Scan barcode
jessicaacurry's review against another edition
1.0
I had this on my shelf for ages and loved the premise (I’m always keen, in a 10 things I hate about you vein, for a clever adaptation of Shakespeare or traditional stories) but was ultimately disappointed.
There were lots of clever moments and despite never having read A Winter’s Tale my brief research brought to light some witty parallels and details adapted for a modern reading.
The novel was weirdly dialogue-heavy which was sometimes disorientating, and the Shakespearean tragedy translated much better than the comedy. The play is obviously very personal for Winterson and she even has a kind of postscript talking about this at the end which was touching, but for me the novel itself missed the mark.
There were lots of clever moments and despite never having read A Winter’s Tale my brief research brought to light some witty parallels and details adapted for a modern reading.
The novel was weirdly dialogue-heavy which was sometimes disorientating, and the Shakespearean tragedy translated much better than the comedy. The play is obviously very personal for Winterson and she even has a kind of postscript talking about this at the end which was touching, but for me the novel itself missed the mark.
chris_davies's review against another edition
3.0
This is an interesting version of The Winter's Tale, which I found easy to admire but hard to love. It's well written and provides some neat twists on the original - rather in the way that Shakespeare himself re-wrote the works of others.
As there's more space in a novel than in a play, Winterson is able to expand some characters and provide detailed back - stories for others. This is a bit hit and miss but often works well. What I missed was a certain spark to elevate the book above the routine. Admittedly, following the best writer in history would be a an uphill battle for anyone. As it was, I liked it, but couldn't get excited about it.
As there's more space in a novel than in a play, Winterson is able to expand some characters and provide detailed back - stories for others. This is a bit hit and miss but often works well. What I missed was a certain spark to elevate the book above the routine. Admittedly, following the best writer in history would be a an uphill battle for anyone. As it was, I liked it, but couldn't get excited about it.
squirrelsteph's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
sad
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
4.0
daphne_the_library_elf's review against another edition
4.0
Before reading this review, here are a few things that guided¬ how I approached this book: 1) I am a fan of Shakespeare, 2) I particularly enjoy adaptations of Shakespeare’s work, 3) I have read The Winter’s Tale, and 4) I was previously unfamiliar with Jeanette Winterson. I also had a more detailed review written, but my cat stepped on my keyboard and deleted it before I could post it (this actually happens in real life).
About a third of the way through reading the book, I was unsure about what to think. I was leaning more to the side of dislike. Then I put down book for the night and thought about what I would want to see from a contemporary adaptation of Shakespeare’s work in novel form. I would want an exploration of character and the themes of the work. And that is exactly what Jeanette Winterson is giving with The Gap of Time.
I found the addition of backstories for Leo, Xeno, and Shep particularly satisfying. Shep's story, which the novel begins with, does a particularly good job and expanding the character and explaining actions that would be seen as inappropriate (not to mention illegal) in the updated time frame of the near future. Though Perdita is my favorite character in the play, Shep easily became my favorite character in the novel. His fatherly love is truly the heart of this version of the story and serves as a fantastic counterpoint to failings of both Leo and Xeno as parents. The backgrounds for Leo and Xeno help to explain their actions, which largely lack context in the play.
At the end of the book, Jeanette Winterson explains her attachment to and interpretation of the play (in all honesty, I would recommend the book based on this discussion alone). She identifies three main themes: revenge, tragedy, and forgiveness, and her cover version explores all of these themes and expands on what drives the characters to do what they do. This expansion also makes it easier to understand why certain characters are forgiven and for the readers themselves to (or not to) forgive the characters.
One problem I had with the book was the naming of characters. Some names are unchanged from the original text (most notably Perdita), but most of the other names are versions of the originals. Some of these, like Leo, Pauline, and Shep, did not bother me, but others, must notably Zel (Florizel) and Xeno (Polixenes) took be out of the story. I would have preferred the names were changed and the reader was trusted to figure out which character in the cover version corresponded to which character in the play.
