A review by erickac
New Boy by Tracy Chevalier

dark emotional mysterious tense 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? Yes

3.0

New Boy is an Othello adaptation set in 1970s Washington, D.C. on a school playground. The concept is really clever, and I think the setting allows for interesting conversations about the persistence of racism across centuries. It definitely adds to the new focus of racial conceptions in Shakespearean works. However, I don’t feel that the novel accomplishes what Chevalier hoped it would. The characterizations are clunky and bit too mature to translate fully into the adaptation. There’s also a conversation to be had about Chevalier’s choice to write this adaptation as a white woman and whether or not that is the reason behind the novel’s shortfalls.
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