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4.01 AVERAGE
4.01 AVERAGE
hopeful
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
This book is basically as if the author wanted to try to create a version of Six the Musical but with Shakespeare’s violated and abused women. It’s a bit catty, a bit immature, a bit strange. It doesn’t work the way Six does for me because these women were designed to play specific tragic and representative roles, so ‘reclaiming’ their stories changes the genre of plays.
I can’t tolerate the Ophelia slander up in here. The mental health dialogue the women have about Hamlet is so simplified and misrepresentative of the original story. Hamlet weaponizes mental illness but also blurs the line between act and real melancholial. It was interesting to have a deeper analysis of the scene from Ophelia’s perspective where Hamlet makes crass remarks to her publicly about his head in her lap (one of my fav moments in the play). The rewrite of Hamlet in the second half essentially destroys the entire purpose of the play so Ophelia won’t be used by Hamlet. His lack of moral and personal guidance is one of the purposes of the play.
Her issue in the actual play is less with Hamlet’s rejection/changing mood and more with the way her identity is completely reliant on her father (imo). Wouldn’t a rewrite be based more on her forging her own identity and less with Hamlet getting therapy?
Help! ✨✨✨
The exclusion of a character such as Portia, Hermia, or Lady Macbeth makes it easier for the author to paint all Shakespeare women as victims without voices. I did find the discussion on how the women’s dead bodies are used as props to propel the male dialogues in the plays, most notably Ophelia, Lavinia, and Juliet compelling and truthful.
I can’t tolerate the Ophelia slander up in here. The mental health dialogue the women have about Hamlet is so simplified and misrepresentative of the original story. Hamlet weaponizes mental illness but also blurs the line between act and real melancholial. It was interesting to have a deeper analysis of the scene from Ophelia’s perspective where Hamlet makes crass remarks to her publicly about his head in her lap (one of my fav moments in the play). The rewrite of Hamlet in the second half essentially destroys the entire purpose of the play so Ophelia won’t be used by Hamlet. His lack of moral and personal guidance is one of the purposes of the play.
Her issue in the actual play is less with Hamlet’s rejection/changing mood and more with the way her identity is completely reliant on her father (imo). Wouldn’t a rewrite be based more on her forging her own identity and less with Hamlet getting therapy?
Help! ✨✨✨
The exclusion of a character such as Portia, Hermia, or Lady Macbeth makes it easier for the author to paint all Shakespeare women as victims without voices. I did find the discussion on how the women’s dead bodies are used as props to propel the male dialogues in the plays, most notably Ophelia, Lavinia, and Juliet compelling and truthful.
**Thank you to Penguin Teen, Libro.FM & NetGalley for the eARC. This in no way changed my rating**
I really enjoyed this book and I hope many, many readers read and love it. McCullough's book would also be great for teachers, especially ones that do an in-depth Shakespeare unit. I think having a knowledge of Shakespeare deepens the experience, but the only one I was confident in my knowledge was Romeo & Juliet (I've read and seen both Hamlet and King Lear, though). The book is very short as it's a novel in verse. The audiobook was also great and a full cast recording! The book is told in alternating POVs from Juliet, Ophelia, and Cordelia (with Lavinia playing a role, although it's harder to include her in the narrative as she is mute). I liked the idea that the first half is explaining the story Shakespeare gave them and the second half is the women taking their story back and making it their own. I also liked that McCullough explored Cordelia's character in terms of asexuality and included important and often overlooked rep that made sense for the character. It was very well done. All of the prose styles make sense for the character. Ophelia's reads like someone telling a story (fitting because that's largely the narrative framing for her). Juliet's visually looks like couplets, even if they don't always rhyme. She also seems to use the most text from her story. The characters make a point of pointing out that Cordelia uses Iambic pentameter. When none of them are narrating, McCullough uses a stage play style, writing out the narrative like a script. It was very creative and an aspect I very much enjoyed.
Overall, I think this would be best used in a classroom, but I would recommend it as a fun read for those who love Shakespeare or Feminist stories. It was well done.
I really enjoyed this book and I hope many, many readers read and love it. McCullough's book would also be great for teachers, especially ones that do an in-depth Shakespeare unit. I think having a knowledge of Shakespeare deepens the experience, but the only one I was confident in my knowledge was Romeo & Juliet (I've read and seen both Hamlet and King Lear, though). The book is very short as it's a novel in verse. The audiobook was also great and a full cast recording! The book is told in alternating POVs from Juliet, Ophelia, and Cordelia (with Lavinia playing a role, although it's harder to include her in the narrative as she is mute). I liked the idea that the first half is explaining the story Shakespeare gave them and the second half is the women taking their story back and making it their own. I also liked that McCullough explored Cordelia's character in terms of asexuality and included important and often overlooked rep that made sense for the character. It was very well done. All of the prose styles make sense for the character. Ophelia's reads like someone telling a story (fitting because that's largely the narrative framing for her). Juliet's visually looks like couplets, even if they don't always rhyme. She also seems to use the most text from her story. The characters make a point of pointing out that Cordelia uses Iambic pentameter. When none of them are narrating, McCullough uses a stage play style, writing out the narrative like a script. It was very creative and an aspect I very much enjoyed.
Overall, I think this would be best used in a classroom, but I would recommend it as a fun read for those who love Shakespeare or Feminist stories. It was well done.
