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Wicked Will: A Mystery of Young William Shakespeare
To the outside world, Tom Pryne is an orphan traveling Elizabethan England with his uncle’s theater troupe. In actuality, “Tom” is Viola, in disguise because her parents’ Catholic sympathies have put them at odds with the law and forced them into hiding. When the actors arrive in the sleepy little town of Stratford-on-Avon, Viola’s uncle is arrested for murder, and she joins forces with Will Shakespeare, a local boy with a penchant for trouble and a smart turn of phrase, to uncover the real culprit.
224 pages, Paperback
First published June 23, 2009
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Displaying 1 - 29 of 29 reviews
November 25, 2020
Although I was originally and definitely very much looking forward to reading Bailey MacDonald’s Wicked Will: A Mystery of Young William Shakespeare (and of course therefore also thought that Wicked Will: A Mystery of Young William Shakespeare would hopefully be a fun and engaging historical English Renaissance theatre mystery), this novel is yet another instance where after trying really really hard to get into Bailey MacDonald’s presented text for more than a week, I have finally and with no feelings of contrition whatsoever decided to give up and to consider Wicked Will: A Mystery of Young William Shakespeare as abandoned, as yet another middle grade novel which I am definitely neither planning nor wanting to finish. Because yes, and most problematically for ANY potential reading pleasure, I have as both an older adult reader and equally according to my own inner child certainly not found the rather dragging, one dimensional and generally annoyingly longwinded beginning of Wicked Will: A Mystery of Young William Shakespeare at all (read even remotely) interesting and engaging and have indeed and certainly also found the character of William Shakespeare as a rather loud-mouthed and constantly asking oh so many strange questions boy really quite massively aggravating and frustrating.
For in my humble opinion and according to my own rather picky reading tastes, NOTHING I have managed to read thus far (for the first seventy or so pages) in Wicked Will: A Mystery of Young William Shakespeare is really personally relatable, is really all that interesting, and yes, so annoyingly and frustratingly depicted that reading ANYTHING about Bailey MacDonald’s Young William Shakespeare or from him in the form of dialogue is just, has been just too tedious and dragging for me to desire reading on, and in particular so since the William Shakespeare character in Wicked Will: A Mystery of Young William Shakespeare also shows and features almost no depth of character and feels more like a rather silly textual device than an actual living and breathing person, than a really true and lively character. And while this actually seems to also be the case with ALL of the characters I have thus far encountered in Wicked Will: A Mystery of Young William Shakespeare (that ALL of Bailey MacDonald’s imagined and depicted personages are a bit stereotypical and flat), this is definitely the most annoyingly obvious with regard to Young William Shakespeare (and yes, to have the quasi main protagonist of Wicked Will: A Mystery of Young William Shakespeare appear more like a narrative device and not a “real” enough person, for me, this is definitely a huge issue and as such enough of a let-down and major textual shortcoming for me to stop reading and to consider Wicked Will: A Mystery of Young William Shakespeare as one star and did not finish, or rather as will not be finishing).
For in my humble opinion and according to my own rather picky reading tastes, NOTHING I have managed to read thus far (for the first seventy or so pages) in Wicked Will: A Mystery of Young William Shakespeare is really personally relatable, is really all that interesting, and yes, so annoyingly and frustratingly depicted that reading ANYTHING about Bailey MacDonald’s Young William Shakespeare or from him in the form of dialogue is just, has been just too tedious and dragging for me to desire reading on, and in particular so since the William Shakespeare character in Wicked Will: A Mystery of Young William Shakespeare also shows and features almost no depth of character and feels more like a rather silly textual device than an actual living and breathing person, than a really true and lively character. And while this actually seems to also be the case with ALL of the characters I have thus far encountered in Wicked Will: A Mystery of Young William Shakespeare (that ALL of Bailey MacDonald’s imagined and depicted personages are a bit stereotypical and flat), this is definitely the most annoyingly obvious with regard to Young William Shakespeare (and yes, to have the quasi main protagonist of Wicked Will: A Mystery of Young William Shakespeare appear more like a narrative device and not a “real” enough person, for me, this is definitely a huge issue and as such enough of a let-down and major textual shortcoming for me to stop reading and to consider Wicked Will: A Mystery of Young William Shakespeare as one star and did not finish, or rather as will not be finishing).
