The Fool's Girl

August 16, 2010
In a tale filled with romance and adventure, drawn from the pages of Twelfth Night, Rees (Sovay) beautifully recreates Renaissance landscapes that would be familiar to Shakespeare, who, not so coincidentally, makes several appearances. The story, set first in Illyria then in England, centers around Violetta, daughter of a duke, who seeks refuge in London while her native land is being plundered. After making the acquaintance of the renowned playwright and telling him her woeful tale of being pursued by an evil uncle, the bard invents a plan to transport Violetta and former court jester Feste to safer ground in his hometown of Stratford. Living under the protection of Shakespeare and his accommodating wife, Violetta feels freedom and rekindled passion, but her sense of security is short-lived. Readers with a literary bent will delight in the many Shakespearean references—ranging from direct quotes from plays to subtler allusions to familiar characters—that are smartly woven into the plot. And they'll have fun predicting how loose threads will be tied together in an appropriate "all's well that ends well" fashion. Ages 12–up.

August 1, 2010

Gr 8 Up-This imaginative continuation of the story of Shakespeare's Twelfth Night focuses on some of the darker and more serious elements of the play and develops them into an original story. Violetta, the daughter of Viola and Orsino, is in exile from Illyria because Sebastian, her mother's brother, has conspired with neighboring Venice to overthrow her father and seize power. She has been protected by the fool Feste, and together the two go to England to recover a precious holy relic that is a national symbol for Illyria. There they meet William Shakespeare, who becomes embroiled with them in political and religious intrigue involving Malvolio, a Jesuit operative secretly arranging to assassinate Queen Elizabeth I. Events reach a climax during a performance of A Midsummer Night's Dream at a country manor in Stratford on Avon. The book is at its strongest when relating the doings of Shakespeare and other figures of the time, including Richard Burbage, Dr. Simon Forman, and Sir Robert Cecil. Rees's research is impeccable, and the details she includes about daily life and play performance in Elizabethan England are fascinating. The portions of the book set in Illyria do not seem as believable, and not just because of the fantasy and witchcraft elements. This would be an interesting read for a class studying Twelfth Night, as familiarity with the play would help readers understand some of this novel's plot elements.-Kathleen E. Gruver, Burlington County Library, Westampton, NJ

Copyright 2010 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

April 15, 2010
Grades 8-11 Conceived as both a sequel to and the inspiration for Shakespeares Twelfth Night, this romantic drama brings Violetta, the teenaged daughter of the murdered Duke and Duchess of Illyria, to Elizabethan London in search of an important religious relic stolen by the wicked Malvolio. Accompanied and protected by the capable if moody Fool Feste, Violetta also enlists the middle-aged Shakespearesympathetically cast here as a hardworking artist lonely for his loving wife and familyin her quest. Shakespearean-style complications ensue, driven both by the entrance of Violettas cousin, lifelong love, and possible betrayer, Stephano, and also the revelation that Malvolio is involved in a Catholic plot to assassinate the Queen. Expertly livening the proceedings with intrigues, japes, kisses, mildly bawdy comments (the young are apt to be betrayed by their hearts, and other parts), colorful characters, plot twists, quick violence, and an occasional breath of the supernatural, Rees dishes up a quick-paced tale that builds to a suspenseful climax. Just the ticket for fans of Lisa Kleins Lady Macbeths Daughter (2009) and the plethora of similar Shakespearean sallies.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2010, American Library Association.)

January 1, 2011
Violetta and Feste seek the help of Will Shakespeare in retrieving the "holy relic" of Illyria, stolen by wicked Malvolio before he sacked and destroyed their land. By book's end, Will has spun the tragic stories related by Violetta and Feste into a new comedy: Twelfth Night. The abundance of period details and Shakespearean references will satisfy history and literature buffs.

(Copyright 2011 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)