novelesque_life's review against another edition
3.0
RATING: 3 STARS
(Review Not on Blog)
I am intrigued with the Hogarth Shakespeare series...they have chosen amazing authors to take one of Shakespeare's tale and make it there own. I am a fan of Tracy Chevalier's writing so I was happy to plunge into this one. This story is set in the 1970s with preteens. The new boy in school is black and he falls for the popular pretty white girl. One of their classmates cannot see the pair's budding friendship/romance so he decides to break them apart using the schoolyard. I liked Chevalier's writing, as always, but I I didn't find some parts realistic. It is a fair retelling of Othello.
(Review Not on Blog)
I am intrigued with the Hogarth Shakespeare series...they have chosen amazing authors to take one of Shakespeare's tale and make it there own. I am a fan of Tracy Chevalier's writing so I was happy to plunge into this one. This story is set in the 1970s with preteens. The new boy in school is black and he falls for the popular pretty white girl. One of their classmates cannot see the pair's budding friendship/romance so he decides to break them apart using the schoolyard. I liked Chevalier's writing, as always, but I I didn't find some parts realistic. It is a fair retelling of Othello.
ekmook's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
nerdyrev's review against another edition
4.0
While I enjoyed reading this one, I did have two thoughts which may have swayed me a bit. I loved the idea of moving Othello to a 6th grade class in the 70s, but it was very reminiscent of the movie “O,” so that pushed me a bit.
The second thought was, while I thought turning up the racism aspect of Othello was very good, I did wonder what this book would have been like if it were authored by a person of color. That is nothing against the author at all, but rather a desire to see Hogarth include authors of color within their series and what a better story than Othello to include an author of color.
The ending is just heartbreaking and moving the story to 6th grade did help with some of the odder jumps in Othello.
Overall, I enjoyed it. I gave it a 3.5
The second thought was, while I thought turning up the racism aspect of Othello was very good, I did wonder what this book would have been like if it were authored by a person of color. That is nothing against the author at all, but rather a desire to see Hogarth include authors of color within their series and what a better story than Othello to include an author of color.
The ending is just heartbreaking and moving the story to 6th grade did help with some of the odder jumps in Othello.
Overall, I enjoyed it. I gave it a 3.5
laurob50's review
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
3.5
nglofile's review against another edition
3.0
The idea behind this Othello update is delicious. Playgrounds are ripe for drama (especially one with a pirate ship to climb – btw, kudos to the optical illusion of the cover design), and sixth grade can be an especially provocative time. A single day, as this story proves, can absolutely contain the action of a full five-act play. The setting choice of Washington, D.C. in the 1970s sprinkles in additional flavor, and I am here for it.
Though not perfect, this adaptation has insight, creativity, and richness. Even the elements I found to be problematic might make for a thoughtful discussion, given the right group. One struggle is with the racial commentary – not its inclusion, but the execution. The issues were believably integrated, but some of the articulation attributed to sixth graders, especially of that era, was forced to a degree that felt revisionist at best. Osei’s internal monologues were stronger, but I confess to the same discomfort expressed by one of the hosts of the So Many Damn Books podcast: was a white female author the best choice to reimagine this particular play?
The story felt a bit uneven, though it seemed to come alive during dialogue. It’s not a prescriptive that plays can’t be successfully adapted into novels, but the manner of adaptation will make all the difference. If large swaths of information are shared via arm’s length narration, it will equally distance the readers from the characters. One can only imagine an author would be skittish about allowing too many lines of script to have mirrors in inserted dialogue, but Shakespeare plays have not endured based solely on plot. Not only is there an art in the poetic language, but there is a compactness of meaning and feeling communicated through speech. Unfortunately, a novelization, even an imaginative one, may suffer by comparison – though, to be fair, there are examples to the contrary.
This is all seeming as though I enjoyed the read much less than I did. It is worthwhile, and I look forward to the conversations this work will undoubtedly spark.
Though not perfect, this adaptation has insight, creativity, and richness. Even the elements I found to be problematic might make for a thoughtful discussion, given the right group. One struggle is with the racial commentary – not its inclusion, but the execution. The issues were believably integrated, but some of the articulation attributed to sixth graders, especially of that era, was forced to a degree that felt revisionist at best. Osei’s internal monologues were stronger, but I confess to the same discomfort expressed by one of the hosts of the So Many Damn Books podcast: was a white female author the best choice to reimagine this particular play?
The story felt a bit uneven, though it seemed to come alive during dialogue. It’s not a prescriptive that plays can’t be successfully adapted into novels, but the manner of adaptation will make all the difference. If large swaths of information are shared via arm’s length narration, it will equally distance the readers from the characters. One can only imagine an author would be skittish about allowing too many lines of script to have mirrors in inserted dialogue, but Shakespeare plays have not endured based solely on plot. Not only is there an art in the poetic language, but there is a compactness of meaning and feeling communicated through speech. Unfortunately, a novelization, even an imaginative one, may suffer by comparison – though, to be fair, there are examples to the contrary.
This is all seeming as though I enjoyed the read much less than I did. It is worthwhile, and I look forward to the conversations this work will undoubtedly spark.
ichirofakename's review against another edition
1.0
Made it to page 51. Turns out I'm not interested in schoolyard politics, even if it is based on Othello.
carrielucas's review against another edition
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
1.5
Eye-rollingly one dimensional characters. Fairly unsympathetic to Osei. Just very let down by this book. Do not recommend.
Also, I really don’t need to read a book by a white author about racial bullying. Lol.
Also, I really don’t need to read a book by a white author about racial bullying. Lol.
shimimire's review against another edition
4.0
I received this book as a birthday gift. Only knowing the basics of the original it made me want to read Othello. I think it was really well done for the target audience.
sadiereadsagain's review against another edition
4.0
Disclaimer - I have never read Othello or seen it performed. All I know of Shakespeare's play which inspired this retelling is what I read of the Schmoop summary I glanced at before I read this book.
This is a dark exploration of the cruelty of children, the injustice of racism and the senselessness of bullying. Told over the space of one fraught school day where new boy, Ghanaian "O" becomes the only black kid on the playground, this is a dramatic and face paced read. Although I didn't go to school in the 70's, I was transported back to my own school days and thought that Chevalier really captured a lot of the sensations of that age. I thought the characters were really well established, and I thought the storyline was such a clever interpretation of the classic play. The only thing I struggled with was the age of the kids. I know at age 11 there was a lot of one-day relationships and heated games of kiss-chase, but I think if the characters had even been a bit older it would have seemed more believable. But that's such a tiny quibble really, in such a clever story.
This is a dark exploration of the cruelty of children, the injustice of racism and the senselessness of bullying. Told over the space of one fraught school day where new boy, Ghanaian "O" becomes the only black kid on the playground, this is a dramatic and face paced read. Although I didn't go to school in the 70's, I was transported back to my own school days and thought that Chevalier really captured a lot of the sensations of that age. I thought the characters were really well established, and I thought the storyline was such a clever interpretation of the classic play. The only thing I struggled with was the age of the kids. I know at age 11 there was a lot of one-day relationships and heated games of kiss-chase, but I think if the characters had even been a bit older it would have seemed more believable. But that's such a tiny quibble really, in such a clever story.