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thomasr417's review against another edition
challenging
funny
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
serenedancer's review against another edition
funny
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
atticus13's review against another edition
3.0
This is the first comedy I’ve read by Shakespeare, so I can’t speak for his comedic style as this work may be an outlier. Though, I’m worried about what my experience of reading A Midsummer Night’s Dream means for for reading of his other comedies.
The story is incredibly playful in its exploration of love. There is no end to the ways in which love is defined. At times it’s presented as a naive and unreliable impulse, while at other times love has the capacity to trasmute hell into heaven (or the reverse if your love is unrequited). This creates a remarkable space in which love can be explored endlessly.
However, the tale has no exclamation point; no sharp end; no bold moment. This is very unlike Julius Caesar, Macbeth and Hamlet. Though, it might be a worthwhile trade-off for the genuinely hilarious lines in the book. I laughed out loud repeatedly. The moment in act 5 when the wedding brigade is commenting on the Thisbe and Pyramus play reminded me a LOT of Mystery Science Theater. Their peanut-gallery commentary had me laughing regularly. Puck’s final lines are so playful, that it emphasizes this entertaining aspect of the play.
Still, this well written humor doesn’t play nicely (in my head, at least) with the potential latent in those lurid and un-addressed lines of love from acts 1, 2 and 3.
The story is incredibly playful in its exploration of love. There is no end to the ways in which love is defined. At times it’s presented as a naive and unreliable impulse, while at other times love has the capacity to trasmute hell into heaven (or the reverse if your love is unrequited). This creates a remarkable space in which love can be explored endlessly.
However, the tale has no exclamation point; no sharp end; no bold moment. This is very unlike Julius Caesar, Macbeth and Hamlet. Though, it might be a worthwhile trade-off for the genuinely hilarious lines in the book. I laughed out loud repeatedly. The moment in act 5 when the wedding brigade is commenting on the Thisbe and Pyramus play reminded me a LOT of Mystery Science Theater. Their peanut-gallery commentary had me laughing regularly. Puck’s final lines are so playful, that it emphasizes this entertaining aspect of the play.
Still, this well written humor doesn’t play nicely (in my head, at least) with the potential latent in those lurid and un-addressed lines of love from acts 1, 2 and 3.
elixsdgn's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
a fun little read
alyxinthestars's review against another edition
funny
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
jesspeachee's review against another edition
2.0
Okay so not as gripping as I remembered it being in school but maybe that was because we read it in a few weeks, not one afternoon. Still glad I have it though.
nosidda13's review against another edition
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
maddie_1999's review against another edition
adventurous
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
tsehai's review against another edition
funny
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0