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geekwayne's review against another edition
4.0
'New Boy (Hogarth Shakespeare)' by Tracy Chevalier is the fifth installment in the series, and it is a modern retelling of Othello inside a 1970s schoolyard.
Osei Kokote, a diplomat's son, is starting his first day at an elementary school. He has been to 4 other schools in his life. He is the only black boy at this school, and he wants to find a friend. He finds one in Dee, the most popular girl in school. Unbeknownst to Osei, another boy, Ian, is scheming behind his back. Before the day is done, tragedy will play itself out on the playground, and everyone will be changed.
The characters are very familiar to anyone who has read Othello. The tension ratchets up as the machinations of Ian lead to jealousy and mistrust. I love the setting, the music that gets interwoven, even the annoying jumprope chants. At 204 pages, there is a lot packed into this novel.
I received a review copy of this ebook from Crown Publishing and Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you for allowing me to review this ebook.
Osei Kokote, a diplomat's son, is starting his first day at an elementary school. He has been to 4 other schools in his life. He is the only black boy at this school, and he wants to find a friend. He finds one in Dee, the most popular girl in school. Unbeknownst to Osei, another boy, Ian, is scheming behind his back. Before the day is done, tragedy will play itself out on the playground, and everyone will be changed.
The characters are very familiar to anyone who has read Othello. The tension ratchets up as the machinations of Ian lead to jealousy and mistrust. I love the setting, the music that gets interwoven, even the annoying jumprope chants. At 204 pages, there is a lot packed into this novel.
I received a review copy of this ebook from Crown Publishing and Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you for allowing me to review this ebook.
ameliawatt's review against another edition
emotional
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
3.25
cheekylaydee's review against another edition
5.0
I devoured this in one day, absolutely phenomenal! A modern re-telling of Shakespeare's tragedy 'Othello', the main players are given modern names and the events all take place over the course of one day in a school. That's right, these are kids.
Dee, the most popular girl in school, is assigned to Osei, a new boy, in order to help him settle in. He is unlike any boy she's ever known, and not just because of his skin colour. Osei AKA 'O' has traveled around the world, having been to exotic places, gaining knowledge and experience along the way. This is fascinating to D, and in the way of young children by the end of the morning, they are a couple.
If you've read or seen the original play you know how it goes. The other boys at the school, and one in particular, Ian, does not like the fact that this new boy that is so markedly different is already integrating himself into his world. Through a process of manipulation, fear and downright bullying he has gained authority, especially in the realm of the playground and he does not like to think of it being threatened.
Using O's inherent insecurity about the black skin that differentiates him he worms his way both into O's brain and in between the erstwhile happy couple.
This is so cleverly done, and the poignancy created by using children as the main characters really packs a punch. It highlights the difficulties encountered by the black population in 1970's America and is still as relevant as when the Bard first penned it.
For anybody who is or has studied Othello, as I have, this is a perfect supplement to your studies, highlighting the main themes without the complexities of the language. Even if you're not, it's a perfect route to reading the original. A rare 5 stars I can't recommend it enough!
Dee, the most popular girl in school, is assigned to Osei, a new boy, in order to help him settle in. He is unlike any boy she's ever known, and not just because of his skin colour. Osei AKA 'O' has traveled around the world, having been to exotic places, gaining knowledge and experience along the way. This is fascinating to D, and in the way of young children by the end of the morning, they are a couple.
If you've read or seen the original play you know how it goes. The other boys at the school, and one in particular, Ian, does not like the fact that this new boy that is so markedly different is already integrating himself into his world. Through a process of manipulation, fear and downright bullying he has gained authority, especially in the realm of the playground and he does not like to think of it being threatened.
Using O's inherent insecurity about the black skin that differentiates him he worms his way both into O's brain and in between the erstwhile happy couple.
This is so cleverly done, and the poignancy created by using children as the main characters really packs a punch. It highlights the difficulties encountered by the black population in 1970's America and is still as relevant as when the Bard first penned it.
For anybody who is or has studied Othello, as I have, this is a perfect supplement to your studies, highlighting the main themes without the complexities of the language. Even if you're not, it's a perfect route to reading the original. A rare 5 stars I can't recommend it enough!
kleonard's review against another edition
2.0
Chevalier's Hogarth Shakespeare contribution, an Othello of the middle-school playground. A bit heavy-handed, a bit dull.
fernweh85's review
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
siren_of_the_stars's review against another edition
dark
emotional
inspiring
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
It’s amazing what Chevalier accomplishes in 200 pages!
kingarooski's review against another edition
4.0
A modern retelling of Shakespeare's Othello, New Boy focuses on Osei Kokote, the son of a Ghanaian diplomat and a group of all-white grade 6 students. The story is set in 1970s and the shock of a black boy joining an all-white school soon sends ripples throughout. Jealousy, prejudice and fear soon bubble to the surface, not just in the children but in the teaches, as well. The tension in this book builds and, at times, I found it too much and had to switch off the book and listen to something else. But the author's ability to build this tension so perfectly is admirable as it had the expected effect of making me feel uncomfortable and I closed my eyes, even though I was listening to the book and would have preferred to close my years.
I do feel that the morning and afternoon recess was far too long and too much was crammed into a single day. I've never known lunchtime at school to last as long as it did in this book! I am not sure that Ian, a 6th-grade student, would have the ability to understand his own behaviour and motivation as well as he did. But, I feel that Tracy Chevalier captures the deceit and manipulation well and delivers a powerful story overall.
I do feel that the morning and afternoon recess was far too long and too much was crammed into a single day. I've never known lunchtime at school to last as long as it did in this book! I am not sure that Ian, a 6th-grade student, would have the ability to understand his own behaviour and motivation as well as he did. But, I feel that Tracy Chevalier captures the deceit and manipulation well and delivers a powerful story overall.
hoshi's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0