“Presume not that I am the thing I was” — Henry IV Part II, Act V, Scene V.

A very large number of people around the world know his name, and a fairly large number have read something written (purportedly — there is some debate) by him, at some stage or another, either willingly or forcibly, complete or abridged. Many have knowingly or unknowingly seen performances of his works, original or adapted, and many more have used words or phrases he coined, although there is also debate about whether he invented them or was merely the first to write them down. Four hundred and one years after William Shakespeare’s death, here we are again, talking about William Shakespeare.

Shakespeare the ‘brand’ has somehow been able to reinvent itself time and time again as the world changes around it. This time it takes the form of a thriller by Benet Brandreth entitled The Spy of Venice, and enigmatically described as ‘A William Shakespeare Novel’. Once you’ve read it, you realise that it really couldn’t be described any other way — not just because the protagonist is called William Shakespeare and the first act is set in Stratford-upon-Avon during the 16th century, or because the novel begins with a list of dramatis personae and is divided into a prologue, five acts and an epilogue. There’s more.

A spy novel set in 16th century Venice features the Bard as a young man caught up in an action-packed escapade

“When he was 21 years old, Shakespeare was married with three children and living in the small town of Stratford in England. Seven years later, he was living in London as resident playwright and part owner of a theatre company. Nobody knows just what Shakespeare was doing for all those years in between.” (J.M. Pressley, Shakespeare Resource Center online.) Well, nobody knows, but surely anybody can try to guess. Or, as Brandreth writes in his note to the reader, “This is not a work of history, but it could have been this way…” Imagining those lost years in Shakespeare’s life, from 1585-92, is what makes this otherwise historically accurate book fit the description.

In The Spy of Venice, we follow 21-year-old ladies’ man William Shakespeare as he is forced to leave his father’s glove-making business in Stratford after one indiscretion too many and make his way to Venice on a journey filled with adventure, intrigue, mistaken identities and murder. The fast-paced action takes place against the backdrop of Protestant England’s ongoing war with the Spanish Catholic empire, with papal assassins and countless spies thrown into the mix. Having already caught the eye of a small band of players, Shakespeare’s inimitable wit is soon noticed by powerful figures attempting to direct the course of history.

It takes a while for the reader to get past the seeming incongruity of setting and style, characters and language, and fact and fiction. Yet once you settle into it, Brandreth’s vast wealth of knowledge and skilful craft reveals itself in all its sparkling glory. The setting of many of Shakespeare’s plays, Venice is selected utterly by design as it serves as the hub of political drama while providing an enchanting setting. As the Shakespeare of the book gets acquainted with this remarkable city and its politics, we begin to see how his experiences and the people he meets will eventually be translated into his characters and plays.

The gift is small, the will is all Alexander Aspinall His mother eyed him over the top of the note. “Master Aspinall intends the gloves as a gift for his mistress,” William said. “He asked if I could think of suitable words to accompany the gift.” [...] “You have seen Master Aspinall’s mistress, I suppose?” she asked. “Yes,” William answered, [...] “No doubt that is why you find it wise to refer to yourself in the note? [...] I am not a fool, William [...] ‘The Will is all’? You think I do not understand the reference? You think Master Aspinall will not?” [...] — Excerpt from the book

Anyone who is familiar with Shakespeare’s works will enjoy the numerous clever references scattered throughout the text, including the infamous stage direction from Act III of The Winter’s Tale, “Exit, pursued by a bear” and Brutus’s injunction to seize the opportunity in Julius Caesar; “There is a tide in the affairs of men/ Which, taken at the flood, leads on to fortune” (Act IV, Scene. iii).

There’s some joy at the recognition of these occasions — little ‘a-ha!’ moments when you get it — yet the references can seem a little contrived at times (the tailor of Venice, for example) and you are aware that their absence would not affect the action in any way.

There is no doubt that Brandreth knows his Shakespeare. His characters are familiar echoes of archetypes: the beautiful, intelligent heroine, the swashbuckling hero and his Falstaffian foil, the ‘lean and hungry’ villain and numerous others. The plot could be that of a Shakespearean play, too, where people thought to be dead return once more, disguises are employed to deceive, villains are thoroughly villainous and women shine brightly as they outwit the best of them. Brandreth delights in metaphor and wordplay, retaining the bawdy side of humour with puns that were hidden from every miserable schoolchild struggling to understand what the bard was on about. There is meticulous attention to detail in the selection of chapter titles: all lines from Shakespeare that foreshadow the action within.

This combination of elements can make the book feel like there’s just too much packed into it. It is at once a ‘meta’ reading of Shakespeare’s mind, a glimpse into 16th century history, a behind-the-scenes look into some of the most famous plays in the world and the elementary forms of some of the most well-known characters ever to appear on stage. We are therefore simultaneously looking beyond, ahead, within and without and occasionally tend to lose track of everything. The times when Brandreth employs a delicate touch to description are overshadowed by plot machinations and references, making the book more cleverly crafted than beautifully written.

For fans of Shakespeare, the book can be a joyous treasure hunt, a display of erudition, insightful and exciting. For others, it may simply be an action-packed novel with some suspense, some unnecessary diversions and too many characters. Even though various strands of the plot are neatly tied at the end of novel, we are still in the early part of the aforementioned lost years. The Spy of Venice therefore ends on a note that implies that a sequel is in the offing. The bard and the brand live on to entertain another day.

The reviewer is a writer, editor and educationist with a doctorate in curriculum and instruction

The Spy of Venice: A William Shakespeare Novel
By Benet Brandreth
Twenty7 Books, UK
ISBN: 978-1785770371
448pp.

Published in Dawn, Books & Authors, September 1st, 2017