It took me a little while to get to grips with the Elizabethan slang, which I felt was a rather fun and authentic touch once you settled into it. The only real issue I had was, unfortunately, with the magic - Henry has the ability to translate any language written on paper, a feat that - as far as the many European characters are concerned - is something wholly unique and unheard of before. His adoptive mother figure, Joan, also seems to have the ability to perform actual magic, including 'chi blasts' where she can telekentically hurl people and objects. His other step-mother, Agnes, is also able to actively curse people. If I put that aside, I can't ignore the fact that The Dark Lady was a really enjoyable book to read. The duke realised that Henry has a gift. So now Henry is a prisoner with extraordinary gifts. He’s been tested on how his gift works, then he is brought to a room with men and they get him to show everyone his gift, Henry’s gift is that he can write out any book that is handed to him. If you're looking to read a story that isn't necessarily a life changing one to read, but is an impactful one nevertheless - one about growth, mistakes, race and poverty, and finding power in words - then you should definitely give The Dark Lady a go. It has its flaws (as I've mentioned in this review), but overall, it is an amazing story to read, and I'm now so excited to see what it is Akala delivers next when it comes to Henry's journey.

In 1973, A. L. Rowse claimed to have solved the identity of the Dark Lady in his book Shakespeare's Sonnets—the Problem Solved, based upon his study of astrologer Simon Forman's journal entries describing his meetings with Emilia Lanier. [4] [5] It was later shown that Rowse had based his identification on a misreading of Forman's text: Forman had described Lanier as "brave in youth", not "brown in youth", but Rowse, while later correcting his misreading, continued to defend his argument. [6] [7] Living in a quasi-elizabethan London, Henry lives with his cousins Mary and Matthew in the slums after being abandoned by his Mother who could be anywhere. Haunted by the dreams of a mysterious dark lady, Henry has to navigate his newfound gifts, his power over words and language while still trying to navigate the racial and societal prejudices threatening to erase him.

O'Connor, Desmond (3 January 2008). "Florio, John (1553–1625)". ODNB. Oxford Dictionary of National Biography (onlineed.). Oxford University Press. doi: 10.1093/ref:odnb/9758. (Subscription or UK public library membership required.) He has a lot in common with a slew of other badly written YA protagonists who are written not as actual people, but as tools the authors can use how and when it suits them. These protagonists can't have too much personality, because if they do, the authors have to organise the plot so that the protagonist actually works within it. As it is, Akala, like many other bad YA authors, simply makes his main character fit whatever situation he wants him to. I had high expectations opening up this book, Akala is a master wordsmith and I wasn't disappointed at his first foray into the written world. The Dark Lady was beautifully poetic and enchanting - each voice unique and spell-binding. The set-up for the novel is not so bad. Tudor England is a particular interest of mine, so the historical setting immediately had me intrigued. The focus on reading and literature also sounded awesome. Additionally, like our protagonist, I'm a huge fan of Shakespeare, so I had high hopes that pulling the Bard into the story might make for some fascinating, nerdy reading.

Sonnet 127’by William Shakespeare is a traditional sonnet that follows the pattern Shakespeare popularized. It contains fourteen lines that are divided into two quatrains, or sets of four lines, and one sestet, or set of six lines. They rhyme ABABCDCDEFEFGG as the vast majority of Shakespeare’s sonnets do. My only disappointment was the realisation this book was not a standalone but had a sequel, meaning it would leave loose ends or a cliffhanger However, the disappointment turns to excitement when you realise the sequel will be just as fascinating. Edmondson, Paul; Wells, Stanley, eds. (2004). Shakespeare's sonnets. Oxford University Press. pp.141–142. ISBN 978-0199256105. Mary invites Henry to see a horse being killed by dogs and she invites mathew without telling him. mathew and Henry are friends again and when mathew tells him there’s a house to steal from, a wealthy house Henry is up for it, mathew comes with him but then mary turns up to help.

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I expected a full fantasy going on here but instead found a magical historical tale that was realistic and other-worldy at the same time. Cook, Judith (2001). Dr Simon Forman: a most notorious physician. London: Chatto & Windus. p.101. ISBN 978-0701168995.

Some would argue that using his mainstream appeal to young people as a tool to get them to read what is essentially educational historical fiction is very clever. Some would argue it will inspire today's youth to view Shakespearean language and culture with new eyes. However, I, someone who has lived and worked among London teens for many years say differently. Saul Frampton, of the University of Westminster, identifies Samuel Daniel's birthplace as Wilton, near Marlborough, Wiltshire, citing William Slatyer's The history of Great Britain (1621), with the Oxford Dictionary of National Biography also recording a connection between the Daniel family and Marlborough. Frampton notes that the baptismal records of the parish contain an entry for one "Avisa Danyell" (dated 8 February 1556), and from this he deduces that this was Samuel's sister and therefore John Florio's wife. Thus, he says, Avisa Florio was the Dark Lady. [17] [18] [19] In the next lines, the speaker asserts his opinion in regard to cosmetics. He’s irritated by the fact that any woman can now turn to cosmetics as a way of enhancing their natural appearance. This feels unnatural to him, as if the woman is trying to take “Nature’s power” into her own hands. They devalue beauty, he thinks. Then, when one sees something beautiful, it is less impactful than it would’ve been otherwise. He believes that true beauty, that which nature alone bestowed upon a woman, doesn’t exist anymore. Bate, Jonathan (2008). "The dark lady". The genius of Shakespeare. Oxford: Picador. p.94. ISBN 9780330458436.Enjambment: occurs when the poet cuts off a line before its natural stopping point—for example, the transition between lines ten and eleven. Like another reviewer pointed out, the whole Shakespeare thing, and Henry's poetry, feel incredibly contrived and work poorly within the bounds of the story. This book may be for children on the cover (which is just stunning!) but this is definitely not just for teenagers - I can't wait to learn more about the world of The Dark Lady with Henry.