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baa_baa77's review
3.0
I love a Winter’s Tale & I love Winterson. I just didn’t love this book, mainly because of Leo. Leontes in WT didn’t strike me as universally unlivable from youth through the jealous horrors he inflicted on his family, friends & kingdom. But here he is, and others devotion to him rings false. I loved the 2nd half where the focus goes to Perdita & Zel.
breadandmushrooms's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.25
motherofladybirds's review
4.0
I did not realise this was a retelling of a Winter's Tale, but I was not familiar with that play anyway. I enjoyed it for its own sake. The characters of Perdita, Clo and their father as well as Pauline were especially enjoyable. I got a bit lost with the video game parts, but maybe that related to the imagery of the play. Really enjoyed the pace and the writing style.
ha_twig's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
3.25
jesslolsen's review
5.0
Loved it and didn’t want it to end!
I hadn’t previously read the original so the into was a good crash course
I hadn’t previously read the original so the into was a good crash course
amypotter's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
caenerys's review against another edition
5.0
I LOVED THIS BOOK!! I didn’t expect to love it and I don’t know why that was. I like Shakespeare and the small amounts of Jeanette Winterson that I’ve read here and there I’ve liked a lot, so I don’t know why I was apprehensive when going into this.
I had to read this for Uni but damn am I so glad and grateful that I had to. I have not read A Winter’s Tale and I know that most people who are familiar with the play do not like this book as it’s basically a direct copy in a modern setting. With that being said, while the story was fascinating, it was the characters and their complexity that I fell in love with. I haven’t felt the drive to keep reading and reading for a while and, with this being my first foray into Hogarth Books and my first Jeanette Winterson novel that was a lovely and welcoming surprise.
I love Perdita and Xeno and I kind of want more from both of them. Pauline is amazing and deserves an entire story of her own, especially seeing that she’s put up with Leo for so so long. Leo I have a love hate relationship with. I despise him, but he’s so interesting. I wish I could’ve seen more of his relationship with Perdita and MiMi towards the end of the novel. I wish I could’ve seen how he and Xeno interact now, especially after everything that happened. But I guess wanting more from these characters is a sign of good writing.
ALSO I loved the role music played in this book and it was not something I was expecting. I also love the video game Xeno creates and I’d love to play it, honestly.
Overall a very enjoyable read and part of me can’t wait to write my essay on it for uni. (The other part of me wishes uni would go away so I can enjoy christmas but oh well)
I had to read this for Uni but damn am I so glad and grateful that I had to. I have not read A Winter’s Tale and I know that most people who are familiar with the play do not like this book as it’s basically a direct copy in a modern setting. With that being said, while the story was fascinating, it was the characters and their complexity that I fell in love with. I haven’t felt the drive to keep reading and reading for a while and, with this being my first foray into Hogarth Books and my first Jeanette Winterson novel that was a lovely and welcoming surprise.
I love Perdita and Xeno and I kind of want more from both of them. Pauline is amazing and deserves an entire story of her own, especially seeing that she’s put up with Leo for so so long. Leo I have a love hate relationship with. I despise him, but he’s so interesting. I wish I could’ve seen more of his relationship with Perdita and MiMi towards the end of the novel. I wish I could’ve seen how he and Xeno interact now, especially after everything that happened. But I guess wanting more from these characters is a sign of good writing.
ALSO I loved the role music played in this book and it was not something I was expecting. I also love the video game Xeno creates and I’d love to play it, honestly.
Overall a very enjoyable read and part of me can’t wait to write my essay on it for uni. (The other part of me wishes uni would go away so I can enjoy christmas but oh well)
super_squirrel's review against another edition
3.0
This book was a slow burn for me and if I'm honest I didn't know if I was really enjoying it until half way through. As a huge Shakespeare fan I often struggle with modern retellings, and there were elements of this one which I wasn't sure I 100% loved.
I like Jeanette Winterson's quirky and almost casually confronting style of writing but I appreciate it is not for everyone. She doesn't seem driven by what a reader may want and always delivers something that feels authentic to her and the characters she creates. This book is full of that. She takes the characters in directions I wouldn't have chosen but that worked for them, and I think that is why it took me a little while to decide whether I was on board or not.
It is a retelling of A Winters Tale, and has a synopsis of the original in the beginning so it isn't necessary to have read or seen it but there are little things that you see better if you have experience of the original. If you don't like to know the ending you can always skip it though. It also has a personal connection for the author which shines through, but is also explained by the author at the end.
I like Jeanette Winterson's quirky and almost casually confronting style of writing but I appreciate it is not for everyone. She doesn't seem driven by what a reader may want and always delivers something that feels authentic to her and the characters she creates. This book is full of that. She takes the characters in directions I wouldn't have chosen but that worked for them, and I think that is why it took me a little while to decide whether I was on board or not.
It is a retelling of A Winters Tale, and has a synopsis of the original in the beginning so it isn't necessary to have read or seen it but there are little things that you see better if you have experience of the original. If you don't like to know the ending you can always skip it though. It also has a personal connection for the author which shines through, but is also explained by the author at the end.
rageofachilles's review
2.0
This is, I believe, the first novel in the Hogarth Shakespeare series. I'm interested in the idea of the series, but this novel is just flat. The characters are mere imitations of the original. The only interesting twist is that Leontes may have acted out due to homosexual suppression. There are much better Shakespeare adaptations that already exist--namely, Jane Smiley's A Thousand Acers. Winterson does include some interesting commentary on the play, "The Winter's Tale," that is almost worth the price of admission