Shakespeare’s Mistress by Karen Harper

It’s widely known that Shakespeare lived an entirely separate life to that of his wife, whom he left behind in Stratford upon Avon when he went to London to make his fortune and fame as a playwright and actor. And it’s a matter of historical record that, days before he married Anne Hathaway, a man bearing his name was recorded in Worcestershire parish records as bound to marry one Anne Whately.

So, what happened in those few days that convinced Shakespeare to marry another woman? And what happened to Anne Whately? Some have argued that Shakespeare continued to court her and even lived with her in London as his wife and mistress.

In Shakespeare’s Mistress, Karen Harper takes this fascinating glimpse into the personal life of the world’s most famous playwright and draws it out into a twisting and tormenting tale of love, loss and longing.

Our heroine, Anne Whately, is at turns both hard-headed and business-like, and whimsical and simpering. The continual change of heart of our protagonist leaves the reader feeling frustrated and stuck in a rut. The frequent vague leaps forward in time are hard to grapple with and occasional inconsistencies jar. The character of Shakespeare was unsatisfying and unpleasant, and left me wondering why anyone would pine after him the way Anne Whately does. Shakespeare’s Mistress is a disappointing, if well-intentioned, read.

Posted by RJB