This was a fun book to read. I always enjoy seeing how people reimagine Shakespeare, especially when it's being done in a more inclusive way. As with every anthology, there were some hits and some misses, and some of them did feel quite young (not a critique, just an observation), but overall it was a good reading experience.

This is just an horrendously bad story in every way. It's highly homophobic, it's a disrespectful adaptation, and it's just not a very compelling story. I'm upset that I didn't research this book enough before listening to it, and I'm embarrassed on Orson Scott Card's behalf that it exists.

I'm very conflicted about this book. I really shouldn't have enjoyed it as much as I did. There were some messier moments, but overall I thought it was a very competent retelling.

As much as I like having one song based on Hamlet, that's not enough for me. I want a million songs based on Hamlet. I want 12, at least. So, what if "The Fate of Ophelia" wasn't the only song about my favorite play? What if all of them were?

Despite it's few faults, I really did love reading this book. You also don't get a lot of people exploring what life in Helsingør looked like before the events of the play, and I thought this author did a really great job building out the origins of the characters and their conflicts. It was a good balance of being true to Shakespeare's version of the characters while also feeling original to this author. Ultimately, this is a great example of how to make the story of Hamlet

I enjoyed this book. As a fan of Hamlet, I'm very easy to please. Of course I enjoyed the beat-for-beat retelling of a play that I adore. What's not to love? In fact, that's also my biggest problem with this book. I wanted to love this book because of what it was, not because of what Shakespeare already wrote.

I knew from the cover of this book that it was probably not going to be my thing, but because it's about "Hamlet," I decided to give it a shot anyway. I thought that perhaps it could be fun in an "early 2000s teen movie" kind of way. What I got instead was a lazy, reductive version of this play that talks down to its readers and shows a blatant disregard for the things that make the original so loved.

I really enjoyed this book, although I was curious whether I liked it because it's about "Hamlet" or if I liked it because I truly thought it was a good book. But with how beautifully written and highly emotional it was, I think it's fine to say I just liked it.

Congratulations, McEwan. You've written the first retelling of Hamlet that even I couldn't find it in myself to like.

The Dead Father's Club by Matt Haig Pages: 336 Genre: literary fiction, retelling Rating: 4 Star Kindle Notes and Highlights Philip...

Laertes Belleforest feels divided between his two very different lives.