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By Any Other Name by Jodi Picoult book cover on a table with coffee for a book review blog post.

June 19, 2026

What If Shakespeare’s Greatest Works Were Written by a Woman?

Rating: 5 out of 5.

Jessica’s Bookshelf – By Any Other Name book review

Every now and then, a book comes along that leaves you looking at history in an entirely new way

Title: By Any Other Name

Author: Jodi Picoult

Genre: Fiction · Historical Fiction · Literary Mysteries · Strong Female Characters

Book cover of By Any Other Name by Jodi Picoult featuring bold red flowers and a partially hidden face. By Any Other Name book review
Book cover of By Any Other Name by Jodi Picoult with teal water, pink flowers, and a hand reaching toward the surface. By Any Other Name book review
Book cover of By Any Other Name by Jodi Picoult with a woman’s face surrounded by red, pink, and blue flowers. By Any Other Name book review

Did Shakespeare Really Write Shakespeare? Why By Any Other Name Captivated Me

Before reading By Any Other Name by Jodi Picoult, I had heard bits and pieces of the Shakespeare authorship debate. The idea that William Shakespeare may not have written all of the work attributed to him has always intrigued me, but I had never really gone down the rabbit hole.

This novel changed that.

Picoult takes that fascinating question and builds a story around Emilia Bassano, a real woman from Elizabethan England whose intelligence, creativity, and proximity to the literary world make her an unforgettable figure. Whether you finish the book fully convinced or simply more curious, the question at the heart of the novel is hard to ignore:

What if one of the most celebrated literary names in history was attached to work shaped – or even written – by a woman whose own name was erased?

That idea alone had me hooked. But what made the story so powerful was the way Picoult connected it to a modern-day playwright facing a quieter version of the same struggle: how hard women still have to fight to have their work taken seriously.

This was such an interesting, layered, thought-provoking read. I really enjoyed it, and I finished it wanting to know more – not just about Shakespeare, but about all the women history may have overlooked.

A Story Told Across Centuries

By Any Other Name follows two timelines. One takes us back to Elizabethan England and introduces Emilia Bassano, a woman with extraordinary talent and ambition living in a world that offered little room for either. The second timeline follows Melina Green, a contemporary playwright struggling with the same questions women have faced for centuries: How much of ourselves must we hide to be taken seriously?

As the stories intertwine, Picoult invites readers to consider who gets remembered, who gets erased, and whose names are attached to greatness.

Why I Loved This Book – By Any Other Name book review

What fascinated me most was how believable it all felt. Picoult clearly did her homework, and the historical details made me want to pause and Google constantly. (I restrained myself – mostly.)

The book explores themes that feel surprisingly modern:

  • Women being overlooked or underestimated.
  • The tension between creativity and recognition.
  • How history is shaped by those who have the power to tell the story.
  • The sacrifices people make to leave behind something lasting.

Even though the book raises questions that scholars have debated for years, it never felt academic. Instead, it felt human.

And perhaps that’s what I loved most.

This wasn’t really a book about Shakespeare.

It was a book about identity, legacy, and how often women throughout history have created extraordinary things while someone else received the credit.

Meaningful Quotes from By Any Other Name

“What’s in a name? That which we call a rose by any other name would smell as sweet.”
— William Shakespeare, Romeo and Juliet

“History remembers the names that survive, not always the voices that created them.”
— By Any Other Name by Jodi Picoult

⭐ Star Rating – By Any Other Name book review

5 out of 5 stars

This was a book that entertained me, taught me something new, and lingered in my mind long after I turned the final page.

A Few Things to Know

This book isn’t fast-paced in the traditional sense. It’s thoughtful and layered, and at times I found myself slowing down simply to appreciate the research and the ideas behind the story.

If you’re expecting a thriller, this isn’t it.

By Any Other Name book review exploring Shakespeare, authorship, and the women whose stories may have been overlooked.

Final Thoughts – By Any Other Name book review

One of my favorite things about reading is when a book sparks curiosity beyond its pages. By Any Other Name did exactly that.

I finished it wanting to learn more about Emilia Bassano, more about Shakespeare, and more about how many voices throughout history have been hidden behind someone else’s name.

Whether or not Shakespeare wrote all of his plays almost becomes secondary.

Because the bigger question this novel asks is far more interesting:

How many brilliant stories have we never heard because the world wasn’t ready to listen?

🔗 Want More?

✨ Want to know more about By Any Other Name by Jodi Picoult? – Click Here to see the Author’s Page
✨ See what else I’ve been reading on Jessica’s Bookshelf

If you’ve read By Any Other Name by Jodi Picoult I’d love to hear what you thought!

Sincerely,
Jessica