A review by djthatch
A Thousand Acres by Jane Smiley

3.0

This is a very well-done retelling/interpretation of Shakespeare's King Lear. I had a hard time getting into the novel, and had I not had to read it for my class, I may not have made it past the slow beginning. I'm glad I did. What kept me interested in the beginning, was trying to find the connections in this book to Lear, however, as the novel went on, I found myself becoming more engaged with the novel and I focused less on its connection to Lear.

This novel discusses themes of nature, identity, the treatment of women and nature, rural life, secrets, and memory. If you enjoyed King Lear I would suggest reading this book to see a different perspective of the narrative. The way this story is told may alter how you interpret Shakespeare's version.