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rmyd42's review against another edition
4.0
Ouch, my heart.
Also more evidence that Prospero is a bag of dicks.
Also more evidence that Prospero is a bag of dicks.
jessriannereads's review against another edition
5.0
❝’Tis the fine edge of a blade that divides innocence from ignorance, and methinks it a blade that will turn in thy hand and cut thee one day.❞
— Jacqueline Carey
❖
This novel has me thinking of a life in solitary on a island, with naught but a suspiciously overbearing father, a meddlesome and mercurial spirit, and a single friend condemned to a life as a slave and monster.
This novel is a brilliant and devastating rendering of the characters in Shakespeare’s tragicomedy, The Tempest. Carey explores the blossoming of friendship and sexuality, the oppression of sexuality, the harshness of prejudice, and the innocence—and ignorance—that comes with adolescence. Carey chronicles the woes of puberty when met with the strictures of a domineering father, and master, and of the struggles that come from loneliness, forbidden love, blind faith, and loyal devotion.
It could also be considered a tragicomedy, as there is slight humor in the beginning, as the two friends are young and learning together, but as the years pass, dark intentions take hold and everything on the isle changes. The ending is poignant.
Miranda’s tender heart and Caliban’s troubled soul kept me enthralled and their story is one I will always remember. This novel is a beautifully tragic story of love, protection, obedience, friendship, faith, vengeance, and magic.
— Jacqueline Carey
❖
This novel has me thinking of a life in solitary on a island, with naught but a suspiciously overbearing father, a meddlesome and mercurial spirit, and a single friend condemned to a life as a slave and monster.
This novel is a brilliant and devastating rendering of the characters in Shakespeare’s tragicomedy, The Tempest. Carey explores the blossoming of friendship and sexuality, the oppression of sexuality, the harshness of prejudice, and the innocence—and ignorance—that comes with adolescence. Carey chronicles the woes of puberty when met with the strictures of a domineering father, and master, and of the struggles that come from loneliness, forbidden love, blind faith, and loyal devotion.
It could also be considered a tragicomedy, as there is slight humor in the beginning, as the two friends are young and learning together, but as the years pass, dark intentions take hold and everything on the isle changes. The ending is poignant.
Miranda’s tender heart and Caliban’s troubled soul kept me enthralled and their story is one I will always remember. This novel is a beautifully tragic story of love, protection, obedience, friendship, faith, vengeance, and magic.
bookchellf's review
5.0
I am not at all surprised that I enjoyed this book. I have always liked Jacqueline Carey's writing and this was just another one to add to the list. The prose is very poetic and beautiful and both Miranda and Caliban had their own distinctive voices. While Jacqueline Carey definitely made these characters something of her own I do not think she did the Bard any disrespect in doing so.
I found myself sharing much of the emotions of Miranda and Caliban in this book. Caliban especially I was rooting for. In this book he is a tragic but kindly man who has been dealt a cruel hand at every moment. And in many ways meeting Miranda was just another one of those cruelties.
This book is not a happy one so if you are looking for a joyful read this one might not be for you. But if you are looking for something beautiful and tragic then I definitely would say check this one out.
I found myself sharing much of the emotions of Miranda and Caliban in this book. Caliban especially I was rooting for. In this book he is a tragic but kindly man who has been dealt a cruel hand at every moment. And in many ways meeting Miranda was just another one of those cruelties.
This book is not a happy one so if you are looking for a joyful read this one might not be for you. But if you are looking for something beautiful and tragic then I definitely would say check this one out.
fletcher's review against another edition
4.0
What I would give to have a hundred Shakespeare retellings in Jacqueline Carey's style 😭 Her prose is just so beautiful. I LOVED this portrayal of Prospero--and of Ariel as well, cruel as he can be. The ending made me throw my hands in the air. God. I so wish there was a sequel, but it's beautiful as it is. I discovered this quote on the author's website and couldn't find it any more apt: "If you enjoy having your heart ever-so-delicately shattered to smithereens, this is the one."
jennifer_fatula's review
medium-paced
4.25
A beautiful retelling of The Tempest by Shakespeare (though I am not familiar with the original work).
ireitlitam's review
3.0
This re-imagining of The Tempest was interesting considering the small setting (an island in the ocean) and the few characters who populate it. The island was the best character for me with the castle, the history
juliwi's review against another edition
5.0
I didn't read The Tempest until I got to university, despite starting my love affair with Shakespeare years earlier! Unlike most of his other plays, I struggled with The Tempest a lot, confused about many of the characters, the storyline, etc. It took me a long time to develop an appreciation for the play, and up until a few days ago I would have counted it as one of my least favourite plays. And then Jacqueline Carey's Miranda and Caliban happened. Her novel has given me a whole new appreciation for the play, for the different themes playing under the surface and for Carey's excellent writing. Thanks to Macmillan-Tor/Forge and Netgalley for providing me with a copy of this book!
