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A review by girlglitch
Learwife by J.R. Thorp
3.0
There is a lot to like about Learwife, a spirited retelling of Shakespeare through the eyes of Lear's strong and spiteful Queen. It is one of those books which leaves an immediate impression: you will know within the first few pages whether you'll love it or leave it.
Learwife is weighted heavily by its distinctive narrative voice, prose all but drowning in poetry. Thorpe clearly has a love for language, and in places, her writing is wonderfully lyrical, but most of the time I found it overbearing, a long string of compound words. While I can see why some readers will fall under its spell, I found it difficult to be swept up in a story that's more embellishment than bones.
*Thank you to Netgalley for the arc in exchange for an honest review*
Learwife is weighted heavily by its distinctive narrative voice, prose all but drowning in poetry. Thorpe clearly has a love for language, and in places, her writing is wonderfully lyrical, but most of the time I found it overbearing, a long string of compound words. While I can see why some readers will fall under its spell, I found it difficult to be swept up in a story that's more embellishment than bones.
*Thank you to Netgalley for the arc in exchange for an honest review*