More than anything else, this book is an extremely personal one for Jeanette Winterson. In press releases and in the book itself, she talks about her connection to the play. Each of the three sections are split by interludes, bearing a decidedly personal and poetic feeling. It is hard to detach the play, the cover version, and the intimate personal connection.
Overall, I see The Gap of Time as a good way to start Hogarth’s Shakespeare cover series. It shows that the idea of the books to is maintain the stories while giving more depth to characters and further exploring and interpreting themes of the work, while incorporating all of this into a given author’s style. I look forward to seeing the remaining books in the project and how the themes and characters are treated and the stories are updated, particularly concerning the plays I love and authors I am more familiar with.
About a third of the way through reading the book, I was unsure about what to think. I was leaning more to the side of dislike. Then I put down book for the night and thought about what I would want to see from a contemporary adaptation of Shakespeare’s work in novel form. I would want an exploration of character and the themes of the work. And that is exactly what Jeanette Winterson is giving with The Gap of Time.
I found the addition of backstories for Leo, Xeno, and Shep particularly satisfying. Shep's story, which the novel begins with, does a particularly good job and expanding the character and explaining actions that would be seen as inappropriate (not to mention illegal) in the updated time frame of the near future. Though Perdita is my favorite character in the play, Shep easily became my favorite character in the novel. His fatherly love is truly the heart of this version of the story and serves as a fantastic counterpoint to failings of both Leo and Xeno as parents. The backgrounds for Leo and Xeno help to explain their actions, which largely lack context in the play.
At the end of the book, Jeanette Winterson explains her attachment to and interpretation of the play (in all honesty, I would recommend the book based on this discussion alone). She identifies three main themes: revenge, tragedy, and forgiveness, and her cover version explores all of these themes and expands on what drives the characters to do what they do. This expansion also makes it easier to understand why certain characters are forgiven and for the readers themselves to (or not to) forgive the characters.
One problem I had with the book was the naming of characters. Some names are unchanged from the original text (most notably Perdita), but most of the other names are versions of the originals. Some of these, like Leo, Pauline, and Shep, did not bother me, but others, must notably Zel (Florizel) and Xeno (Polixenes) took be out of the story. I would have preferred the names were changed and the reader was trusted to figure out which character in the cover version corresponded to which character in the play.
More than anything else, this book is an extremely personal one for Jeanette Winterson. In press releases and in the book itself, she talks about her connection to the play. Each of the three sections are split by interludes, bearing a decidedly personal and poetic feeling. It is hard to detach the play, the cover version, and the intimate personal connection.
Overall, I see The Gap of Time as a good way to start Hogarth’s Shakespeare cover series. It shows that the idea of the books to is maintain the stories while giving more depth to characters and further exploring and interpreting themes of the work, while incorporating all of this into a given author’s style. I look forward to seeing the remaining books in the project and how the themes and characters are treated and the stories are updated, particularly concerning the plays I love and authors I am more familiar with.
logophile_life's review against another edition
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
mettiie's review against another edition
dark
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
hillersg7's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
I found this re-telling really powerful and poetic and often beautiful - as well as violent and passionate. It took me to dipping back into the original Winter's Tale, and I loved the imaginative depictions of the characters, and the creative exploration of the story.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Physical abuse and Rape
celestihel's review against another edition
4.0
I love a retelling done well, and Jeanette Winterson does everything well. Is this my favorite of hers? No. I think it starts strong and then suffers from pacing issues that made it hard for me to keep on task. But, overall, it's a great story with fun historical context.
trulybooked's review against another edition
5.0
In this entire year, this is the closest I have come to reading a perfect novel. For all the flaws I've found, all the issues that I have sometimes with Winterson's writing... this novel is compelling in a way that I can't put to words. It is beautiful and tragic and hopeful all at once with poetic prose that stays in my mind long after I put the novel down.
This may be my favourite novel ever, unseating Winterson's other novel: Lighthouse Keeping.
This may be my favourite novel ever, unseating Winterson's other novel: Lighthouse Keeping.