Even though--much like the human-pet bonding thing--I don't get Shakespeare, I enjoyed Elizabeth the First Wife. Let me amend--I'm not a fan of old English or period garb. Shakespeare in today's language and clothes, A-okay! Fortunately, this funny read skated around my deal-breakers. The tale is chock full of annoying family members, a pretty-boy ex-husband sniffing around for seconds, oily Hollywood types, and a heroine who surprises herself by wiggling out of one sticky mess after another on her under-appreciated wit. 4.5 Stars Full disclosure: I read Elizabeth the First Wife because the publisher is my mentor. But I loved it on its own. Dolan, of Satellite Sisters fame, writes about Elizabeth, a Shakespeare professor at a community college who also happens to be the ex-wife of a hot shot movie star. When he asks her to leave Southern California for the summer to help him be taken seriously acting in A Midsummer Night's Dream at the Oregon Shakespeare Festival in Ashland, she starts to come into her own.The narrator is fairly neurotic, smart and funny, but the best part is the "book within a book," Elizabeth's notes for a contemporary relationship book based on Shakespeare (ex/ Power Couple #3: The Macbeths" and "Which Shakespearean Bad Boy Is for You?"). There's a triumphant ending too, which is always good.
What do You think about Szerelmem, William (2013)?
Super cute. Not what I was expecting and really funny. I enjoyed it immensely.
—stopila
I'm surprised I liked it as much as I did.
—BlueRoses
