciate the skill of this writer.
I wonder, to a degree, whether this book is really aimed towards a niche audience of Shakespeare aficionados but forsooth, methinks there is much in this mighty tome to verily satisfy the many - O, let my books be then the eloquence and dumb presages of my speaking breast.
September 30, 2017
Based on the missing years of William Shakespeare's life Benet Brandreth takes the political and religious turbulence prevalent in the 16th century and imagines just what a young Will could possibly have been doing. In his imaginings he is experiencing a life of derring-do and intrigue in Venice; finding and losing love and carousing in fine stye with the great and the good of the day.
This is contrasted with the world of Aemilia who is her father's only heir and desperate to marry her milksop cousin who is denied by her father. Then we have the world of the Medici Popes and their machinations to contend with. Not the least of which is the English Priest Thornhill and his decidedly less than Christian interrogation techniques.
Sadly much of the suspense that could be built is lost as we know full well that whatever Will Shakespeare got up to before achieved fame for his writings he did go on to write. We also know that Pope Sixtus V and his rather militaristic take on Church Leadership failed to depose England for her Protestant reign so the intrigue of whether Thornhill will catch his spies is disarmed.
The book starts with plenty of action as Will Fallow, as Shakespeare is calling himself in Venice, is challenged to a rather peculiar race that may be the end of his tenure there. Sadly this level of action and description of the Venice of the time does not hold true through the rest of the novel.
This is a genre that can be dealt with in such a way that the knowledge of the Historical Fact behind the story does not intrude on the enjoyment of the tale (CJ Sansom, EJ Parrish, Hilary Mantel et al). Unfortunately this book does not manage that delicate balancing act and it was actually quite hard to get to the end of it. Fortunately the Chapters are short so I could bribe myself into completing 5 or 6 in a day.
I think the biggest disappointment for me was I stopped reading Benet Brandreth's first Shakespeare book (The Spy Of Venice) to start this one. That is a far superior book, at least the 50%+ of it I have read thus far. Maybe if I had not started that one I would have enjoyed this more.
I RECEIVED A FREE COPY OF THIS BOOK FROM READER'S FIRST IN EXCHANGE FOR AN HONEST REVIEW.
This is contrasted with the world of Aemilia who is her father's only heir and desperate to marry her milksop cousin who is denied by her father. Then we have the world of the Medici Popes and their machinations to contend with. Not the least of which is the English Priest Thornhill and his decidedly less than Christian interrogation techniques.
Sadly much of the suspense that could be built is lost as we know full well that whatever Will Shakespeare got up to before achieved fame for his writings he did go on to write. We also know that Pope Sixtus V and his rather militaristic take on Church Leadership failed to depose England for her Protestant reign so the intrigue of whether Thornhill will catch his spies is disarmed.
The book starts with plenty of action as Will Fallow, as Shakespeare is calling himself in Venice, is challenged to a rather peculiar race that may be the end of his tenure there. Sadly this level of action and description of the Venice of the time does not hold true through the rest of the novel.
This is a genre that can be dealt with in such a way that the knowledge of the Historical Fact behind the story does not intrude on the enjoyment of the tale (CJ Sansom, EJ Parrish, Hilary Mantel et al). Unfortunately this book does not manage that delicate balancing act and it was actually quite hard to get to the end of it. Fortunately the Chapters are short so I could bribe myself into completing 5 or 6 in a day.
I think the biggest disappointment for me was I stopped reading Benet Brandreth's first Shakespeare book (The Spy Of Venice) to start this one. That is a far superior book, at least the 50%+ of it I have read thus far. Maybe if I had not started that one I would have enjoyed this more.
I RECEIVED A FREE COPY OF THIS BOOK FROM READER'S FIRST IN EXCHANGE FOR AN HONEST REVIEW.
July 27, 2019
2.5 stars rounded up to 3. For fans of The Spy of Venice, this is a reasonable follow up. If like myself, you like historical fiction then this is worth a read. It gives a taste of old world writing and Shakespeare but more accessible and less heavy.
For anybody planning on picking this book up, I would strongly advise you to read the books in order and therefore The Spy of Venice first.