January 1, 2021
Wicked Will is a chapter book mystery targeted at the nine to twelve year-old age group, and at times I wondered if this book would really appeal to kids of that age. My son is eight, and while I think he would like the mystery aspect of the story, he doesn't know who Shakespeare is yet, and some of the subject matter towards the end of the book seems inappropriate for his age. Also, the lawyer in the book uses Latin, and I would think that would be a turn off for most kids.
The first few chapters are slow to start. I felt that the usage of Shakespearean words such as "ado" and "ye" seemed a little bit forced, and again wondered if kids would see the appeal. The book does pick up pace though when Viola and Will try to track down clues in order to solve the mystery.
Will and Viola see a lot of evidence and make a lot of deductions. Is this realistic? Probably not, but then there are a lot of unrealistic mysteries written for this age group. You know, the type where the kids see all of the facts that the adults somehow miss. But really, how likely is it that two kids could solve a mystery that no adults in the town could figure out?
You don't learn much about Shakespeare through the story, except for learning about his surroundings and what life might have been like when he was growing up (and this was presented in a very simple way, which makes sense since it is written with kids in mind).
*Spoiler alert!*
Again, I have to wonder who the target audience is for this book. Some of the content in the book seems less appropriate for the listed age group. For example, two of the characters who are in love commit suicide at the end of the book. Now I get that this was probably a way to show the source material for some of Shakespeare's future plays (like Romeo and Juliet), but are kids really going to understand these subtle references? And even if they did, I just don't think that suicide is a good way to end the romantic storyline in a book for nine to twelve year olds.
End of Spoilers*
Although the mystery in this book did have some interesting twists and turns, it really wasn't something that I would recommend to my children. Perhaps I don't see the appeal as much because I'm not in the target age group, or maybe I'm too over-protective about the topics my children read about. I'm sure there are probably kids out there who would love this book; I'm just not ready to share this one with my son.
The first few chapters are slow to start. I felt that the usage of Shakespearean words such as "ado" and "ye" seemed a little bit forced, and again wondered if kids would see the appeal. The book does pick up pace though when Viola and Will try to track down clues in order to solve the mystery.
Will and Viola see a lot of evidence and make a lot of deductions. Is this realistic? Probably not, but then there are a lot of unrealistic mysteries written for this age group. You know, the type where the kids see all of the facts that the adults somehow miss. But really, how likely is it that two kids could solve a mystery that no adults in the town could figure out?
You don't learn much about Shakespeare through the story, except for learning about his surroundings and what life might have been like when he was growing up (and this was presented in a very simple way, which makes sense since it is written with kids in mind).
*Spoiler alert!*
Again, I have to wonder who the target audience is for this book. Some of the content in the book seems less appropriate for the listed age group. For example, two of the characters who are in love commit suicide at the end of the book. Now I get that this was probably a way to show the source material for some of Shakespeare's future plays (like Romeo and Juliet), but are kids really going to understand these subtle references? And even if they did, I just don't think that suicide is a good way to end the romantic storyline in a book for nine to twelve year olds.
End of Spoilers*
Although the mystery in this book did have some interesting twists and turns, it really wasn't something that I would recommend to my children. Perhaps I don't see the appeal as much because I'm not in the target age group, or maybe I'm too over-protective about the topics my children read about. I'm sure there are probably kids out there who would love this book; I'm just not ready to share this one with my son.
January 30, 2011
Sakura medal 2011 contender.
