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4.01 AVERAGE
4.01 AVERAGE
From the perspectives of three young women of Shakespeare comes Enter the Body, in which Ophelia, Juliet, and Cordelia are given voices and agency. This inventive novel includes elements of verse and script, including some prose in the form of stage directions. McCullough's bold undertaking to reimagine Shakespeare’s version of the female point of view requires some deep thinking. I think you really have to know your Shakespeare to fully appreciate this book.
adventurous
emotional
funny
inspiring
mysterious
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
N/A
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
This was honestly a good read. I loved the characters and how they all interacted with each other. My one problem is that I really should have read all of the characters respective plays before reading this because I understood Juliets for the most part but kind of felt lost when reading about Ophelia, Cordelia, and Lavinia.
challenging
reflective
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
N/A
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
The choice is the point…you can choose to have more support, you can choose a happy ending…it may be unrealistic, but it’s your story so it’s your choice. This is a clever exploration of the roles of women and their agency in their lives told through the tragic heroines of Shakespeare’s works. They reimagine their stories and challenge each others retellings, still struggling on imagining lives independent of men and traditional structure. So even I their retelling, they are still somehow dependent on men
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
What if the famous female characters of Shakespeare's plays existed outside of their stage performances? And what if they weren't happy with the way their stories were told? Enter the Body poses those questions in a fun remix of those classic female characters taking back their trauma and creating narratives where they had rights and agency. Told through the perspectives of Juliet, Cornelia, and Ophelia, Shakespeare's treatment of women in scrutinized in between performances under the trapdoor where all of his female characters exist. Their mistreatment is apparent from the beginning as none can interact with the others, too absorbed in their own trauma to realize they are in a limbo state. The younger girls, however, find each other and tell their stories, working through the pain together. Lavinia is also present, but her tragic state leaves her unable to convey her tale, much to the dismay of her peers. The stories are told in such a way that the reader does not need to have read Shakespeare before.
While previous knowledge may enhance the reading, the characters share their lives in a way that recontextualizes them. The work is packed with emotion and is beautifully structured. The use of meter and rhyme pay homage to their original works, and reveal the characters' mental blocks. The retellings can get a little repetitive, but the characters call them out. This would be both fun and challenging as a read-aloud or as a book group choice. In the vein of the musical Six or Hamilton, this is a retelling that will make the reader critically think about the importance of storytelling, the validity of "classics" and the power of communal healing.
What if the famous female characters of Shakespeare's plays existed outside of their stage performances? And what if they weren't happy with the way their stories were told? Enter the Body poses those questions in a fun remix of those classic female characters taking back their trauma and creating narratives where they had rights and agency. Told through the perspectives of Juliet, Cornelia, and Ophelia, Shakespeare's treatment of women in scrutinized in between performances under the trapdoor where all of his female characters exist. Their mistreatment is apparent from the beginning as none can interact with the others, too absorbed in their own trauma to realize they are in a limbo state. The younger girls, however, find each other and tell their stories, working through the pain together. Lavinia is also present, but her tragic state leaves her unable to convey her tale, much to the dismay of her peers. The stories are told in such a way that the reader does not need to have read Shakespeare before.
While previous knowledge may enhance the reading, the characters share their lives in a way that recontextualizes them. The work is packed with emotion and is beautifully structured. The use of meter and rhyme pay homage to their original works, and reveal the characters' mental blocks. The retellings can get a little repetitive, but the characters call them out. This would be both fun and challenging as a read-aloud or as a book group choice. In the vein of the musical Six or Hamilton, this is a retelling that will make the reader critically think about the importance of storytelling, the validity of "classics" and the power of communal healing.
fast-paced
emotional
reflective
sad
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
dark
emotional
inspiring
reflective
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Loved this! The prose is beautiful and characters wonderfully complex. A little on the nose sometimes but so worth it, I loved getting to read this version of these stories taken with such creative liberty.
I am becoming a large believer that Joy McCullough wants me to feel everything I have ever felt when reading anything written her no matter the genre.
I received an ecopy of this book through Netgalley; however, my opinions are my own
I received an ecopy of this book through Netgalley; however, my opinions are my own