By Any Other Name: A Novel by Jodi Picoult

📖 Read:  April 2026

Chosen by: Kath

Discussed:  Wednesday 29th April 2026

Synopsis (by Jodie Picoult)

In 1581, Emilia Bassano—like most young women of her day—is allowed no voice of her own. But as the Lord Chamberlain’s mistress, she has access to all theater in England, and finds a way to bring her work to the stage secretly. And yet, creating some of the world’s greatest dramatic masterpieces comes at great cost: by paying a man for the use of his name, she will write her own out of history.

In the present, playwright Melina Green has just written a new work inspired by the life of her Elizabethan ancestor Emilia Bassano. Although the challenges are different four hundred years later, the playing field is still not level for women in theater. Would Melina—like Emilia—be willing to forfeit her credit as author, just for a chance to see her work performed?

Told in intertwining narratives, this sweeping tale of ambition, courage, and desire asks what price each woman is willing to pay to see their work live on—even if it means they will be forgotten.

To Read or Not to Read reviews:

Angela

I enjoyed reading the book.  I could appreciate it was immaculately researched, especially with regard to Tudor England, the plague and the theatre and this translated into a good historical fiction.  Of the two narratives:  Emilia’s narrative appealed to me most and I devoured her parts of the book.  Whereas Melinda’s narrative felt a bit more contrived to fit with the themes of gender inequality and the erasure of women’s creativity and slowed me down as a reader.  

I was convinced by the argument in the book that Shakespeare may not have written all/any of his plays but I was not wholly convinced that Emilia was one of his ghost writers, given the acknowledged difference in quality between the plays she is hinted at writing and her published poetry, although it did start me thinking about who might have been the ‘real’ Shakespeare.  

Also, in trying to convince us that Emilia is the ‘real’ Shakespeare, Emilia’s voice often comes across more like a 21st century feminist that a well educated Tutor courtesan.  

Overall for me:  A good read with lots of feminist themes that I think will generate a good discussion.

Julie

This book was definitely a tale of two halves.

I absolutely loved Emilia’s story, but Melina’s narrative was less interesting. I found her decisions very frustrating and, at times, almost bordering on the ridiculous, and I often found myself rushing through these chapters. However, I thought it was a clever concept to link the two stories woven throughout the novel.

In contrast, I loved the Emilia Bassano storyline. I am always interested in reading about women in Tudor England, and this story was fascinating. I hadn’t heard of Emilia Bassano before, but now I want to read more about her.

I found Emilia’s character compelling, strong, and deeply moving. Her thoughts and words felt heartfelt and authentic, and she came across as resilient despite the vulnerability of women’s lives during that period. I found myself thinking about her and her story even when I wasn’t reading the book.

I thought the author skilfully wove well-researched historical facts, events, and characters into the story, creating a believable argument that Emilia could have been the writer of some of Shakespeare’s plays. I particularly liked the way the plays were gradually introduced through Emilia’s creative thought process, and how familiar quotes and characters appeared before the reader was told which play they belonged to. Some I recognised immediately; others I did not.

The story raises interesting questions about how much truth there may be in theories that Shakespeare’s plays were written by others, or at least developed through collaboration. It certainly sparked my interest in researching the subject further. Whether Emilia was involved in writing any of the plays is probably more fiction than fact, but I found the arguments presented in the novel both engaging and thought-provoking.

Lastly, I found myself relating to Emilia during her time with Hudson. Not in a tragic sense, nor because of her life as a courtesan, but because of the experience of living in a house away from family and the life she had always known. That aspect of her story reminded me of the beginning of my own life in New Zealand.

Overall, for me: this book was romantic, tragic, sad, funny, and farcical — containing all the elements of a Shakespeare play. It is a story that will generate plenty of discussion, both about the feminist issues it raises and the question of who might be the “real” Shakespeare.

Conclusion

These reviews echoed the sentiments of the bookclub - a good read and a thought provoking discussion.

Further information

If this review has sparked an interest in this novel, click on the link below. It takes you to Jodie Picoult's official website and the link to her fabulous Book Club kit.

The By Any Other Name Book Club Kit includes: Authors’ note, Discussion questions, Playlist, and The Taming of the Shrew-Driver drink recipe.