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You are reading: Books based on shakespeare
there is no doubt that the works of william shakespeare have staying power. More than 400 years after his death, young people still study his work in school. I was introduced to the bard in high school when I read Othello for one of my English classes and was pleased to see my daughters study Hamlet in their third year.
Shakespeare was a master at exploring the human condition with all its disordered emotions and behaviors. Perhaps this is why writers today are still inspired to write novels based on Shakespeare’s plays.
If you’re taking part in the 2021 Reflective Reading Challenge, you may know that the March challenge is to read a novel based on a Shakespeare play. so this seemed like the perfect time to offer some options.
in no particular order, here are ten books based on the works of shakespeare.
thousand acres by jane smiley
inspiration: king lear
Thousand Acres is a Pulitzer Prize winner that reimagines Lear as the owner of valuable farmland in Iowa. This Lear, Larry Cook, rules his kingdom as a tyrant, maintaining balance within his family through power and fear. everything falls apart when he decides to divide the farm between his three daughters. greed, lust, betrayal and insanity on the level of shakespeare ensues. you can read my thousand acre review here.
anne tyler’s vinegar girl
inspiration: the domestication of the shrew
The Vinegar Girl is part of the Hogarth Shakespeare series, which is a collection of Shakespeare-inspired novels written by leading modern authors. In this version of Taming the Shrew, Kate is a preschool teacher whose father, a scientist, is on the verge of a breakthrough. however, her assistant, who is critical of the investigation, is about to be deported. “when dr. battista hatches a scandalous plan that will allow pyotr to stay in the country, he trusts, as usual, kate to help him. kate is furious: this time she really is asking for too much. but will she be able to withstand the two men’s poignant and ridiculous campaign to convince her? (source good reads)
ophelia by lisa m. klein
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inspiration: village
ophelia is the center of attention in this new version of hamlet. She is the queen’s trusted lady and falls in love with the handsome prince, but her betrayal at Elsinore castle makes her devise a plan to save herself from her. “Lisa Klein’s Ophelia tells the story of a young woman who falls in love with her, seeks her place in the world, and finds the strength to survive. Sharp and literary, dark and romantic, this dramatic story keeps readers in its grip until the harrowing final scene.” (source: goodreads)
speak easy, speak love for george mckelle
inspiration: much ado about nothing
speak easy, speak love is set during the 1920s prohibition era in a speakeasy and has the elements of a good shakespearean comedy. “The lives of six teenagers intertwine over a thrilling summer filled with romantic misunderstandings and dangerous deals in this brilliant retelling of much ado about nothing shakespeare… hilariously clever and utterly charming, mckelle george’s first novel is full of intrigue and charm of the 1920s”. (source: goodreads) this is my favorite for March reading. sounds fun, plus the author has a cool name.
the edgar sawtelle story by david wroblewski
inspiration: village
In the story of Edgar Sawtelle, Edgar (also known as Hamlet) lives on a farm in Wisconsin with his parents. Although Edgar was born mute and has to sign to communicate, he lives an idyllic life raising a special breed of dog. And then Uncle Claude comes to visit. Edgar’s father dies suddenly, and Edgar’s attempt to prove that Claude murdered him is a spectacular failure. “david wroblewski is a masterful storyteller, and his stunning scenes – the elemental north woods, the passing of the seasons, an iconic american barn, a fateful vision staged in the rain – create a riveting family saga, a brilliant exploration of boundaries of the and a modern classic of compulsive reading”. (source: goodreads)
a steampunk summer night by scott e. tarbett
inspiration: a midsummer night’s dream
with a midsummer night’s steampunk, there’s even an option for steampunk fans! “when a priceless invention is stolen halfway around the world, four unlikely adventurers find themselves embroiled in an international intrigue that could cost them their lives… immerse yourself in this steampunk retelling of a shakespearean classic, packed with the newfound magic of the Alternative Victorian technology, mistaken identities, love triangles and deadly dangers, against the backdrop of a world preparing for war and the diamond jubilee of victory.” (source: goodreads) sounds like fun!
josephine tey’s daughter of time
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inspiration: richard iii
the new york times called the daughter of time “one of the best mysteries of all time”. In this novel, a Scotland Yard inspector recovering from a broken leg searches for the truth about Richard III. Was it really the monster that had the young princes killed, or was history (and shakespeare) wrong about him? a modern detective solving a centuries old mystery sounds like a winner to me!
christopher moore fool
inspiration: king lear
fool is the story of king lear told from the perspective of the fool. “Now [christopher moore] takes on none other than the legendary bard himself (with the utmost humility and respect) in a twisted and incredibly funny tale of an idiotic monarch and his deceitful daughters; a moving story of plots, subplots, counterplots, betrayals, war, revenge, bare breasts, unbridled lust. . . and a ghost (there’s always a bloody ghost), seen through the eyes of a man wearing a fly and bells on his head.” (Source: Amazon) A raunchy version of King Lear? sure sounds like that!
witch seed by margaret atwood
inspiration: the storm
The author of The Handmaid’s Tale addresses the tempest in Hag-Seed, another novel in the Hogarth Shakespeare series. In Hag-Seed, a disgraced theater director plans to stage and broadcast a production of The Tempest put on by inmates at a correctional facility. “However, Felix has another twist in mind, and his enemies are about to participate in an interactive, illusion-filled version of the storm that will change their lives forever.” (source: goodreads) the plot sounds as complicated as the storm, so it might just work!
isaac marion’s hot bodies
inspiration: romeo and juliet
for zombie lovers, warm bodies is a version of romeo and juliet and this time one of the unlucky lovers is a zombie. “First as his captive, then as his reluctant guest, julie is an explosion of vivid color in the gray landscape of r, and something within him begins to blossom. he doesn’t want to eat this girl, although she looks delicious, he wants to protect her from her. But her unlikely bond will cause ripples they can’t imagine, and his hopeless world won’t change without a fight.” (source: goodreads)
Did any of these options catch your attention? Did I leave any good books based on shakespeare’s works off the list?
I hope you’ll join me for the March challenge!
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