Starting positively, the main characters (Shakespeare, Hemminges and Oldcastle) retain their shine from the first book and if anything are further developed. I would say it is a relatively easy read and the author does well In navigating from moments of humour to action to murder to emotion, that it is a struggle to definitively classify this book in any one genre. I feel like it has a little something for everyone.
HOWEVER, there is a reason I gave it a mediocre score. Compared to the first book where the old world imagery of Stratford to the bright lights of Venice were wonderful settings, this book is almost entirely set in a nondescript town/city and the woods. There is nothing of Verona specifically in the book and the amount of time spent in the forest was frustrating. I felt a stronger location was needed to follow up and do justice to the story.
I liked 'carry on' nature of the first book and some of the slap dash situations the characters ended up in. In the this book, I found it frustrating and little but too slapstick. Additionally, I felt the book was lacking positivity and many of the characters were too grey, dreary and sombre all the time. This book did not have the energy and fearlessness of the first book.
The book started off well but towards the end I was willing it to finish. A credible but hardly prize winning follow up.
For anybody planning on picking this book up, I would strongly advise you to read the books in order and therefore The Spy of Venice first.
Starting positively, the main characters (Shakespeare, Hemminges and Oldcastle) retain their shine from the first book and if anything are further developed. I would say it is a relatively easy read and the author does well In navigating from moments of humour to action to murder to emotion, that it is a struggle to definitively classify this book in any one genre. I feel like it has a little something for everyone.
HOWEVER, there is a reason I gave it a mediocre score. Compared to the first book where the old world imagery of Stratford to the bright lights of Venice were wonderful settings, this book is almost entirely set in a nondescript town/city and the woods. There is nothing of Verona specifically in the book and the amount of time spent in the forest was frustrating. I felt a stronger location was needed to follow up and do justice to the story.
I liked 'carry on' nature of the first book and some of the slap dash situations the characters ended up in. In the this book, I found it frustrating and little but too slapstick. Additionally, I felt the book was lacking positivity and many of the characters were too grey, dreary and sombre all the time. This book did not have the energy and fearlessness of the first book.
The book started off well but towards the end I was willing it to finish. A credible but hardly prize winning follow up.
October 13, 2023
For me, this is a "liked it a little" book. That's a 3 to me.
I could give it a 4 for the last chapter, which was pretty good; but I could give it a 2 for a very disappointing plot. Let me explain.
The premise is fun: Shakespeare, as a younger man, before he wrote all his plays, ends up with a couple friends impersonating delegates from England, becoming actual spies in the process. They reach Venice in book 1. This is book 2, where he and Hemmings and Oldcastle are trying to return to England with important intelligence. And for about 80% of the book, nothing of note happens.
They're separated, and end up in the forests around Verona. Will, depressed by a severe loss, hangs out with bandits in the woods. Does nothing. Says little. His friends are stuck at the local Duke's court, playing new roles to avoid the pope's men. But they don't come up with any plans or attempt to do anything intelligent.
None of them do.
If the duke's daughter didn't drive the action, nothing would happen.
I'll grant that a lot of Shakespeare plays also have very loose plots--think The Tempest or A Midsummer Night's Dream--where stuff happens but nobody achieves anything much. So maybe he's going for that here. But imagine having Shakespeare as a character while not having him do anything or say anything interesting for most of the book.
Disappointing. The last chapter or so sees a bit of action, but then ends on a horribly sour note that definitely does not make me want to read any more like this. Just a bummer.
Anyway, it's written well, as far as prose I mean, with some fun allusions to language from the plays, and has a few good scenes. Overall: thumbs-up, but without much conviction.
I could give it a 4 for the last chapter, which was pretty good; but I could give it a 2 for a very disappointing plot. Let me explain.
The premise is fun: Shakespeare, as a younger man, before he wrote all his plays, ends up with a couple friends impersonating delegates from England, becoming actual spies in the process. They reach Venice in book 1. This is book 2, where he and Hemmings and Oldcastle are trying to return to England with important intelligence. And for about 80% of the book, nothing of note happens.
They're separated, and end up in the forests around Verona. Will, depressed by a severe loss, hangs out with bandits in the woods. Does nothing. Says little. His friends are stuck at the local Duke's court, playing new roles to avoid the pope's men. But they don't come up with any plans or attempt to do anything intelligent.
None of them do.
If the duke's daughter didn't drive the action, nothing would happen.
I'll grant that a lot of Shakespeare plays also have very loose plots--think The Tempest or A Midsummer Night's Dream--where stuff happens but nobody achieves anything much. So maybe he's going for that here. But imagine having Shakespeare as a character while not having him do anything or say anything interesting for most of the book.
Disappointing. The last chapter or so sees a bit of action, but then ends on a horribly sour note that definitely does not make me want to read any more like this. Just a bummer.
Anyway, it's written well, as far as prose I mean, with some fun allusions to language from the plays, and has a few good scenes. Overall: thumbs-up, but without much conviction.
September 4, 2017
What I commend about this book:
The characters, and there are many, are well fleshed out and colorful;
The Language is true to the time but understandable and beautifully written;
The various settings and especially the politics of those settings are true and engaging.
The action commences in Venice and Verona in the late fall of 1585. The story spans only a few months but much happens in the time frame. The story revolves around three Englishmen who have vital information that must be conveyed to England and Queen Elizabeth. All the more interesting that one of these Englishmen is William Shakespeare.
There is a new Pope, Sixtus V, who has employed spies to infiltrate England in the attempt to topple the Heretic Queen. He has also commissioned soldiers, and a certain English Priest to find and unmask the three Englishmen before they can deliver their information. The Pope has charged his Priest “to root out heresy” in the areas north of Rome all the while fomenting the fighting between France and Spain. Add into the mix the Duke of Verona who is being challenged not only by the Pope’s English Priest, but by his daughter for being denied her one true love. And around and around we go as more and more players are introduced as others fall by the wayside.
The twists and turns were well done and the ending, well, is it an ending?
Thank you NetGalley and Bonnie Zaffre for an ARC.
The characters, and there are many, are well fleshed out and colorful;
The Language is true to the time but understandable and beautifully written;
The various settings and especially the politics of those settings are true and engaging.
The action commences in Venice and Verona in the late fall of 1585. The story spans only a few months but much happens in the time frame. The story revolves around three Englishmen who have vital information that must be conveyed to England and Queen Elizabeth. All the more interesting that one of these Englishmen is William Shakespeare.
There is a new Pope, Sixtus V, who has employed spies to infiltrate England in the attempt to topple the Heretic Queen. He has also commissioned soldiers, and a certain English Priest to find and unmask the three Englishmen before they can deliver their information. The Pope has charged his Priest “to root out heresy” in the areas north of Rome all the while fomenting the fighting between France and Spain. Add into the mix the Duke of Verona who is being challenged not only by the Pope’s English Priest, but by his daughter for being denied her one true love. And around and around we go as more and more players are introduced as others fall by the wayside.
The twists and turns were well done and the ending, well, is it an ending?
Thank you NetGalley and Bonnie Zaffre for an ARC.
September 16, 2017
From the canals of Venice to the forests of the Veneto, Benet Brandreth has written a tale of love, conspiracy and treachery that will please any lover of Shakespeare or historical fiction.
William Shakespeare and his companions, Oldcastle and Hemminges, have discovered the identities of the Pope's spies in England and must now leave before they are found by the Pope's agents. Leaving Shakespeare behind with his lover who has fallen ill, his companions set off for England. Attacked by bandits in the woods, they take refuge at the estate of a duke. When Will finally follows his friends he is waylaid by the bandits and accepted into their group. There he takes on the role of commentator and manipulator.
While this is the story of Will and his companions, it is also the story of Aemeliaand her love for Valentine, a love forbidden by her father, the Duke. It is also the story of Father Thornhill, who uses torture and deception as he hunts for Will and his friends. Finally there is Orlando, once a nobleman, who leads the bandits as he plots revenge against his brother for the murder of their father.
There are disguises, sword fights and entertaining dialogue to entertain the reader. This is Brandreth's second novel in the series, following The Spy of Venice. Hopefully there are more adventures to come as the companions make their way back to England.
I would like to thank NetGalley for providing this book for an unbiased review.
William Shakespeare and his companions, Oldcastle and Hemminges, have discovered the identities of the Pope's spies in England and must now leave before they are found by the Pope's agents. Leaving Shakespeare behind with his lover who has fallen ill, his companions set off for England. Attacked by bandits in the woods, they take refuge at the estate of a duke. When Will finally follows his friends he is waylaid by the bandits and accepted into their group. There he takes on the role of commentator and manipulator.
