Rachel Reviews: What News on the Rialto? by Anthony R. Wildman

I am so glad that I discovered Anthony Wildman's books. They are a joy. Such an easy read and the perfect way to transport yourself if you are a fan of light historical fiction which is imaginative and well-realised, with good characters, convincing dialogue and which evoke the time in which they are set easily and with assurance.

Shakespeare, as a person, is a mystery and I think that we would all really like to have a clearer idea of who he was, what he liked, what his motivations were, etc. His works are so prevalent and applauded that it feels like we have a grasp of him, albeit flimsy, but do we?

Wildman's fiction goes some way to giving Shakespeare the man some substance. He may have been nothing like Wildman's interpretation but I'm not really sure that that's important. What Wildman does achieve is in providing readers with a fictional view of what his life could have been like and adds extra elements to make it into a story with action and characters and tensions and subterfuge and I don't think there's anything wrong with this. It was, after all, what Shakespeare did himself.

Wildman also has the way of having situations in his story which could have served as inspiration for Shakespeare's plays; for instance, Bevacqua, a hot head, could well have been a precursor to Tybalt and this is just one example from the book.

So, all of that said, what is the book about? Shakespeare needs to lie low for a while. What better place than Italy and even more so, Venice? Sir Francis Walsingham needs someone to accompany his charge, Tomaso to Padua to study and Shakespeare seems to be the man for this as well as being able to help with some government business of Walsingham's along the way in Venice. And so an arrangement is made and Shakespeare heads off on an adventure. We follow the playwright as he navigates his journey by boat, missing envoys, meetings with Venetian aristocracy, tension between rival families and providing advice and support to his young charge.

It is a satisfyingly good read, both historically and narratively, and with the added bonus of Shakespeare as a character has an extra dimension.

I can't help but think too as I read it: I wonder what Shakespeare would have made of this? I like to think he'd be flattered, maybe even pleased.

Rachel Rating: 4/5 stars

You can read my review of one of Wildman's other books here: