Richard Shakespeare the brother of the famous William Shakespeare makes this novel appealing by his gestures and the idea that he possesses about mankind. The way Richard shares or presents his ideas is just great.
Bernard Cornwell has created legends in his books but almost all of them were warriors, none was like this man that we observe mocking mortals and telling the difference between right and wrong according to him. The Last Kingdom and The Pale Horseman had quite famous heroes but again none was an artist like Richard. Richard is portrayed as a man who is frustrated by living for so long under the shadow of his elder brother’s work.
Though he thinks that he possesses the same capabilities but no one is ready to accept it. Not even the rest of his family thinks of him as a person able to right good plays.
Moreover the young man is empty handed having nothing to invest in the theatre business that he wants to showcase with his works. In dejected condition another calamity reaches his door step as a manuscript is missing from the treasures of literature and he is considered the prime suspect.
The do and die condition of the young artist takes him to the limit of his potential to not only get himself out of this monstrous trouble but also save the legacy of the family. The proper British accent of the era is adopted by Thomas Judd who narrates this tough Elizabethan ear in a sensible way. The narration helps us to feel the manners and behaviors of that old England that exists in the books alone nowadays.
