Boy by Nicolle Galland

 The Boy reimagines the story of Alexander Cooke who played the female roles of Shakespeare’s plays.

Alexander “Sander” Cooke is the most celebrated boy player in the Chamberlain’s Men, William Shakespeare’s theatre company. His portrayal of female roles made him the toast of London. But now at the cusp of adulthood his future is uncertain.

Sander’s theatrical triumphs catch the first attention of Francis Bacon – philosopher and one of the greatest minds of their time. But what catches his next attention is Sander’s original question, only to discover quickly the truth that Sander is not his would-be acolyte. It’s someone else.

Joan Buckler is Sander’s best friend. While Sander wishes for more than friendship, she craves knowledge. Something that is unattainable for a woman of her time. From childhood, she had interest in botany and using plants for medicinal purposes. She became an experimental botanist under a guide of two experts, who already recognized her early on as a precarious toddler. That’s why they supported her curiosity throughout her childhood, and have been her mentors of natural philosophy and botany.

Joan, as a woman, is not part of the philosophical conversations which she desires. She is fascinated by emerging philosophical thoughts but in order to get closer to those discussions, she needs to disguise herself.

The men talk about inductive logic, knowledge without the bias of old beliefs. Those conversations are fascinating but I can also see that not everyone might be engrossed by it. And at some points, it results in uneven pacing.

As both, Sander and Joan, triumph they draw attention of some influential figures, which also leads to their tragedies as they become snarled into political intrigues of the court.

The Boy is written with eloquence and is immersed with philosophical discussions and intrigues of the court, effortlessly drawing the reader into the story.

Published in February 2025

Source: William Morrow; Harper Collins