While this is the story of Will and his companions, it is also the story of Aemeliaand her love for Valentine, a love forbidden by her father, the Duke. It is also the story of Father Thornhill, who uses torture and deception as he hunts for Will and his friends. Finally there is Orlando, once a nobleman, who leads the bandits as he plots revenge against his brother for the murder of their father.
There are disguises, sword fights and entertaining dialogue to entertain the reader. This is Brandreth's second novel in the series, following The Spy of Venice. Hopefully there are more adventures to come as the companions make their way back to England.
I would like to thank NetGalley for providing this book for an unbiased review.
October 1, 2017
I really wanted to like this book, a historical fiction about William Shakespeare, what could go wrong? Oh, it did. In almost every way, it did. I didn’t even know what I was reading. It was as though I had picked up a completely different book from what I was promised. And it didn’t go well either.
The writing style was just so hard for me to get into, old it was and suited to the time. But was it readable, nope. Something about it just didn’t work with me at all, hence why I end up having much difficult connecting with the story and characters.
Although I do admit that I did like the characters that tiny little bit, such as Aemilla (I think this was how her name was spelled), but anyone other than naturally utterly forgotten. There was just something lacking in William Shakespeare, that made him William Shakespeare. And the other characters were boring and useless. I don’t even want to remember where did that came from.
The plot, had me so utterly confused. Is he on a mission for the Queen, or is he just there. Why was there a need to include Aemilla apart from the fact that she is relatable, even around 75%, I still have no idea who the heck the plot was.
And that is where, I think that it is fine time for me to also drop a book which I don’t like. My life is too short to enjoy what I hate.
The writing style was just so hard for me to get into, old it was and suited to the time. But was it readable, nope. Something about it just didn’t work with me at all, hence why I end up having much difficult connecting with the story and characters.
Although I do admit that I did like the characters that tiny little bit, such as Aemilla (I think this was how her name was spelled), but anyone other than naturally utterly forgotten. There was just something lacking in William Shakespeare, that made him William Shakespeare. And the other characters were boring and useless. I don’t even want to remember where did that came from.
The plot, had me so utterly confused. Is he on a mission for the Queen, or is he just there. Why was there a need to include Aemilla apart from the fact that she is relatable, even around 75%, I still have no idea who the heck the plot was.
And that is where, I think that it is fine time for me to also drop a book which I don’t like. My life is too short to enjoy what I hate.
September 18, 2017
I loved the idea of this book - William Shakespeare is some kind of British spy up to all sorts of derring do in Italy.
It is a decent enough concept but somehow the book fell a bit short of my expectations.
The story should have been a swashbuckling kind of romp but it was a bit too plodding for me. The language is of a Shakespearian style which means that the over-wordiness can detract from the sense of adventure.
William is accompanied by two friends and they should all be returning to England to pass on the information they have gleaned. However his mistress dies, he is bereft and the three friends become temporarily separated.
Meanwhile, duke's daughter, Aemilia is determined to marry her cousin for love rather than the count she has been promised to.
Events conspire to lead all the characters to join a band of outlaws and suddenly they are all embroiled in a battle. The finale leads to a number of deaths which almost serves to leave everyone murdered bar the main characters.
Despite all the action I found this book hard going - it would probably have benefited from a massive word cull and a pitch towards the YA market.
It is a decent enough concept but somehow the book fell a bit short of my expectations.
The story should have been a swashbuckling kind of romp but it was a bit too plodding for me. The language is of a Shakespearian style which means that the over-wordiness can detract from the sense of adventure.
William is accompanied by two friends and they should all be returning to England to pass on the information they have gleaned. However his mistress dies, he is bereft and the three friends become temporarily separated.
Meanwhile, duke's daughter, Aemilia is determined to marry her cousin for love rather than the count she has been promised to.
Events conspire to lead all the characters to join a band of outlaws and suddenly they are all embroiled in a battle. The finale leads to a number of deaths which almost serves to leave everyone murdered bar the main characters.
Despite all the action I found this book hard going - it would probably have benefited from a massive word cull and a pitch towards the YA market.