A charming plot and idea for a juvenile mystery. Young Will Shakespeare befriends the narrator, Tom/Viola, a member of a traveling group of players. Together they attempt to solve the murder of Stratford's most ill-tempered man.
Many Shakespeare references, some use of Elizabethan vocabulary, and nice atmospheric details. Yet it did not wow me. I was also surprised at the death toll by the end of the story, and the relatively unhappy ending- quite unusual in a juvenile mystery.
A charming plot and idea for a juvenile mystery. Young Will Shakespeare befriends the narrator, Tom/Viola, a member of a traveling group of players. Together they attempt to solve the murder of Stratford's most ill-tempered man.
Many Shakespeare references, some use of Elizabethan vocabulary, and nice atmospheric details. Yet it did not wow me. I was also surprised at the death toll by the end of the story, and the relatively unhappy ending- quite unusual in a juvenile mystery.
January 26, 2010
A cute attempt at weaving Shakespeare into the bookshelf of a middle school student but too many inconsistencies in language for this adult reader. Stick with Ye Olde English please.
A few good twists and turns but I don't think it would be enough to keep the intended audience interested. Plus, all of those Shakespearean references are going to go right past the kids and are much too obvious to entertain the adult reader.
A few good twists and turns but I don't think it would be enough to keep the intended audience interested. Plus, all of those Shakespearean references are going to go right past the kids and are much too obvious to entertain the adult reader.
October 11, 2011
This was a delightful story however it might not appeal to elementary students. The language references is a little archaic to modern students who might have difficulty making connections. The mystery aspect was good with quite a few interesting twists and turns but the body count seems a little higher than expected for elementary.
November 28, 2013
Main character is very whiney and negative and unlikeable, and the plot is rushed without going anywhere. It really just feels unpolished. Great concept, but doesn't deliver.
October 8, 2020
Pretty good!😁
November 10, 2021
After reading Hamnet, I just wanted a little more young William Shakespeare. My local library search turned up this little book. It's also fiction and just an easy mystery that takes place in Stratford during the late 1500s.
December 26, 2013
Bailey MacDonald provides the beginnings of a promising new series. Combing history with mystery, readers will learn about a historical figure while trying to unravel a suspenseful tale. Both books center around well-known historical personalities, yet MacDonald focuses on aspects during a time period that most history books tend to gloss over, which is their young adolescence. MacDonald seamlessly weaves in an abundance of historical information into the engaging plot without bogging the story in pedantic overtones. The series will bridge the gap well for those readers who prefer non-fiction by injecting non-fiction details that enlivens the fiction read. An excellent complement to any history or biographical study in class. While the books are entertaining and enlightening, both books center on murder, which might prove a bit heavy for young readers. The author adeptly weaves her interest in theater, mystery, and history into the stories and it is with anticipation for the next installments.
Wicked Will, the first in the series, features young William Shakespeare on the cusp on discovering his penchant for drama and plot. An iterant acting troope arrives in young William’s Stratford, and William makes acquaintance with Tom, the youngest player. When Tom’s uncle is accused of murdering a prominent citizen, William decides to help Tom clear his uncle’s name. Together the find themselves deep into plots and counterplots as they try to solve what’s rotten in Stratford.
Wicked Will, the first in the series, features young William Shakespeare on the cusp on discovering his penchant for drama and plot. An iterant acting troope arrives in young William’s Stratford, and William makes acquaintance with Tom, the youngest player. When Tom’s uncle is accused of murdering a prominent citizen, William decides to help Tom clear his uncle’s name. Together the find themselves deep into plots and counterplots as they try to solve what’s rotten in Stratford.
April 25, 2010
On the way into the town of Stratford-on-Avon in 1576, the acting troupe Lord Edgewell’s Men pick up a local guide, twelve-year old Will Shakespeare. Thomas Pryne, at fourteen the youngest player with the company, can’t stand him. Will is anxious, curious and asks questions, questions, questions. Thomas has some family troubles that shouldn’t be shares with some chatty kid. “He might be nothing more than a rude county boy, but already I could tell he loved his books and his tales and words, words, words. Still I judged him book-wise and world-ignorant, though I felt quite sure that my uncle would tell me the boy had no harm in him at all.”
