Jill C. (lifelongbookworm) reviewed on 10/18/2012 + 7 more book reviews

Helpful Score: 2

The title of this book comes from a line by Viola in Shakespeare's play "Twelfth Night", a character which may have been based upon Judith Shakespeare, William Shakespeare's younger daughter, whose twin, Hamnet, died young. I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It may be because I have been a fan of William Shakespeare since I was a teenager--irregardless of whether or not someone named Shakespeare actually wrote all of his plays and sonnets,etc., or whether it was some anonymous royal-- or it may be that this story reminds me a little bit of "Shakespeare in Love" combined with "Stage Beauty". I think Grace Tiffany took what few historical facts she could unearth about William Shakespeare's younger daughter, added some speculation of her own, and created a wonderful what-if story. What if Judith Shakespeare mourned the death of her twin brother so much, and wanted to be an actor in her father's plays so much, that she threw caution to the wind and ran away to London to be a boy actor? This story is about fathers and daughters, and husbands and wives. It is about the theatre during the reigns of Elizabeth I and James I of England, a time when women were not allowed on the stage and young boys dressed as girls (drag). This book is about the roles of women and men, during that time. It has romance, as well as humour. I enjoyed "My Father Had a Daughter", and I think you will, too.

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