A Rose by Any Other Name

Name: A Rose by Any Other Name
Brand: Hachette Audio
Availability: InStock
Author: Mary McMyne
ISBN: 9781668642344

Author: Mary McMyne

Narrator: Suzie Rai

Unabridged: 14 hr 39 min

Format: Digital Audiobook Download

Publisher: Redhook

Published: 07/16/2024

Categories: Fiction, Fantasy, Historical Fiction, Occult & Supernatural, Lgbtq+

Synopsis

From the author of The Book of Gothel comes the lush, magical story behind Shakespeare's sonnets, as told by one of his most famous subjects—the incendiary and mysterious Dark Lady.

My name has only been whispered, heretofore…

England, 1591. Rose Rushe’s passion for life runs deep—she loves mead and music, meddles with astrology, and laughs at her mother’s warnings to guard her reputation. When Rose’s father dies and a noble accuses her and her dear friend Cecely of witchcraft, they flee to the household of respected alchemists in London. But as their bond deepens, their sanctuary begins to feel more like a cage. To escape, they turn to the occult, secretly casting charms and selling astrological advice in the hopes of building a life together. This thriving underground business leads Rose to fair young noble Henry and playwright Will Shakespeare, and so begins a brief, tempestuous, and powerful romance—one filled with secret longings and deep betrayals.

In this world of dazzling masques and decadent feasts, where the stars decide futures, Rose will write her own fate instead.

Reviews

Goodreads review by Jasmine on November 08, 2024

A Rose by Any Other Name is packed with spells, romance, and astrology. When Rose Rushe’s father dies, and she is accused of witchcraft, she and her family must flee to avoid persecution. They arrive at a family friend’s household in London, where Rose finds herself smothered by the constraints of t......more

Goodreads review by Bethany (Beautifully Bookish Bethany) on September 01, 2024

I loved The Book of Gothel, but this historical fantasy one was more of a mixed bag for me. I found around the first 30% to be incredibly tedious and I considered not continuing, but just then things really picked up. Theres a forbidden sapphic relationship, Will Shakespeare finally makes an appeara......more

Goodreads review by Erika on July 15, 2024

Ok, if your favorite character from Game of Thrones was Margaery Tyrell, you ✨MUST ✨ read this book. This is a historical fiction novel and the author has given voice to, not Shakespeare, but his muse, the Dark Lady. This was an alluring, tempestuous, sensuous and powerful read set in with Elizabetha......more

Goodreads review by bangchan&books on January 15, 2025

3.5 🌟 as a shakespeare lover myself, i do love a good retelling. i did love everything about this but i think it was dragged out a bit too long for my liking hence why i didn’t rate this four stars. if you’re into magic, betrayal, lesbians and shakespeare then i think this is the book for you!......more

Goodreads review by Ash on March 29, 2024

I absolutely loved this book! I loved the dark and tense flow of the story, the visceral images of magic and longing and desperation Rose felt throughout the story. It was a story I felt deserved to be savored rather than devoured in one go. I wouldn't recommend this to anyone who doesn't enjoy sitt......more

Quotes

Praise for The Book of Gothel:

"Smart, swift, sure-footed and fleet-winged, The Book of Gothel launches its magic from a most reliable source: the troubled heart. Mary McMyne is a magician. Her take on the Rapunzel tale glows like a cloisonné gem set against a fist of dark soapstone." —Gregory Maguire, NYT bestselling author of Wicked

"Mary McMyne's debut novel is dark and moody...This atmosphere, combined with the deep longings and confusion of a girl just entering womanhood and the fact that readers have a good idea of the fate that awaits her, shadows The Book of Gothel with an overwhelming sense of dread--but will also compel readers to keep going to the very end." —BookPage

"The Book of Gothel is wonderfully rich with historical detail, and sparkles with the intermingled magic of gods and goddesses, seers and wisewomen. Haelewise is a memorable heroine, worthy of legend. Readers will see the story of Rapunzel in a new and refreshing light." —Louisa Morgan, author of A Secret History of Witches

"McMyne’s debut is a reinvention of the Rapunzel fairy tale, a luscious origin story from the witch’s point of view.... McMyne melds folklore with actual historical figures and cleverly bookends the narrative with opening and closing chapters set in the twenty-first century." —Booklist (starred review)

"McMyne’s shimmering debut gives a fresh, exciting backstory to one of the most famous villains in fairy tale lore: the witch who put Rapunzel in her tower.... The result is a sprawling epic, full of magic, love, and heartbreak. Fans of Circe and The Wolf and the Woodsman will devour this taut, empowering fairy tale." —Publishers Weekly (starred review)