March 27, 2020
Thank you to the publisher for providing me with a copy of this novel via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
2.5 stars....maybe?
The Assassin of Verona had some intriguing elements. Renaissance Europe, subterfuge, intrigue, William Shakespeare...all great things. 16th century Western Europe was a time of political unrest and drama. I respect the author's imaginative attempt at describing the biography of the Bard that has been lost to time. That being said, reading this novel felt like an arduous hike, at times pleasant but other times taxing. My interest waxed and waned with every chapter. I wanted to learn more about Isabella and Will, Amelia and John (and Valentine...and Orlando...) but I felt the most interesting bits were cut out. Just as the plot was beginning to get spicy the narrative would shift. The language was in line with Shakespeare's works and there were many references to his sonnets and plays, but I am not convinced that it was enough for me to really like the way the novel was crafted.
2.5 stars....maybe?
The Assassin of Verona had some intriguing elements. Renaissance Europe, subterfuge, intrigue, William Shakespeare...all great things. 16th century Western Europe was a time of political unrest and drama. I respect the author's imaginative attempt at describing the biography of the Bard that has been lost to time. That being said, reading this novel felt like an arduous hike, at times pleasant but other times taxing. My interest waxed and waned with every chapter. I wanted to learn more about Isabella and Will, Amelia and John (and Valentine...and Orlando...) but I felt the most interesting bits were cut out. Just as the plot was beginning to get spicy the narrative would shift. The language was in line with Shakespeare's works and there were many references to his sonnets and plays, but I am not convinced that it was enough for me to really like the way the novel was crafted.
September 17, 2017
How might Shakespeare’s “lost years” have been spent?
According to Benet Brandreth’s historical thriller series the answer is in swash-buckling and romantic adventures in Italy. This second book in the series can be read as a standalone since the context is set out clearly, and we quickly get to know the central characters who have incurred the wrath of a power-seeking pope.
However the pacing is somewhat uneven as a dramatic start in Venice is followed by a long wait before the action picks up again in Verona, and there are other slower sections too. The very short chapters add to the frustrating feeling of waiting for something to happen and the Shakespearean lines used as headings add little to the story, though the quotes woven into the dialogue are enjoyable.
Overall this is an imaginative tale with some surprising twists at the end.
According to Benet Brandreth’s historical thriller series the answer is in swash-buckling and romantic adventures in Italy. This second book in the series can be read as a standalone since the context is set out clearly, and we quickly get to know the central characters who have incurred the wrath of a power-seeking pope.
However the pacing is somewhat uneven as a dramatic start in Venice is followed by a long wait before the action picks up again in Verona, and there are other slower sections too. The very short chapters add to the frustrating feeling of waiting for something to happen and the Shakespearean lines used as headings add little to the story, though the quotes woven into the dialogue are enjoyable.
Overall this is an imaginative tale with some surprising twists at the end.
May 9, 2019
I was glad to get to the end of this book. From about half way through it, I got really bored, so I scan read the rest, just to find out the end of it.
It starts off fairly well, but when Oldcastle, Hemminges and William end up with outlaws, the book becomes rather tedious. The author, to my mind, gives too many examples of the life of the outlaw and the flow of the story suffers for it.
At the end, whilst a proposed marriage fails to take place after many deaths among the outlaws and the landowners, the three Englishmen are still on the Continent instead of back home giving their information to the authorities that asked for it.
Having read Benet Brandreth's other book, The Spy of Venice, I had high hopes of the same level of enjoyment of this one. How wrong I was. Not sure if I would buy any more of his books, in case I waste money on them and time in reading them.
It starts off fairly well, but when Oldcastle, Hemminges and William end up with outlaws, the book becomes rather tedious. The author, to my mind, gives too many examples of the life of the outlaw and the flow of the story suffers for it.
At the end, whilst a proposed marriage fails to take place after many deaths among the outlaws and the landowners, the three Englishmen are still on the Continent instead of back home giving their information to the authorities that asked for it.
Having read Benet Brandreth's other book, The Spy of Venice, I had high hopes of the same level of enjoyment of this one. How wrong I was. Not sure if I would buy any more of his books, in case I waste money on them and time in reading them.