Things become more serious after they arrive in town and the dead body is dragged out of the Avon. It’s the body of a cantankerous landowner who’s quarreled with Thomas’s uncle on their way into town. He’s also the father of two identical twin brothers, and there is a report of a missing will that would favor one over the other of them. This is the wicked will of the title. One or the other of the brothers are suspect, but when part of Thomas’s uncle broken walking stick is discovered along the riverbank caked with blood suspicion falls on him. Young Will thinks that this is an excellent time to play detective and enlists the reluctant Thomas to be his assistant.
Things become more serious after they arrive in town and the dead body is dragged out of the Avon. It’s the body of a cantankerous landowner who’s quarreled with Thomas’s uncle on their way into town. He’s also the father of two identical twin brothers, and there is a report of a missing will that would favor one over the other of them. This is the wicked will of the title. One or the other of the brothers are suspect, but when part of Thomas’s uncle broken walking stick is discovered along the riverbank caked with blood suspicion falls on him. Young Will thinks that this is an excellent time to play detective and enlists the reluctant Thomas to be his assistant.
June 11, 2015
Tom Pryne appears to be an average 12-year-old boy apprenticed to his uncle's troupe of traveling players, wandering the countryside of Elizabethan England in search of audiences for their shows. But all is not as it seems, and Tom's true identity is a secret that could endanger his very life if revealed. In the town of Stratford, Tom is befriended by an imaginative young chatterbox named Will Shakespeare. Tom isn't looking for friends, but when his uncle is arrested on suspicion of murdering a wealthy townsman, he needs all the help he can get. Chock-full of period details and vocabulary, plus familiar names and situations for those familiar with Shakespeare's work, this quick-paced mystery is a winning adventure. The young Shakespeare is charming and believable, and the rest of the characters are lively, engaging folks. If the ending is a bit over-dramatic, that only seems fitting. A fantastic tale!
November 16, 2012
Reviewed by Kira M for TeensReadToo.com
When Viola dresses as a boy and joins her uncle's troupe of traveling players and arrives in Stratford, her uncle gets accused of murder and imprisoned. With the help of Will, a young boy she meets in the troupe, they devise plans to prove the man's innocence, but all fail.
Can Will and Viola solve the murder and save her uncle?
WICKED WILL is a great adventure-filled mystery. The characters are entertaining and allude to Shakespeare's plays without overpowering the story. The plot is well-developed and keeps the reader's interest.
Those who like mystery, historical fiction, and adventure will all enjoy reading this book.
When Viola dresses as a boy and joins her uncle's troupe of traveling players and arrives in Stratford, her uncle gets accused of murder and imprisoned. With the help of Will, a young boy she meets in the troupe, they devise plans to prove the man's innocence, but all fail.
Can Will and Viola solve the murder and save her uncle?
WICKED WILL is a great adventure-filled mystery. The characters are entertaining and allude to Shakespeare's plays without overpowering the story. The plot is well-developed and keeps the reader's interest.
Those who like mystery, historical fiction, and adventure will all enjoy reading this book.
March 22, 2011
Coming into Stratford-On-Avon, a troupe of players meets a voluble and inquisitive young boy named Will Shakespeare. Will very quickly figures out that the narrator - Tom - is really Viola, a girl in disguise because her parents are on the lam. Then the leader of the troupe is accused of murdering an unpleasant local. Can Will and Tom/Viola figure out who did it to save him? Echoes of Shakespeare's plays, and a fast plot with creepy scenes in the charnal house among the bones carry this along.
