First published 2022
Viola washes ashore in Illyria after a shipwreck separates her from her twin brother Sebastian. She disguises herself as a young man named Cesario and enters the service of Duke Orsino, who pines for the countess Olivia. Orsino sends Viola to woo Olivia on his behalf, but Olivia falls for the disguised messenger instead. Meanwhile, Viola finds herself falling in love with Orsino. The confusion deepens when Sebastian arrives, leading to cases of mistaken identity. A parallel story unfolds as Olivia's pompous steward Malvolio dreams of marrying his mistress and becoming nobility. The household servants trick him with a fake love letter, leading to his humiliation. The romantic tangles resolve when the twins reunite and true identities emerge, but the comedy ends on a bittersweet note with reflections on love's fleeting nature.
Genres: drama, classic-literature, romance, comedy
Vibes: intimate, thought-provoking, whimsical
Tropes: enemies-to-lovers, fish-out-of-water
Setting: Illyria
Period: Twelfth Night
95 pages · Paperback · Independently published