Getting a chance to meet an inspiring writer is a phenomenal experience. Reading that same writer’s work adds to the excitement. Arliss Ryan’s work, “The Secret Confessions of Anne Shakespeare,” is an engaging historical novel that makes a far-fetched story seem believable.
Playing off of rumors that William Shakespeare did not personally author all of his plays, Ryan presents an alternate version of history. She purports that Shakespeare’s wife, Anne, did most of the work. The story seems believable and Ryan’s storytelling makes the reader feel right there with the characters. Her usage of 16th century vernacular is authentic and engaging. Ryan weaves the real and the imagined with precision.
Despite an impressive narrative, the only flaw that I found was in the characters’ toned down speech. Old English may not have been fitting for today’s audience — even so, some words and phrases come off as too modern. Yet, unlike the Old English of Shakespeare’s time, this modern verse makes each scene easier to digest as you move through the story.
I would not be surprised if this book becomes a film someday. The story describes the theater world and ornate fashion sense of the time, which reminded me of the movies “Romeo and Juliet,” with Leonardo DiCaprio, and “Marie Antoinette,” starring Kirsten Dunst.
“The Secret Confessions of Anne Shakespeare” will stir your imagination and take you back in time. Ryan’s account of Anne writing the great Shakespeare plays unearths a lost history, revealing clues to suggest that, just maybe, we got it all wrong.
Arliss Ryan has written three novels and conducts her own research. Click here to view her website.
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