Reviews for Shakespeare's Secret

The average rating for Shakespeare's Secret based on 2 reviews is 4.5 stars.

Review # 1 was written on 2017-07-11 00:00:00 Michael Wilkinson "That's the real mystery, isn't it? Not whether he was a common merchant or the queen's son, but how he could understand so much about human nature. And write about it in a way that still rings true, all these years later." She smiled at them. "That's Shakespeare's secret. And I suppose we'll never figure it out." When I was in the fourth grade, my teacher'a wonderful woman who loved books, and taught her students to love them, too'brought a crate of novels to class. She told us we could each choose one to take home, and although I'd really wanted this novel (because the cover was so elegantly illustrated), my best friend ended up with it: Shakespeare's Secret. In the following months, I would borrow it from her all the time. I fell in love with this story, with Hero Netherfield and Danny Cordova, and Shakespeare's secret identity and the mystery of the Murphy diamond. The summer I was enamoured with this book, I roamed my house looking for secret passageways and hidden nooks; I crushed real hard on a boy with a skateboard; I Googled Edward de Vere and read books about Anne Boleyn. I even tried stenciling out secret patterns, just to see if Hero's technique with the pencil-rubbing worked. I'm pretty sure this was the novel to catalyze'or at least help me realize'my infatuation with angsty romances, if a protagonist in the sixth grade can be capable of feeling such a thing. (Hero + Danny 4ever) Years later, this book hasn't really left my thoughts. While it hasn't impacted my life in a way that I can visibly see, or clearly articulate, it is one I still love to this day. A few days ago, I had a sudden urge to reread it, for the first time in ten years. I was worried that I would find the writing too childish, the characters too immature; I was terrified that it would not be the novel I held so cherished in my memories. I needn't have feared. The writing in this children's book can be compared to that of young adult novels; Elise Broach writes uncondescendingly and beautifully. It's not simple, per se, but it certainly isn't complex. A perfect blend of both. And when I read certain passages, nostalgia would tickle the back of my mind'I remembered this phrase, and those words, and that scene. This was familiar to me. I knew this. Now that I'm older, I can better appreciate the way that Broach has so deftly woven together several elements that make this book not only a great mystery, but a fascinating study in relationships and the human condition. This wasn't just the tale of finding the elusive Murphy diamond, worth over a million dollars; it was a lesson in forming friendships, learning to trust, facing up to bullies, expressing grief, exploring Elizabethan England, and reading some really classic lines from some really great poetry. Hero begins the story a sullen, withdrawn girl; she is ostracized and tormented by her peers, and not entirely sympathetic to the people who show her kindness. By the end, she has become someone who surprises herself with her own resilience, determination, and ultimately, her ability to let people care about her, and her for them. And for all of these reasons, Shakespeare's Secret will forever be one of my favourite reads.

Review # 2 was written on 2019-01-22 00:00:00 Peter Pis I was charmed by this little mystery within a mystery. I love that there is a Shakespeare thread and a history thread and a school thread and a family mystery. It all works so well. Hero has moved into a new house and a new school. She is having a difficult time making friends. She does make friends with her next door neighbor, Mrs. Roth who is a grandmother type. Hero is made fun of for her name. Her parents named her after the play "Much ado about Nothing". Danny shows up at Mrs. Roth one day and he is like the really cool kid at school. They start exploring the idea of did Shakespeare write Shakespeare and her dad is a Shakespeare scholar. They come up with some exciting theory and in the story, they prove it's worth. I had so much fun reading this story. The mysteries are wrapped up nicely and I won't spoil them here. What I realized today thinking of this book is that I did figure most of the story out. I think when you get older and you have read a ton of stuff, it becomes easier to see threads the author is putting together and sorting out the logical direction of a story. It can be easy to get jade because as a reader, we don't get that surprise we got as newer readers. Even though I did figure things out, I still loved the characters and the mystery that was set up. It was all so fun and I enjoyed the read. I realized that what makes a book really wildly popular is that it can surprise even the most jaded reader with something new. So, it becomes for most people setting up great story lines and great characters and I feel this story did that. I appreciate this little story. It makes me want to read 'Much Ado about Nothing' again too. I like the friendship that blooms between Hero and Danny and hero and Mrs Roth. I love the conclusion and it all feels so nice. I'm glad I found this before the library got rid of it.