Dark Aemilia

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Myriad Editions, 2015 - Fiction - 448 pages
'For I have sworn thee fair, and thought thee bright; Who art as black as hell, as dark as night.' - William Shakespeare, Sonnet 147 The daughter of a Venetian musician but orphaned as a young girl, Aemilia Bassano grows up in the court of Elizabeth I, becoming the Queen's favourite. She absorbs a love of poetry and learning, maturing into a striking young woman with a sharp mind and a quick tongue. Now brilliant, beautiful and highly educated, she becomes the mistress of Lord Hunsdon, the Lord Chamberlain and Queen's cousin. But her position is precarious; when she falls in love with court playwright William Shakespeare, her fortunes change irrevocably. A must-read for fans of Tracy Chevalier (Girl With a Pearl Earring) and Sarah Dunant (The Birth of Venus), this novel by Sally O'Reilly is a richly atmospheric novel that compellingly re-imagines the struggles for power, recognition and survival in the brutal world of Elizabethan London. She conjures the art of England's first professional female poet, giving us a character for the ages - a woman who is ambitious and intelligent, true to herself and true to her heart

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About the author (2015)

Sally O'Reilly has a PhD in Creative Writing from Brunel University and teaches Creative Writing at the Open University. A former Cosmopolitan new journalist of the year, she was shortlisted for the Ian St James short story prize and the Cosmopolitan short story award. She is the author of the popular guide How to be a Writer and two previous novels (as Sam O'Reilly), The Best Possible Taste and You Spin Me Round. Dark Aemilia is her first historical novel. O'Reilly's short stories have appeared in the UK, Australia and South Africa. In addition, she has worked as a journalist and editor for Christian Aid and Barnardo's, and is a contributor to the Guardian, The Sunday Times, The Conversation, Evening Standard and New Scientist.

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