September 8, 2017
How much you'll like (or dislike) "The Assassin of Verona" depends on your tolerance for 1) short, choppy chapters with titles that come from quotes from Shakespearean works even when those quotes relate only very tangentially to the contents of the chapter; 2) characters using turns of phrase that, we're led to believe, the fictional Shakespeare would subsequently incorporate into his works; 3) a main character who spends the vast majority of the book moping and wallowing in self-pity. My tolerance for all three is very low. Reading this was a slog—the pacing was slow—but the writing was intriguing in parts, and I did like the delineations of several of the secondary characters.
NB: I received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
NB: I received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
March 1, 2018
For those of us who like and enjoy all things Shakespeare, the 'Assassin of Verona ' adds a new, different and highly entertaining dimension.Benet Brandreth`s knowledge and understanding of the culture and history of this time, together with his ability to write in a style, which whilst inspired by the flow of written English of the time, is carefully updated to contemporary speech makes this for a lively, exciting and very satisfying read.
The main protagonists, Shakespeare, Oldcastle and Hemmings are fully developed characters, quite believable, as are a host of others who populate the story. The times, the season`s, the political and religious stresses and strains are compelling and provide the dramatic backdrop in which the story unfolds.
Brilliant and enjoyable.
The main protagonists, Shakespeare, Oldcastle and Hemmings are fully developed characters, quite believable, as are a host of others who populate the story. The times, the season`s, the political and religious stresses and strains are compelling and provide the dramatic backdrop in which the story unfolds.
Brilliant and enjoyable.
August 22, 2020
I'd never heard of the author until I came across this book . It turned out to be the second in a series and I would have benefited from reading the other one first . As agents for Queen Elizabeth the three heroes - a mix of the 3 Musketeers and the 3 Stooges - have a list of names to take back to England identifying spies for the Pope . Repeatedly, they are delayed in Italy by one adventure or another , including an Italian Robin Hood and Maid Marian - so what's not to like about the it ? . The writing is intended to reflect 16th Century English and -from what I remember - is fairly accurate. An enjoyable read , sufficiently good to make me seek out the first book .
September 19, 2017
1585 and English spies William Shakespeare, Oldcastle and Hemminges are in Venice. While Oldcastle and Hemminges want to return to England, Shakespeare wishes to stay with his lover Isabella Lisarro. This is only the beginning of their problems.
Unfortunately this book might read better if The Spy in Venice had been read but I haven't read the first in the series. But I didn't like the writing style, and became annoyed with the quotes of Shakespeare's plays starting or ending the short chapters. I also didn't care much for any of the characters.
A NetGalley Book
Unfortunately this book might read better if The Spy in Venice had been read but I haven't read the first in the series. But I didn't like the writing style, and became annoyed with the quotes of Shakespeare's plays starting or ending the short chapters. I also didn't care much for any of the characters.
A NetGalley Book
January 16, 2020
I like the richness of the story. The premise of these William Shakespeare novels is that there are 4-7 years of his life that are undocumented. And after that period, he's gone from a glover in his father's business to being a first rate playwright, setting stories in Italy. Mr Brandreth imagines that those years were spent as a spy for England. This is the second, and may be better than the first because it is all this story without all the background of Shakespeare before he became a spy.
August 16, 2019
Excellent writing but I think the reader must be in a certain frame of mind to appreciate it. The writing is not difficult to read but you can't (or at least I couldn't) skim through sentences and "get" it... I would re-read sentences to enjoy the brilliance of them. Very enjoyable despite the fact that I thought the plot could have been better fleshed out.
March 9, 2020
These clever books, this one plus the “Spy of Venice,” are highly enjoyable reads. I wish there were more. A fictional account of Shakespeare’s “lost years” that weaves a fabric of events, characters, and experiences one can recognize in his plays and sonnets. Recommended for those who enjoy Shakespeare and don’t mind some imaginative poetic license.
October 8, 2020
This is a worthy sequel to the first one, but in this one Will is a moody, brooding, character without substance. I am reminded of the self-explorative YA book characters when I read this. I wish I would have stopped reading one chapter before I did. Sometimes it is better to end a story when you think it should end and not when the author does.
June 19, 2018
I have to say i wasn't looking forward to this as the first in the series was definitely lacking. However here Brandreth has created a packer more interesting read albeit a continuation of the first.
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