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3.54 AVERAGE
3.54 AVERAGE
challenging
dark
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
dark
emotional
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
challenging
dark
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I thoroughly enjoyed this book. As a debut novel, I didn’t have any specific set of expectations going into The Death I Gave Him, but the premise of a modern(ish) science fiction re-imaging of Hamlet had me curious and intrigued. Liu delivered an exciting and engaging story that holds the core of the source material but does not fail to be its own unique work as well. This novel introduces us to deeply human, real, and flawed characters, shows us a world rich with intrigue and deception. Liu’s vivid prose carry the reader directly into story, bringing the emotions, the fear, rage, and drive for vengeance, to life.
In this review, I want to talk a little bit about modernizations of classic works, and specifically Shakespeare. The plays of William Shakespeare have been in inspiration for so many modern stories, intended for so many audiences. From animated works like The Lion King to teen dramas like She’s The Man and Ten Things I Hate About You, there is no shortage of modern works that owe their origins to the Bard. Liu is far from the first to novelize Shakespearean-influenced works, but I do think the way they did it bears mentioning. In general, when it comes to retellings, adaptations, or modernizations, there is a line that needs to be walked with how much is drawn from the source material compared to how much is original content. If a work draws too much from the source of it’s inspiration, it begs the question of why it needs to exist in the first place. If we already have the original work, why do we need this new iteration? What is it adding to the conversation that the original did not? Conversely, if a work deviates too heavily from the source (for example, if the most significant connections are the names of the characters) calling it a connected work at all can feel too much like a marketing gimmick. I discussed the latter phenomenon in my review of Chloe Gong’s Immortal Longings. It is important that a work is able to call themes from its inspiration without merely repeating
Liu’s The Death I Gave Him exists perfectly in the middle ground. While the major themes of Shakespeare’s Hamlet feel real and present, the story brings a novelty to the classic story that leaves the reader on the edge of their seat. At the risk of sounding like your high school English teacher, the key to understanding Shakespeare’s tragedies lies in the author’s understanding of the ventral character, and how that character’s flaws drive the events of the story. In Hamlet, the titular character is plagued by his fear of action, his fear of inaction, and his complicated relationship with a continued existence. These elements are all present in Hayden, and the way the story develops them feels very reminiscent of Shakespeare’s work. Hayden isn’t Hamlet, he is his own person, but the characteristics present in Hayden that drive the events of his story make him a worthy successor.
The Death I Gave Him is not merely a re-hashing of the events of Hamlet transposed into the 21st century. The novel operates with a smaller cast of characters, in a more condensed locked-room setting. Because of this, there is a tension the builds for readers who are familiar with the original work as they watch eagerly for glimpses of where the story is going. Simultaneously, the novelty of these elements leaves a component of mystery that makes even a reader who knows the source material unsure of exactly where Liu will take it. This keeps the story fresh and interesting, despite the source material being hundreds of years old.
The Death I Gave Him takes some of the questions Hamlet poses them, and brings a new dimension for consideration with the science fiction elements of the story. Themes of mortality, humanity, and what it means to fear death were already heavy in Shakespeare’s Hamlet, but Liu brings a new facet to this conversation by asking the question: what if we could master death? The Death I Gave Him follows a character not just running from death, but seeking to subvert it, to take complete control of his own mortality. This adds a new layer to the themes of Shakespeare’s work, and forces the reader to contemplate their own notions of what it means to want to live.
This was an ambitious debut novel, but it was well executed. With lyrical prose and a plot full of intrigue, Liu creates a version of Hamlet that cuts to the heart and soul of the original while maintaining its own originality. Through these characters, Liu forces the reader to ask the hard questions about what life means to them, and what it means to want something badly enough that there are no limits to what you’ll do to get it. I’m looking forward to seeing where Liu’s career goes from here.
dark
emotional
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
challenging
dark
emotional
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
This book - despite being based on a 400 year old play - is so unique in its writing. It’s sci-fi, yes, but the multiple perspectives and POV as a true crime book made it so much more interesting. As a huge Shakespeare fan and someone who frankly fears AI, I really enjoyed this.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Self harm, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts
challenging
dark
emotional
challenging
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
emotional
tense
medium-paced