The Fool's Girl by Celia Rees
Review by Arig
(Click
here to find a library copy.)
SUMMARY: After her uncle sells her to an ugly man who is hires and works with Jesuits, Violetta escapes to freedom. She reunites with her youth friend Feste and together they set out to England where they meet the famous Shakespeare. Will, walking home one day from a watching his play go wrong, stops and watches the two ‘men’ performing and capturing the crowd’s attention. He is fascinated and waits afterward to talk with the two men but only finds one guy and Violetta. He quickly tells them he’d buy them a drink and thus begins the journey of Duchessa Violetta.
Violetta, the daughter of Viola (known for her beauty and high spirits) is supposed to be the bearer of the cup that is the symbol of Illyria. Things go wrong when her friends Gudio, Feste, and Stephano all hear soldiers in the country murdering everyone in and out of their way. Violetta, although young, feels the devastation of the death of her mother. But her father isn’t that helpful. Many would say he has gone crazy or mad. In England, Feste takes the job offer from Will and becomes an actor, the clown needed in his play. Stephano and Gudio both ‘adopted’ became knights. Of course before leaving they gather the things Feste’s ‘mother’ had put aside for them. Violetta got the famous shew stone that everyone is dying to get their hands on.
Danger comes across Violetta and tags along with her when both Malvolio and Sir Andrew try to re-take her into their own custody and force her to marry someone she does not have feelings for or know. Stephano, her lover, Gudio, Feste, and Will all set out to help protect her and bring back the name of their beloved country. Traveling from place to place and almost getting caught many times, Violetta must hide and keep away from danger. Violetta must find a way to retrieve the cup of Illyria, do something with the shew stone, find who killed or kidnapped her mother, and get together with he admirer and heart’s desire. What will she do? How will she do it? And what are the risks she is willing to take to retrieve the cup? Is it worth it, even if it means her fate may be near?
OPINION: 5 stars. Great book, I loved it! It had great detail and the inclusion of William Shakespeare made me love it more because I’m not a big obsessive fan that understand his work. :) I think it was a great read. The story kept me on edge the whole time and I honestly didn’t put it down. I read it in one sitting.
