Reviews for The playmaker
Kirkus
Copyright © Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
In a mystery set in Elizabethan London, 14-year-old Richard Malory joins Shakespeare?s theater company and discovers a Catholic plot against the queen. When his mother dies, Richard travels to London to search for his long-absent father. As he struggles to survive he falls into acting with the Lord Chamberlain?s Players and learns that he has real talent. He also learns that his father has been involved in a dangerous conspiracy that leads to the torture and beheading of those whom the Queen?s agents can catch. The double plotlines of the conspiracy and of Richard?s development as an actor illuminate two interesting aspects of Elizabethan history. The political intrigue points to the passions then prevalent against Catholics, and the lively view from inside Shakespeare?s theater demonstrates the excitement and tensions experienced by the actors. Cheaney manages dialogue that rings true to the times, as does his richly flavored writing style. Altogether, the suspense and historical details add up to a spirited introduction to one of the most fascinating periods in history. The book includes a ?prologue? and a historical note that discuss the basic history of the period, with a map of Elizabethan London. It might be read as a companion to Gary Blackwood?s The Shakespeare Stealer (1998). (Fiction. 11-13)
Horn Book
(c) Copyright The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Fresh from the countryside, fourteen-year-old Richard Malory arrives in London in 1597 searching for his estranged father. The novel is an engrossing blend of intrigue and insight into the operation of a theater in Shakespeare's day. The disguises are many, the assumptions of false identities are plentiful, and the plot twists numerous--much like an Elizabethan drama. (c) Copyright 2010. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted. All rights reserved.
Book list
From Booklist, Copyright © American Library Association. Used with permission.
Gr. 7^-10. A 14-year-old boy discovers a treacherous past and a remarkable future in this ambitious first novel set in Elizabethan England. After his mother's death, Richard Malory arrives in London to look for his father, who abandoned the family long ago. A search for his aunt, who rejects him, leads to other seemingly nefarious connections. Luckily, Starling, a young housemaid, plucks him from a wharf job, and introduces him to Henry Condell, who heads the Lord Chamberlain's Men. Richard joins the theater, and the Condell household, as an apprentice. The story follows dual plot lines: Richard's experiences in the theater, performing plays by "Master Will"; and a web of intrigue, connected to Richard's father, that draws the boy into a religion-fueled conspiracy against the queen. Although there is plenty of breathless action, the mystery of Richard's father reveals itself subtly, in language dense with historical references and archaic terms that may bog down young readers. Most compelling are the highly detailed theater scenes, which beautifully articulate a young artist's struggles to master his craft, surrounded by luminaries (Ben Johnson, Shakespeare, and even the queen all make appearances). Fans of Susan Cooper's King of Shadows (1999) will enjoy this challenging, well-researched coming-of-age tale that will enrich theater, literature, and history courses. Brief notes about history and historical fiction included. --Gillian Engberg
School Library Journal
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Gr 5-8-Richard Malory is on his own with no home or income in late Elizabethan England. On her deathbed, the teen's mother told him to head for London in search of the attorney who, years earlier, sent the family money following the mysterious disappearance of Mr. Malory. On reaching the capital, Richard is caught in the intrigues of two different worlds. His melodious speaking voice and fine handwriting, plus the influence of a new friend, get him a job with the Lord Chamberlain's Men. This proves to be a competitive, sometimes hostile world for a neophyte and certainly an uncomfortable situation for a person with Richard's Puritan background. More dangerous, however, are the strangers who seem set on drawing Richard into political/religious plots rife throughout the city, and who may know secrets concerning his missing father. Twists and turns will keep readers in suspense throughout the tale while the exciting climax will bring some answers and unexpected connections. Informed by solid historical and literary scholarship, this well-written adventure novel is a winner. Be sure to share it with readers of Susan Cooper's King of Shadows (S & S, 1999) and Gary Blackwood's The Shakespeare Stealer (Dutton, 1998).-Starr E. Smith, Fairfax County Public Library, VA (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Publishers Weekly
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A strong foundation in Elizabethan politics and religious conflicts will benefit those wading through the murky waters of this cloak-and-dagger mystery set in London in 1597. Young Richard Malory, who has recently lost his mother, seeks his fortune and hopes to find information about his father's disappearance years ago. After suffering some mishaps on the dangerous city streets, Richard secures a position with an acting troupe and works alongside such notable figures as Richard Burbage, Ben Jonson and William Shakespeare. The protagonist gains a sense of purpose and family as an actor's apprentice, but his contentment is undercut by concerns about his father, who may have been a traitor, and by mysterious strangers, who seem to be watching Richard's every move. Containing as many incidences of mistaken identities, treachery and bloodshed as the plays of the period, this first novel approximates the mood of the Elizabethan era, but its atmosphere feels thin when compared to Susan Cooper's recent King of Shadows, set against a similar backdrop. The convoluted plot and tangled relationships among characters may leave readers more befuddled than intrigued. Ages 10-up. (Sept.) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved
