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A review by cathybruce208
Miranda and Caliban by Jacqueline Carey
3.0
It pains me to only give this a 3 star rating. Jacqueline Carey is one of my favorite writers. The book had so much promise, but it kind of ran out of gas by the end. Of course, we all know what happens in the end—if not, go see/read The Tempest. Miranda and her father, Prospero forgive the men who put them on the island and leave it, and Ariel and Caliban, behind forever.
Creating a book about what it was like for Miranda and Caliban to grow up on the island seemed like a stroke of genius. But the characters for Prospero and Miranda never really came into focus. Caliban's character was better drawn, and in some ways, he is the hero of the story. I know Miranda was meant to be a co-protagonist, but she didn't really seem to change or grow or ever break free from her father's influence. And I'm not sure what we were supposed to make of Prospero, he remained a strictly one-note character. I know the Shakespearean play focuses on him, but it's been YEARS since I saw the play. I couldn't really remember much about his character from the play, but this is still a stand-alone book.
The writing is beautiful and really evokes the island and the experiences of the characters, but it left me wanting.
Creating a book about what it was like for Miranda and Caliban to grow up on the island seemed like a stroke of genius. But the characters for Prospero and Miranda never really came into focus. Caliban's character was better drawn, and in some ways, he is the hero of the story. I know Miranda was meant to be a co-protagonist, but she didn't really seem to change or grow or ever break free from her father's influence. And I'm not sure what we were supposed to make of Prospero, he remained a strictly one-note character. I know the Shakespearean play focuses on him, but it's been YEARS since I saw the play. I couldn't really remember much about his character from the play, but this is still a stand-alone book.
The writing is beautiful and really evokes the island and the experiences of the characters, but it left me wanting.