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420th out of 3,826 books
—
4,001 voters
Hamlet
by
John Marsden
Hamlet’s father has just died. By the time they’ve filled in the grave his mother has remarried. Hamlet suspects foul play, and it’s troubling his spirit. Or maybe he was always troubled. Ophelia is in love with him. His best friend Horatio can’t work him out. Then, on a cold, still night, Hamlet meets the ghost of his father...
This wonderful book, by one of Australia’s mo...more
This wonderful book, by one of Australia’s mo...more
229 pages
Published
January 5th 2008
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Nov 16, 2012
Jennifer Wardrip
rated it
3 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
trt-posted-reviews
Reviewed by Joan Stradling for TeensReadToo.com
Something's rotten in Denmark, but this time, it's not Shakespeare's normally confusing play. Marsden does a fantastic job of taking the Bard's poetic writing and updating it for modern readers.
Hamlet still faces issues the original author set for him (an unfaithful mother, a murderous uncle, the hauntingly attractive Ophelia), but the reader is able to delve more deeply into the characters as they are brought to life by Marsden's beautiful prose.
Si...more
Something's rotten in Denmark, but this time, it's not Shakespeare's normally confusing play. Marsden does a fantastic job of taking the Bard's poetic writing and updating it for modern readers.
Hamlet still faces issues the original author set for him (an unfaithful mother, a murderous uncle, the hauntingly attractive Ophelia), but the reader is able to delve more deeply into the characters as they are brought to life by Marsden's beautiful prose.
Si...more
One of my ongoing daydreams is of writing a series of books . Of course, as a lazy person, I often think of short cuts. One shortcut I thought of, but dismissed, was writing books that just told the story of Shakespeare's plays. The plots just aren't that complex. It is the language that makes Shakespeare's writing so amazing (duh!). However, this book does as good a job as can be done, I think, in retelling a Shakespeare play. Very well done, with poetic language that echoes Shakespeare, but do...more
Even though I have not yet read the actual Hamlet, by Shakespeare himself, (i intend to!), I found this version of Hamlet heart wrenching. I know, not the best way to begin a review, but given it kinda comes from a mind with a love for tragedies, it's ok...
Hamlet and Ophelia's mad passion for each other had me screaming at fictional characters for not doing what I told them almost inmediatly. I wanted to kill someone, specially that goddamed Claudius!
Saved from Shakespeare's complicated language...more
Hamlet and Ophelia's mad passion for each other had me screaming at fictional characters for not doing what I told them almost inmediatly. I wanted to kill someone, specially that goddamed Claudius!
Saved from Shakespeare's complicated language...more
I'll give it to Text Publishing - this is an extremely handsome book. One of the most beautiful cover designs I've seen in a while, gruesomely elegant with its finely drawn death's head, and startling fluoro-orange end papers. Which kind of sums up this mish-mash: Shakespeare's 500 year old narrative blended into John Marsden's insight into contemporary teenagers.
I haven't ever read or seen Hamlet (my Shakespeare is limited to a romantic high school teacher's preference for the light-hearted com...more
I haven't ever read or seen Hamlet (my Shakespeare is limited to a romantic high school teacher's preference for the light-hearted com...more
I picked this book up because our school library just got it in to help some of our ESL students understand Hamlet more. I have a split rating for this one. I have given it 3 stars for the text itself, but as a tool for ESL learners I would likely give it a four stars.
The underlying issue I had with this book is that Shakespeare is not really know for writing incredibly unique or compelling plots (in my opinion at least). What is so powerful about Shakespeare is the language in which he tells hi...more
The underlying issue I had with this book is that Shakespeare is not really know for writing incredibly unique or compelling plots (in my opinion at least). What is so powerful about Shakespeare is the language in which he tells hi...more
Reason for Reading: I enjoy Shakespeare retellings and Hamlet is probably my favourite Shakespeare.