December 31, 2009
This was a surprisingly well written and atmospheric juvenile mystery, narrated by Tom, AKA Viola, whose parents have a price on their heads for helping a Catholic priest escape the country. Viola is disguised as a boy and travels with her uncle's strolling players. When the players arrive in Stratford, they meet an endearingly portrayed young Will Shakespeare and within 24 hours are in the middle of a murder investigation, with Viola's uncle being the chief suspect.
August 5, 2012
Imagine a story about the famous William Shakespeare as a young boy. Imagine a story where he is always in a little bit of trouble, but still well liked by young and most of the old. Imagine a story where a murder in a small hamlet takes place and young Will with the help of a traveling acting troup member set out to discover who the murder is. Fun adventure with a little bit of history mixed in!
February 12, 2016
The Wicked Will of the title isn't a person, but a document. A document that divides a family. When a troupe of players arrives in Stratford, the first person they meet is 12-year-old Will Shakespeare, who offers to show them where they can set up camp, and introduce them to the town officials. Will strikes up a friendship with Tom Pryne, the troupe's apprentice, who has secrets of his own. But when Tom's uncle is accused of murder, Will is full of plots to find the real culprit.
August 10, 2009
A nice little mystery set in Stratford-upon-Avon during William Shakespeare's youth. One of my favorite parts of this book was the dialogue. I thought it offered a fun introduction for kids to the style of speaking and language that pops up in the works of Shakespeare. It was also interesting to get a glimpse into the imagined beginnings of Shakespeare's interest in writing.
April 26, 2010
Three and a half stars. Recommended for gr. 5-8. A mildly entertaining mystery which features as a major supporting character 12-year-old Will Shakespeare. Several plot contrivances, especially towards the end, foreshadow events in some of Shakespeare's plays. Will probably appeal to students (both boys and girls) who are at least minimally familiar with Shakespeare.
December 9, 2014
gr 5-7 201 pgs
1575, Stratford upon Avon, England. 12 year old Viola, disguised as a boy, is traveling with her uncle, a traveling performer, while her parents are in hiding. When her uncle is accused of murder, Viola is worried, but young Will Shakespeare is convinced that together they can find the real murderer and set her uncle free.
***spoiler: murder & suicide
1575, Stratford upon Avon, England. 12 year old Viola, disguised as a boy, is traveling with her uncle, a traveling performer, while her parents are in hiding. When her uncle is accused of murder, Viola is worried, but young Will Shakespeare is convinced that together they can find the real murderer and set her uncle free.
***spoiler: murder & suicide
September 11, 2009
This is a fun, clean read that introduces young readers to Shakespeare.
Readers can get all sorts of background about Shakespeare's life as a child in Stratford while solving a murder mystery with him.
Readers can get all sorts of background about Shakespeare's life as a child in Stratford while solving a murder mystery with him.
March 15, 2011
A fun murder mystery set when Shakespeare was a boy. I enjoyed the depiction of him as rambunctious boy with a crazy imagination. The plot was good and some nice subplots to reach a variety of interest. I didn't guess all the twists which is good, but then again I wasn't trying.
July 30, 2011
Okay mystery set in 1576 with Will Shakespeare as a kid who helps a girl (disguised as a boy) prove her uncle didn't kill a local man in Stratford. Very slow and the beginning isn't engaging for kids at all.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 19, 2009
funny and interesting mystery for kids. i enjoyed it as well.
September 4, 2009
Good book for early middle grades. Cute story of a young Will Shakespeare and the adventures he gets into.
January 9, 2010
Just when you think you have figured it out, another twist and turn and around you go!
June 14, 2010
A mysery for young readers that kept me reading until the end.
April 12, 2010
A mystery starring a 12-year-old Willima Shakespeare.
March 3, 2011
A decent attempt to get kids interested in the live and times of Shakespeare and what sort of theater Elizabethan england had.
November 27, 2012
A good story, but have to say it would not be an easy read for its intended audiance. The language is correct for the time period which may be difficult for young readers.
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