A review by melbie
Exposure by Kim Askew, Amy Helmes

4.0

I did a Masters degree focused on YA Shakespeare retellings, so I am always looking for a new one to tempt me. Exposure is one I hadn't heard of before but I am glad that I found it in the school library. One of my favourite things about it was that it was well written and intelligent - the characters were articulate and the vocabulary was more sophisticated than your average YA book, which is a good nod to the works of Shakespeare himself - he man knows language so it's good to see a book for young people that doesn't dumb down the dialogue - even the jocks were well spoken! The novel is a retelling of Macbeth, and the reinterpretation of this play in a high school setting is a unique choice, and uses the concept of power politics between cliques as the focus for it's exploration of the themes present within the play. There were obvious links to the play present, with each chapter title being a familiar quote, there were recognisable character names and characteristics, key scenes were reinterpreted and these references were well done, and would appeal to fans of the Bard without scaring away those who might see Shakespeare as a challenge. One of the strongest references made is that of the three witches, with Cat, Tess and Kaya being ethereal and weird, popping up at odd times to prophesise, and also linking their own cultural heritage to the story. The novel is set in small town Alaska, and there are lots of lovely reminders of place and people within the writing. The description of the setting, from the isolation and eerie woodlands, to the emergence of the Northern Lights and the chill that wafts across the pages all add to the atmosphere of the story, and modernises the supernatural themes of the play. Another good scene is riff on the banquet when Banquo appears in the original, this time taking place at the crowning of the prom king and queen, when the ghosts of kings past appear in a sporting way. The marching woods at the end of the novel are a clever addition too. There are some real strengths and attention to detail within the book that put it ahead of others in the genre. There is a balance too between the Macbeth features and the high school experience of Skye, who is the narrator of the book, who is on the periphery of events and guides the reader through. Not all of it is perfect though, for example, her family dramas and the romance, which are total YA tropes to keep keen readers of the genre engaged no doubt. I also felt the whole photography metaphor and exposure was a bit naff - maybe too obvious for me as a grown up but maybe not as jarring for the intended audience! Overall, this is one of the better Shakespeare inspired YA novels out there, smart, strange and sometimes unnerving, a reflection on traditional themes in a modern setting. The added Alaskan setting was a definite plus as well!