Reviews

Enter the Body by Joy McCullough

redreviews4you's review

challenging dark reflective tense slow-paced

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

3.0

I was not expecting this book to be drafted in the form of monologues or asides or siliques as if I was reading a play.  Each of the key female characters from Shakespeare's plays, as well as some key historical figures, are represented in the Traproom scenes. I enjoy poetry and I do enjoy Shakespeare's Blank Verse; however, I was very taken aback and I feel that you should be prepared as well, because Enter the Body felt more in line with a Collection of Poetry rather than a traditional Shakespearian Play or a novel.  There seems to be very little interaction between the characters listed so it looses the give and taken and playfulness that is expected from a play -- especially Shakespeare's plays. 

If you like poetry, enjoy reading song lyrics, or enjoy musical theater librettos then  Enter the Body will be a good fit for you because there is a lot of depth and presentation of how each of these characters feel when looking back at their story -- it's just in the formats previously mentioned. But maybe the second part of the book changes this up. 

d2390's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional funny hopeful reflective tense medium-paced

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

4.0

eedegroot's review

4.0

I want to say, “Perhaps not for me,” and maybe that’s true, but I think it’s worth reading anyway because all women need to know their stories are worthy of being told. It did feel like a book you would read in a book club or an English, psychology or gender studies class. It would definitely provide a fruitful discussion amongst a diverse group of readers, much as it did for the ladies in the trap room.

I found the audio book a little confusing and distracting, with some voices indistinguishable from others. Since I’m not overly familiar with Shakespeare (not necessary for this book, but very helpful!) and the names all have a similar sound to them, that didn’t help either. Accents would have been good, I think. A part of me wants to go back read this book normally so I can get my own interpretation from the visual cues used in the design. I feel like it would be a completely different, and perhaps better, experience.

vinceyface's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional hopeful reflective sad medium-paced

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

4.0

ashleyvee's review against another edition

dark hopeful reflective sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

3.5

catchme_ridingnerdy's review

3.75

I was onboard for the most part when it came to this book. I love the idea of looking through a feminist lens at how the women in Shakespeare plays were treated and giving them their voices back. This book was supposed to be a quick read for me, but it put me in a slump and it took me forever to read. The main thing I did not like was the fact that Lavinia did not get to speak. She was silenced and tortured in her play and she was also silenced in this book. I understand why the author would make this choice (some people are not ready to speak or what they experienced is unimaginable), but if Juliet can pull out the dagger when she falls through the trap door and tell a story, why didn’t Lavinia get the same opportunity? I guess I just really wanted Lavinia to get a chance to retell her story.

lunamoon62's review against another edition

challenging emotional hopeful reflective sad medium-paced

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

5.0

domiri's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes

4.0

scribesarah's review

4.0

This was a very slow start for me and I almost DNF’d it because I just wasn’t feeling engaged with the story. I’m so glad I didn’t because the second half is where the best of the storytelling is. There were quotes in this portion that resonated so deeply with me and the storytelling in the second half felt meaningful and bittersweet.

Definitely enjoyed this one a lot.

omwomack02's review

4.5

phenomenal insight on three of Shakespeare's heroines