Reviews

King John by William Shakespeare

theratcave's review

adventurous dark informative mysterious sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? N/A
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

I really enjoyed this play. I was reading from my mum’s big Shakespeare Complete Works which meant the words were small and pages were big - it was a trek but once I got into it and researched the history too to really follow along, it was super enjoyable. The action in the play, while in terms of the wars often happens offstage or isn’t the centre of the happenings, is dramatic, and builds to a point where the last scenes seem like a genuine rest of pain after a long fought war. I haven’t read any of the other histories yet so if this is anything to go by, if I put my interest into it I should have a brilliant time.
Arthur was a very tragic character, one who I connected with and may be able to get a monologue out of, from Act 4 Sc 3

where he is almost tortured and killed by Hubert.

All the characters in fact, while also being (based on) real people, felt very alive and full of personality.
I definitely have interest to watch this one somehow, and go back to it in the future. Possibly my second favourite Shakespeare now, after Hamlet.

cookerlives's review

challenging dark reflective sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

travelinglibrary's review

dark sad tense medium-paced

2.75

lucretia_pallas's review

challenging dark emotional informative sad tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.25

rainbow1218's review

dark tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

amyfletcher's review against another edition

slow-paced

2.5

readingonfogo's review

adventurous challenging medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.75

steven_nobody's review against another edition

2.0

At first, I had a bit of hard time giving too much attention to this history play thinking it might be obscure and confusing. However, the plot isn't hard to follow. The best part is that lady mourning her son to the point of madness. And then the next scene where the boy is endangered all the way to the end of that scene I was hooked. And then bored again, sorry.

cs4_0reads's review against another edition

dark tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

lillyjane30's review

adventurous challenging fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5