Shakespeare's Spy (Shakespeare Stealer, Book 3)

Leisure reading.

A little baffled by this last book. Not sure completely how I feel about it for an ending. Things aren't all wrapped up nicely with a bow on it, but I think that's okay. I feel like for every good thing that happened to Widge something really bad was around the corner to knock him back down. Especially after the first book. Feels like the bad might outweigh the good overall for him.At least, when it comes to his relationships with other people. I'm still not over how fast a character's death went in the second book. The deaths in this third book didn't affect me as much.There are a lot of little twist in a very short time period at the end. I felt like a little too much had to be stuffed in this story. The bulk of the spying , which you see in the title happens in the last quarter of the book. That was odd to me.I liked the preoccupation with the possibility of the Queen's death and how people didn't know what would happen when she did pass on. It was a big deal around the time so it made a lot of sense to focus on it. Also the issues of religion in the story, which happened to do with the queen's nearing death as well in some ways.Also liked the bits of the story that dealt with Julia in the end. I feel like you had to have Julia at least make an appearance in the finale of the series. I feel like she and Sander are really important characters to Widge in the series.The whole thing about fate and challenging it or if you can change things was too cliche for me. I did like that it lead to some growth for Widge with him finally recognizing that he isn't the same boy that was found at an orphanage and forced to steal a play from Shakespeare.There was a bit of a love triangle thing going on there for a bit and I may have been more frustrated by it than the main character but it's only for a short time so I didn't dwell on it.The portrayals of Judith Shakespeare and Ned Shakespeare was interesting. Not surprised by Ned from what I've read about him. I don't know near enough about Judith, but I liked her character. She definitely acted out a bit unnecessarily at one point, but her father spends all his time writing plays. I think it's okay to want some attention.

In this third adventure for young Widge, apprentice to William Shakespeare's London theatre company, we find the city in a depressing and uncertain time, waiting for the ailing queen to die, afraid that the new king may ban theatre performances altogether. Widge is also facing personal dilemmas as he tries to get passage money for his friend Julia to get home, and he makes a play for Shakespeare's daughter -- literally; Widge boasts to her that he is writing a play, and when she asks to see it, he decides he really must write one. WS gives him a play he's given up on, which is funny because many say it's one of Shakespeare's "least good", and I think it also allows kids to entertain the idea that history is not really written in stone, and that many stories fill our past, each one unique and interesting.Our family has read the three Widge books. They've been terrific on many levels: we've learned about England of the time, London and Shakespeare's troupe in particular; we've read almost a thousand pages about an interesting character in intriguing situations; we've watched the character grow and mature, experience happy times, bad times, sad events and growth. The writing is easy on the ear and eye, the dialogue natural, and the fiction believable.Wonderful series. Wish there were more.

In this third book of the series, the author is back to lively writing and entertaining storytelling. (The second volume was a slow starter.)Times were hard for theater people in London in 1603, and the plague continued to endanger lives. Widge tries to solve a mystery of stolen costumes, meets Will Shakespeare's daughter, and with Shakespeare's help, also tries his hand at writing a play -- acquiring a new name in the process! Small references to events in the previous two books -- The Shakespeare Stealer and Shakespeare's Scribe -- are more easily understood if you've read them first.As always, I enjoy learning about historical facts while I am reading fiction. Although I have read in history books about the fact that the English (Anglican) Church was the country's mandated church during the reign of Queen Elizabeth, I hadn't realized until I read this how hard life would have been for Catholics at that time. (I did know that the Jews were persecuted in the Middle Ages.)Some people have expressed alarm that there is a "fortune teller" in this book. I don't think the author is trying to convince anyone that this was anything other than a phenomenon of the times. In the Author's Note at the end, the author explains this and other historical facts. Shakespeare really did have a daughter named Judith, who is in this book!

A really great trilogy! Loved the first and second book, and am NOT at all disappointed. This one might have been the best, but they were all great.The only thing I disliked was the fact that there were only three books. Overall, wonderful. From beginning to end.

A charming series, full of Shakespearean references and characters, but perfect for the middle school set. As a retired h.s. English teacher, I enjoyed reading these books.

This series is part of our 2019 Summer reading.

I love these kinds of stories. The main character (and the side characters, when I think of it) have an amazing humour and I feel like this book is true to the era of the plot. Very good and adventourus.

Shakespeare Stealer、Shakespeare's Scribeに続く第３作。　前作では、ペストが蔓延し、芝居小屋が禁止されたロンドンから離れて巡業をしていたシェイクスピア劇団は、寒い冬の間、グローブシアターから離れて、酒場の劇場で公演を続けていた。　劇団の衣装が少しずつ無くなっていったり、国の政治を動かすようになった清教徒の監視を受けたり、どうやら対立する劇団からの嫌がらせを受けているらしい。　ウィッジは、父を訪ねてきたシェイクスピアの娘に心を奪われて、関心を引こうとして「劇を書いている」と言ってしまった。　前２作と同様に、心温まる、興味深く、歴史的背景のしっかりしたストーリーが展開していきます。第４作目も待ち望む気分にさせられる一冊です。大人も子どもも十分楽しめると思います。