The Owl Was a Baker's Daughter - by Grace Tiffany (Hardcover)

About the Book

"At the ripe age of sixty-one, Judith Shakespeare, twin of the doomed Hamnet, finds herself fleeing provincial Stratford on horseback to avoid a witchcraft charge. Her traveling companions are a zealous Puritan woman and her mischievous young niece, both displaced by the civil war between the Royalists and Roundheads. Judith also leaves behind her marriage, which has foundered since the wrenching loss of two adult sons to the plague. Her travels take her to London, where she reunites with an old love from her acting days, and to the battlefield outside Oxford, where she serves as a surgeon for Cromwell's forces."--

Book Synopsis

"Stellar historical fiction imbued with a rich sense of place."--New York Times Book Review

"Witty, resilient, and fiercely intelligent, Judith emerges as a heroine for the ages. Her journey, rich in historical authenticity and imaginative storytelling, offers insights that resonate across the centuries."--Christina Baker Kline, New York Times bestselling author of The Exiles

For readers of Hilary Mantel and Madeline Miller, a deeply engrossing work of historical fiction--a tale about a woman of the Shakespeare family struggling to manage both her private grief and public danger.

At the age of sixty-one, Judith Shakespeare, a midwife-apothecary and twin of the long-dead Hamnet, must flee provincial Stratford on horseback to avoid arrest for witchcraft. Her traveling companions are a zealous Puritan woman and child who have been displaced by civil war--the bloody seventeenth-century strife between Royalists and Roundheads. Judith is also leaving her marriage, which has foundered since the wrenching loss of two adult sons to the plague.

The sequel to the author's My Father Had a Daughter, a tale of Judith in her youth, The Owl Was a Baker's Daughter revisits this character for the ages--Shakespeare's sharp-tongued, witty youngest child, no less feisty in her maturity. Four-hundred years after Judith's death, Grace Tiffany brings her back onto center stage. Judith's latest tale offers profound insights--into friendship, motherhood, marriage, religious extremism, and war--which remain resoundingly true today.

Review Quotes

"Stellar historical fiction imbued with a rich sense of place." -- New York Times Book Review

"A richly imagined look at how life goes on after unimaginable loss and how joy can spring anew from unexpected avenues." -- Booklist

"Diverting sequel to My Father Had Daughter . . . this vivid historical will keep readers turning the pages." -- Publishers Weekly

"The unique characters of Jane and Pearl add so much texture to the novel, and Judith herself, witty and indomitable, is a delight. The dialogue and language flow easily with a feel of their time. An immersive, satisfying read." -- Historical Novel Society

"In this engrossing novel, Grace Tiffany brings to life Judith Shakespeare, the daughter of the Bard. A midwife and apothecary, Judith finds herself accused of witchcraft and forced to flee Stratford on horseback. As she navigates a war-torn England, she confronts not only the perils of the road but the weight of her own grief--two sons lost to plague and a marriage unraveling in the aftermath. Witty, resilient, and fiercely intelligent, Judith is a heroine whose journey, rich in historical authenticity and imaginative storytelling, resonates across the centuries." -- Christina Baker Kline, New York Times bestselling author of Orphan Train and The Exiles

"The Early Modern English of Shakespeare's time sets up an immersive auditory realm where listeners find 61-year-old apothecary and midwife Judith. She is the last of the Bard's progeny, and she must leave town after being accused of witchcraft . . . .Narrator Mary Jane Wells's fluted tones and English accent add to the authenticity of the characters as Judith and her traveling companion struggle to deal with the upheaval wrought by England's Civil War. It's not necessary to be familiar with the literature or history of this era to enjoy this engrossing story." -- AudioFile Magazine

"Judith Shakespeare is all grown up--heck, she's as old as me!--and has the battle scars to prove it. How this mother, wife, grandmother, midwife, apothecary, and all-around wise woman navigates a time shockingly similar to our own gun-toting one is nothing short of amazing. You will love Grace Tiffany's lively and enlightening story." -- Bonnie Jo Campbell, bestselling author of The Waters

"The Owl Was a Baker's Daughter combines the gifts of a social historian with those of an accomplished storyteller. In this sequel to My Father Had a Daughter, set in a war-torn England, Grace Tiffany brings to life the travails of Shakespeare's now older (but no less adventurous) daughter, Judith. It is a vivid and memorable novel, beautifully rendered." -- James Shapiro, author of 1599: A Year in the Life of William Shakespeare

"I was hopelessly hooked from the very first page." -- Sharon Kay Penman, New York Times bestselling author of Time and Chance, on My Father Had a Daughter

"Evocative language and perfect detail. A True pleasure." -- Sarah Willis, author of A Good Distance, on My Father Had a Daughter