Reviews

The Gap of Time: The Winter’s Tale Retold by Jeanette Winterson

brisingr's review against another edition

5.0

Beautiful and wonderful. I can't explain how much I can adore Jeanette Winterson and the magical power of words she somehow sprinkles all over her works. I'm in love.

bee_phe's review against another edition

4.0

really uniquely written, all very vibrant characters, dark and eerie at times. fast-paced and wonderful!

baa_baa77's review against another edition

3.0

I love a Winter’s Tale & I love Winterson. I just didn’t love this book, mainly because of Leo. Leontes in WT didn’t strike me as universally unlivable from youth through the jealous horrors he inflicted on his family, friends & kingdom. But here he is, and others devotion to him rings false. I loved the 2nd half where the focus goes to Perdita & Zel.

breadandmushrooms's review

emotional reflective slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.25

motherofladybirds's review against another edition

4.0

I did not realise this was a retelling of a Winter's Tale, but I was not familiar with that play anyway. I enjoyed it for its own sake. The characters of Perdita, Clo and their father as well as Pauline were especially enjoyable. I got a bit lost with the video game parts, but maybe that related to the imagery of the play. Really enjoyed the pace and the writing style.

ha_twig's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective sad tense medium-paced

3.25

jesslolsen's review against another edition

5.0

Loved it and didn’t want it to end!
I hadn’t previously read the original so the into was a good crash course

amypotter's review against another edition

adventurous emotional hopeful reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

frankied1's review against another edition

emotional fast-paced

4.0

caenerys's review against another edition

5.0

I LOVED THIS BOOK!! I didn’t expect to love it and I don’t know why that was. I like Shakespeare and the small amounts of Jeanette Winterson that I’ve read here and there I’ve liked a lot, so I don’t know why I was apprehensive when going into this.

I had to read this for Uni but damn am I so glad and grateful that I had to. I have not read A Winter’s Tale and I know that most people who are familiar with the play do not like this book as it’s basically a direct copy in a modern setting. With that being said, while the story was fascinating, it was the characters and their complexity that I fell in love with. I haven’t felt the drive to keep reading and reading for a while and, with this being my first foray into Hogarth Books and my first Jeanette Winterson novel that was a lovely and welcoming surprise.

I love Perdita and Xeno and I kind of want more from both of them. Pauline is amazing and deserves an entire story of her own, especially seeing that she’s put up with Leo for so so long. Leo I have a love hate relationship with. I despise him, but he’s so interesting. I wish I could’ve seen more of his relationship with Perdita and MiMi towards the end of the novel. I wish I could’ve seen how he and Xeno interact now, especially after everything that happened. But I guess wanting more from these characters is a sign of good writing.

ALSO I loved the role music played in this book and it was not something I was expecting. I also love the video game Xeno creates and I’d love to play it, honestly.


Overall a very enjoyable read and part of me can’t wait to write my essay on it for uni. (The other part of me wishes uni would go away so I can enjoy christmas but oh well)