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katykelly's review
5.0
Wit abounds in this readable Trump-speare mash-up. Exquisitely thought out.
Macbeth and Trump. Who knew? Yes, the two brought together make for a dark but deliciously diverting Shakespearean tale of corrupted power, fawning obsequiousness, and bloody-thirsty politics. You can see the parallels already.
It is the way the writer puts the Trump administration, family and surroundings into the Macbeth tale that is highly admirable and inventive. To appreciate this fully, you'd need to know the original play, though as someone with a passing knowledge of it (I have read the play and seen it performed but still feel I missed references) I would say that anyone familiar with just the Trump administration would still revel in the murky machinations that are clearly recognisable from reporting.
I won't go into all the fabulous comparisons Doescher makes between Shakespeare and Trump, but he uses Macbeth and the wider canon freely (Mar-Iago, Tempest Daniels and Pox Network made me laugh). Language itself is a tool put to excellent use as readers will delight in wordplay (Sir James DogComey of the Deaf Beehive).
The soliloquies that the Bard is famous for are put to good use, as we get insights into Desdivanka's mind. And the anachronistic problem of mobile phones and social media in an Elizabethan setting is smartly overcome - it is still both contemporary but yet not. Even Orwell gets a mention - with 'ThoughtCrimes' and 'Doublethink' and 'plusgood' - Lady Kellyann Boleyn features here.
Taking in the first two years of Trump's presidency, key events are recognisable. I wanted more when I got to the end, I wanted to see the whole story played out. The author's political opinions are rather clear, and the readership will likely be made up of those who are in line with this. I took great delight in seeing these characters portrayed as they were, and in knowing a good proportion of the world views things similarly.
The afterword was rather fascinating, seeing how the author and his collaborator met and found their shared interest, eventually bringing this story to life. There is mention of an online Readers' Guide and interview.
Genius. More please!
With thanks to Netgalley for providing an advance reading copy.
Macbeth and Trump. Who knew? Yes, the two brought together make for a dark but deliciously diverting Shakespearean tale of corrupted power, fawning obsequiousness, and bloody-thirsty politics. You can see the parallels already.
It is the way the writer puts the Trump administration, family and surroundings into the Macbeth tale that is highly admirable and inventive. To appreciate this fully, you'd need to know the original play, though as someone with a passing knowledge of it (I have read the play and seen it performed but still feel I missed references) I would say that anyone familiar with just the Trump administration would still revel in the murky machinations that are clearly recognisable from reporting.
I won't go into all the fabulous comparisons Doescher makes between Shakespeare and Trump, but he uses Macbeth and the wider canon freely (Mar-Iago, Tempest Daniels and Pox Network made me laugh). Language itself is a tool put to excellent use as readers will delight in wordplay (Sir James DogComey of the Deaf Beehive).
The soliloquies that the Bard is famous for are put to good use, as we get insights into Desdivanka's mind. And the anachronistic problem of mobile phones and social media in an Elizabethan setting is smartly overcome - it is still both contemporary but yet not. Even Orwell gets a mention - with 'ThoughtCrimes' and 'Doublethink' and 'plusgood' - Lady Kellyann Boleyn features here.
Taking in the first two years of Trump's presidency, key events are recognisable. I wanted more when I got to the end, I wanted to see the whole story played out. The author's political opinions are rather clear, and the readership will likely be made up of those who are in line with this. I took great delight in seeing these characters portrayed as they were, and in knowing a good proportion of the world views things similarly.
The afterword was rather fascinating, seeing how the author and his collaborator met and found their shared interest, eventually bringing this story to life. There is mention of an online Readers' Guide and interview.
Genius. More please!
With thanks to Netgalley for providing an advance reading copy.
singalana's review against another edition
challenging
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
I picked up this audiobook merely because of one of the narrators. I’m not from the US myself, but I’ve watched enough of Seth Meyers and Stephen Colbert, so I decided to give it a try. It was a bit difficult to get used to the “archaic” (in search of a better word) narration, but once I got the hang of it, I began to enjoy it. In the end, I think the modern elements mixed with the language are the best part of this audiobook.
This is a humorous tragicomedy spoofing Shakespeare’s Macbeth. The story focuses on the family MacTrump and their quest for power. The narrators do a good job reading the dialogue and mostly manage to capture the way of speaking of their characters. I must confess, I haven’t read Macbeth so I can’t compare this to the original, but now I’m intrigued.
jenni415's review
3.0
I wanted to like this more. I am hoping once the real Trump is removed from office, I will be more amused by the comedy of the parody. But now I'm more saddened by the tragedy of it.
beautifullybookishbethany's review
3.0
MacTrump is the latest in Ian Doescher's list of Shakespeare mashup books. This time, he brings together Macbeth and the first two years of the Trump administration in a bitingly satirical volume written in iambic pentameter. A lot of this was very clever and funny, particularly in personifying Twitter as a herald named McTweet! In general I found this to be fun and well-executed, if a little long if read in only a couple of sittings. I find this sort of satire often works best in smaller doses, and I found myself a bit fatigued at times, but perhaps reading it in smaller chunks would alleviate this problem.
I do think you will get the most out of this if you follows the news pretty closely. While parts of it are based on things very widely known, other things are a little more obscure. I suspect this might keep it from aging well, but then political satire is often quite of the moment. Overall, I liked this and I generally enjoy Ian Doescher's work. I think it's smart and his writing with Shakespearean language is well-executed and thoughtful. Worth picking up if it sounds interesting to you! I was sent a copy of this book for review by the publisher. All opinions are my own.
I do think you will get the most out of this if you follows the news pretty closely. While parts of it are based on things very widely known, other things are a little more obscure. I suspect this might keep it from aging well, but then political satire is often quite of the moment. Overall, I liked this and I generally enjoy Ian Doescher's work. I think it's smart and his writing with Shakespearean language is well-executed and thoughtful. Worth picking up if it sounds interesting to you! I was sent a copy of this book for review by the publisher. All opinions are my own.
skullfullofbooks's review
5.0
I loved it!
If you love Monty Python and just outlandish parodies with truths and laugh out loud humor, this is for you.
If you love Monty Python and just outlandish parodies with truths and laugh out loud humor, this is for you.
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