Reviews

Desdemona by Toni Morrison, Rokia Traoré

chinchillameggy1's review

adventurous challenging dark emotional informative sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? N/A
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A

4.75

ameliawatt's review

challenging dark reflective slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character

3.5

jeremymichaelreed's review

emotional reflective sad fast-paced

5.0

soapiepart's review

challenging dark reflective sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racism

Moderate: Child abuse

rooothy69's review

5.0

holy fuck. 

emilyblackburn's review

This was good. Masterfully worked into Othello and gives it much more dimension and depth. We first read Othello, and then finished with Desdemona. I would be interested to see this play in person. I would also like to be able to read this book more in depth with a closer eye.

betweenthembooks's review

5.0

this made me look at the story of othello in a whole new light.

mhmrose's review

4.0

"Both died in and for love."

I really need to read more of Toni Morrison's work because this was a definite re-read. This is the most experimental writing for a Shakespeare retelling, blurring the lines of past and present; reason and suspicion. Morrison brings a feminist postcolonial reimagining to Shakespeare's Othello, bringing further depth to the play through the characters denied a voice.

All in all a definite 4.5/5 stars.

carleedb's review

4.0

Hard to imagine really loving this without hearing the songs, but overall it's an interesting, if slightly abstract, take on Othello

hannah_siskin's review

challenging dark emotional informative inspiring mysterious reflective sad medium-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? Yes

4.0

I LOVED this retelling from Desdemona’s perspective. She deserves to be able to tell her side of the story while also being held accountable for the kind of person she is. Women during Shakespeare’s time were hardly ever given voices and it’s refreshing to hear hers.