Adapting any classic piece of literature is a momentous task. You have to find a balance between honouring the original but also creating something new that holds up on its own. And then there is the enormous legacy that comes with someone like Shakespeare, whose name has almost become synonymous with literary excellence. I myself have often felt disparaging towards adaptations or retellings of my favourite books, since I have such an attachment to the originals. Often I have been surprised by how much I ended up loving the adaptations. Since The Tempest has always left me rather confused, I wasn't sure what to expect going into Miranda and Caliban. Would this be a straight up love story that ignores many of the issues thrown up in the play? Would the novel explore these characters in a way the play doesn't? In the end the novel completely blew me out of the water. Carey deals with the opposition between good and bad, ignorance and innocence, servitude and freedom, and brings it all together in a beautiful tragedy. For those fearing a love story, this is not a romance. Love is a part of this story, but there is much more to it.
Carey turns Miranda into a fully-fledged character. We get to witness her growing from child to woman, becoming more aware of the extent to which her father controls her whole life. Whether it is her life before the island or the physical realities of becoming a woman, Miranda lives her life constantly in the dark, waiting for Prospero to declare her "ready". I have seen the word 'Stockholm-syndrome' floating around and in a way that does describe Miranda's relationship with her father rather well. She loves him, but that is because he is all she has. She tiptoes around him, yet hangs on his every word. By teaching Caliban, Miranda is given the chance to consider everything around her anew, to attempt to take control of her own life. Carey does the same for Caliban, imbuing his chapters with a painful awareness of his position. His chapters start out as three-word sentences, but as he learns more his chapters grow to become very insightful and beautiful. Carey addresses a lot of the themes that have made Caliban a controversial character. His origins are a point of contention for him, constantly being used to abuse him and put him down, as is his appearance. Carey's Caliban is a very deep and interesting character, who is full of emotions and conflict. As a reader you can't help but ache for both of these characters, who are so deprived and yet struggle to find silver linings.
Carey's writing in Miranda and Caliban is masterful. She captures the fluidity and eloquence of Shakespeare's language without making her writing feel or sound archaic and stuffy. Shakespeare never underestimated the power of words and this is a major theme in The Tempest, which finds a beautiful reflection in Carey's writing. A highlight is Ariel, who is the only character to retain a Shakespearian way of speaking. The novel is saturated with beautiful phrases like the one below:
"Thou art the shoals on which Caliban wilt dash his heart to pieces."
With language like this it shouldn't come as a surprise that Miranda and Caliban is heartbreaking. As in any tale that is doomed from the start, there is a sense of dread mixed with hope that grows and grows while reading this novel. There is the hope that Miranda and Caliban will free themselves, that what you know must happen won't. In that sense Carey has well and truly mastered the art of retelling a famous story. Even though everyone knows what will happen, it doesn't matter for a single minute because the reader is too caught up in her version of the story. There is not a moment you will get bored of this novel and when it ends you'll wish it hadn't.
I absolutely loved Miranda and Caliban. It is a beautiful novel and a masterful retelling of a Shakespeare classic. Carey infuses her characters with a sense of life they didn't have before and you'll be sorry to see them go at the end of the novel. I'd recommend this to fans of Shakespeare, retellings and literary fiction.
For full review: http://universeinwords.blogspot.tw/2017/03/review-miranda-and-caliban-by.html
Adapting any classic piece of literature is a momentous task. You have to find a balance between honouring the original but also creating something new that holds up on its own. And then there is the enormous legacy that comes with someone like Shakespeare, whose name has almost become synonymous with literary excellence. I myself have often felt disparaging towards adaptations or retellings of my favourite books, since I have such an attachment to the originals. Often I have been surprised by how much I ended up loving the adaptations. Since The Tempest has always left me rather confused, I wasn't sure what to expect going into Miranda and Caliban. Would this be a straight up love story that ignores many of the issues thrown up in the play? Would the novel explore these characters in a way the play doesn't? In the end the novel completely blew me out of the water. Carey deals with the opposition between good and bad, ignorance and innocence, servitude and freedom, and brings it all together in a beautiful tragedy. For those fearing a love story, this is not a romance. Love is a part of this story, but there is much more to it.
Carey turns Miranda into a fully-fledged character. We get to witness her growing from child to woman, becoming more aware of the extent to which her father controls her whole life. Whether it is her life before the island or the physical realities of becoming a woman, Miranda lives her life constantly in the dark, waiting for Prospero to declare her "ready". I have seen the word 'Stockholm-syndrome' floating around and in a way that does describe Miranda's relationship with her father rather well. She loves him, but that is because he is all she has. She tiptoes around him, yet hangs on his every word. By teaching Caliban, Miranda is given the chance to consider everything around her anew, to attempt to take control of her own life. Carey does the same for Caliban, imbuing his chapters with a painful awareness of his position. His chapters start out as three-word sentences, but as he learns more his chapters grow to become very insightful and beautiful. Carey addresses a lot of the themes that have made Caliban a controversial character. His origins are a point of contention for him, constantly being used to abuse him and put him down, as is his appearance. Carey's Caliban is a very deep and interesting character, who is full of emotions and conflict. As a reader you can't help but ache for both of these characters, who are so deprived and yet struggle to find silver linings.
Carey's writing in Miranda and Caliban is masterful. She captures the fluidity and eloquence of Shakespeare's language without making her writing feel or sound archaic and stuffy. Shakespeare never underestimated the power of words and this is a major theme in The Tempest, which finds a beautiful reflection in Carey's writing. A highlight is Ariel, who is the only character to retain a Shakespearian way of speaking. The novel is saturated with beautiful phrases like the one below:
"Thou art the shoals on which Caliban wilt dash his heart to pieces."
With language like this it shouldn't come as a surprise that Miranda and Caliban is heartbreaking. As in any tale that is doomed from the start, there is a sense of dread mixed with hope that grows and grows while reading this novel. There is the hope that Miranda and Caliban will free themselves, that what you know must happen won't. In that sense Carey has well and truly mastered the art of retelling a famous story. Even though everyone knows what will happen, it doesn't matter for a single minute because the reader is too caught up in her version of the story. There is not a moment you will get bored of this novel and when it ends you'll wish it hadn't.
I absolutely loved Miranda and Caliban. It is a beautiful novel and a masterful retelling of a Shakespeare classic. Carey infuses her characters with a sense of life they didn't have before and you'll be sorry to see them go at the end of the novel. I'd recommend this to fans of Shakespeare, retellings and literary fiction.
For full review: http://universeinwords.blogspot.tw/2017/03/review-miranda-and-caliban-by.html
macchi's review against another edition
3.0
Miranda and Caliban is a retelling, and quite possibly a reimagining, of William Shakespeare's The Tempest, from the perspective of Miranda and Caliban. I love Jacqueline Carey's writing, and I love Shakespeare so I was really intrigued by this one.
I'll preface this with saying it's been a good many years since I read The Tempest, so I don't remember much other than the basic plotline involving Prospero and his daughter being stuck on an island for years due to a nefarious plot against Prospero, and then returning in triumph to their homeland because the king and others happen to land there after a storm and basically repent of their sins. Okay, that's really simplistic and has no nuance but c'mon, The Tempest has been around for ages and probably required reading for lots of people so I'm assuming you have at least an idea of what it's about.
As the title implies, though, the story is more focused on Miranda and Caliban and imagines their relationship over the many years that they spend together. Typical of Carey, the writing is beautiful and the descriptions are evocative and lovely. The characterisation, too, is wonderful and real. Her control over voice, and the inherent dangers when you have unreliable narrators, was excellent and understated. I think the story actually benefited in this respect from the fact that the tale of The Tempest is so well known already. Particularly, I enjoyed the view of Ariel and Prospero in a very very different light than I have been accustomed to.
Unfortunately, this was only ever going to end one way and I found that my knowledge of what was to come lent a dread and uneasy feeling to everything as the relationship between Miranda and Caliban developed. It also made the ending very bitter for me, with not enough sweet to balance. It's a shame because this was beautifully written and the execution was wonderful, but the very thing that helps the story and its telling in some areas is also the thing that ultimately made it less enjoyable for me.
I'll preface this with saying it's been a good many years since I read The Tempest, so I don't remember much other than the basic plotline involving Prospero and his daughter being stuck on an island for years due to a nefarious plot against Prospero, and then returning in triumph to their homeland because the king and others happen to land there after a storm and basically repent of their sins. Okay, that's really simplistic and has no nuance but c'mon, The Tempest has been around for ages and probably required reading for lots of people so I'm assuming you have at least an idea of what it's about.
As the title implies, though, the story is more focused on Miranda and Caliban and imagines their relationship over the many years that they spend together. Typical of Carey, the writing is beautiful and the descriptions are evocative and lovely. The characterisation, too, is wonderful and real. Her control over voice, and the inherent dangers when you have unreliable narrators, was excellent and understated. I think the story actually benefited in this respect from the fact that the tale of The Tempest is so well known already. Particularly, I enjoyed the view of Ariel and Prospero in a very very different light than I have been accustomed to.
Unfortunately, this was only ever going to end one way and I found that my knowledge of what was to come lent a dread and uneasy feeling to everything as the relationship between Miranda and Caliban developed. It also made the ending very bitter for me, with not enough sweet to balance. It's a shame because this was beautifully written and the execution was wonderful, but the very thing that helps the story and its telling in some areas is also the thing that ultimately made it less enjoyable for me.
hannahmartinez's review against another edition
emotional
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
2.0
I wish I could unread that period scene. The secondhand embarrassment was so real