[ book tip by Sarah Grout ] An intriguing read and certainly sparked interest for me in the relationship between John Donne and Ann More that not only inspired some of the greatest love poetry of all time, but bucked Elizabethan society's moral obligations and laws. The characters were well developed and engaging and the world around them was well crafted and detailed. The description of the declining court of Elizabeth I was funny, scary and hinted very well at the deception and paranoia. I particularly liked the way the two main characters were introduced to each other and like all good romances - and indeed somewhat historically accurate given the time between when they met and when they married - started out fiery but built over time to finish satisfactorily. Perhaps the author took some artistic license with the way Ann was able to move about London and to and from Loseley so unimpeded, but this is a small quibble. An inspiring read - and wonderful use of Donne's poetry to illustrate their love.

[ book info ] Haran, Maeve: The Lady and the Poet. (Book language: english) Pan, 2009 (2009). ISBN: 978-0330462464.