Shakespeare reimagined
In the tradition of Shakespeare, who so often remixed old stories to make them his own, McCullough reimagines the stories of Juliet, Ophelia, and Cordelia. I love how she empowers these characters. Although many would agree that Shakespeare's women are strong and clever, its also refreshing to see how his plays could've been different, better, with more empowered women. I enjoyed how the story is imagined as a play and I think it would be fun to stage it.
In the tradition of Shakespeare, who so often remixed old stories to make them his own, McCullough reimagines the stories of Juliet, Ophelia, and Cordelia. I love how she empowers these characters. Although many would agree that Shakespeare's women are strong and clever, its also refreshing to see how his plays could've been different, better, with more empowered women. I enjoyed how the story is imagined as a play and I think it would be fun to stage it.
challenging
dark
funny
inspiring
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:
Yes
Content Warnings
Moderate: Rape, Sexual content, Sexual violence
This was a great feminist retelling of some of the most popular Shakespeare plays told from the perspective of the marginalized women. I loved how clever this novel-in-verse story was, giving voice to the feelings, desires and reimagined thoughts of the women (Juliet, Ophelia, Cordelia and Lavinia). Great on audio with a full cast of narrators.
dark
reflective
fast-paced
Four of Shakespeare’s tragic heroines tell their story.
🪶
Juliet, Ophelia, Cordelia and Lavinia are in a chat room. They’re been slain or just taken their own lives and are ready to hear each other’s tales of woe and how they arrived at this place. Each teenage woman from Shakespeare’s play shows how men controlled and, ultimately, ended their lives. This is in their own words.
🪶
What an interesting and intriguing idea for a YA novel in verse. I think you need to be familiar with Shakespeare before diving into this one, as it really goes into the nuances of each character’s story that helps if you’ve read the play already. Otherwise I fear your focus will be on the story instead of the women their about. A fantastic ALC from @librofm read, in part, but the author @jmcwrites This would make an amazing play!
CW: death, blood, violence, cheating, slut shaming, murder
3.5 rounded up
🪶
Juliet, Ophelia, Cordelia and Lavinia are in a chat room. They’re been slain or just taken their own lives and are ready to hear each other’s tales of woe and how they arrived at this place. Each teenage woman from Shakespeare’s play shows how men controlled and, ultimately, ended their lives. This is in their own words.
🪶
What an interesting and intriguing idea for a YA novel in verse. I think you need to be familiar with Shakespeare before diving into this one, as it really goes into the nuances of each character’s story that helps if you’ve read the play already. Otherwise I fear your focus will be on the story instead of the women their about. A fantastic ALC from @librofm read, in part, but the author @jmcwrites This would make an amazing play!
CW: death, blood, violence, cheating, slut shaming, murder
3.5 rounded up
Thank you to the publishers for a review copy on NetGalley.
Enter the Body is a feminist revision of several of Shakespeare's female protagonists. While I appreciated the idea of this book, it feels like it's missing something. The play and verse format work well, but the setting of the Trap Room feels constricting. Part One is a recap of each story from the girls' perspectives, which probably will not be needed for those seeking this book. The best part was possibly the shortest, where the girls each took over their own destiny. Personally, I would have liked to see more interaction between the girls inside the stories themselves instead of in a timeless void with no setting. Overall, this feels more like a literary small group or Shakespeare book club than a narrative. I love the reworking of the Bard's characters but wished the book itself had more to it than dialog. I do not see this appealing to the average library teen, but it will stand out for those literary-minded ones. I can see this more as appealing to a New Adult audience than YA because of its dialog-focused format and literature focus.
Enter the Body is a feminist revision of several of Shakespeare's female protagonists. While I appreciated the idea of this book, it feels like it's missing something. The play and verse format work well, but the setting of the Trap Room feels constricting. Part One is a recap of each story from the girls' perspectives, which probably will not be needed for those seeking this book. The best part was possibly the shortest, where the girls each took over their own destiny. Personally, I would have liked to see more interaction between the girls inside the stories themselves instead of in a timeless void with no setting. Overall, this feels more like a literary small group or Shakespeare book club than a narrative. I love the reworking of the Bard's characters but wished the book itself had more to it than dialog. I do not see this appealing to the average library teen, but it will stand out for those literary-minded ones. I can see this more as appealing to a New Adult audience than YA because of its dialog-focused format and literature focus.
emotional
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
This book was fascinating to me. I really liked the idea of all of the female players trapped in the basement between each show, talking smack about the terrible decisions all the men in their lives made. However, beyond that, the discourse of the gender roles found in Shakespeare was well done. This would be fascinating to pair alongside the reading of any of the plays mentioned in the text, especially if you end looking at Titus knowing few read that story.
I also love that this is targeting a young audience. Using an almost “locker room talk” approach towards the subject and using unconventional format styles (play and poetry) will help keep up engagement. It also makes Shakespeare approachable. Often these stories feel so grand to YA readers because of the language. This closes that gap.
Definitely recommend this. Really interesting take on some of Shakespeare’s most famous ladies.
I also love that this is targeting a young audience. Using an almost “locker room talk” approach towards the subject and using unconventional format styles (play and poetry) will help keep up engagement. It also makes Shakespeare approachable. Often these stories feel so grand to YA readers because of the language. This closes that gap.
Definitely recommend this. Really interesting take on some of Shakespeare’s most famous ladies.
emotional
reflective
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Physical abuse, Suicide
challenging
funny
hopeful
reflective
medium-paced