The book tells the story of Shakespeare's Hamlet. The plot is there and all the major points are present. The author uses some of the original language while modernizing it yet keeping all the most famous quotes such as "to be or not to be". So to read this book one does get the plot of Shakespeare's Hamlet without having to read or experience the original. But I was not impressed with this retelli...more
The book tells the story of Shakespeare's Hamlet. The plot is there and all the major points are present. The author uses some of the original language while modernizing it yet keeping all the most famous quotes such as "to be or not to be". So to read this book one does get the plot of Shakespeare's Hamlet without having to read or experience the original. But I was not impressed with this retelli...more
I'll start by stating that I am very familiar with Hamlet. I've read and studied the play, seen a variety of productions and have read several books that revolve around Shakespeare's tale. That being said, I was very disappointed in Marsden's efforts at introducing Hamlet to a younger generation.
First of all, parts of what make Hamlet great are some of the lines and monologues that the characters have in the play. A few of them are in the book, but many of the best lines are left out. ("Alas, p...more
First of all, parts of what make Hamlet great are some of the lines and monologues that the characters have in the play. A few of them are in the book, but many of the best lines are left out. ("Alas, p...more
This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it,
click here.
A friend asked me to read this because I teach Shakespeare in high school. He (the friend, not Shakespeare, who is dead and doesn't know anything any more) asked me to see if I thought this version of Hamlet was worth passing along to our students.
I wish it was.
Instead of a solid modernization of an old story, Marsden has taken an interesting psychological study of a bunch of OCD sufferers and turned it into a hodgepodge mess of point of view, random events, and anachronism. At one point halfwa...more
I wish it was.
Instead of a solid modernization of an old story, Marsden has taken an interesting psychological study of a bunch of OCD sufferers and turned it into a hodgepodge mess of point of view, random events, and anachronism. At one point halfwa...more
1 like · like · see review
Have you ever wondered who Ophelia thinks about as she masturbates?
Me, neither. But now I know. I also know that Hamlet likes to watch old women bathe and well-endowed cooks pleasure themselves. And, oh yeah, he may enjoy torturing animals. Not important ones, mind you. Just chickens and the like.
I appreciate this book for what it is: a simplified, “I Melt With You” rendition of a somewhat difficult play. A story like this would be more appealing to high school students who might not be able to...more
Me, neither. But now I know. I also know that Hamlet likes to watch old women bathe and well-endowed cooks pleasure themselves. And, oh yeah, he may enjoy torturing animals. Not important ones, mind you. Just chickens and the like.
I appreciate this book for what it is: a simplified, “I Melt With You” rendition of a somewhat difficult play. A story like this would be more appealing to high school students who might not be able to...more
16 likes · like · see review
Throughout the book, I was holding a dictionary with me for I couldn't understand some words and I really needed the dictionary.
Anyway, moving on. I have always known Hamlet because it's a famous work of Shakespeare. I'm pretty familiar with the characters, I just don't know the story so when I saw this in the library, I borrowed it immediately.
I like it, it has a great story. It got twists and all that, it's exciting actually. Who's gonna die, who's not. I like it, the whole medieval setting, k...more
Anyway, moving on. I have always known Hamlet because it's a famous work of Shakespeare. I'm pretty familiar with the characters, I just don't know the story so when I saw this in the library, I borrowed it immediately.
I like it, it has a great story. It got twists and all that, it's exciting actually. Who's gonna die, who's not. I like it, the whole medieval setting, k...more
Jan 13, 2013
Dina Chariag
added it
Hamlet: a novel
John Marsden
230 pages
We all know the chilling story of Hamlet originally wirrten by Shakespeare. That book can get very confusing and hard to read and understand. This is why i feel that John Marsden did an amazing job in re-writing the story of hamlet in an easier manner, also making it feel more thrill-seeking. I am very into creepy scary novels, and this was perfect for me because i found a classic story that has exactly what interests me in reading. I think i fell in love wit...more
John Marsden
230 pages
We all know the chilling story of Hamlet originally wirrten by Shakespeare. That book can get very confusing and hard to read and understand. This is why i feel that John Marsden did an amazing job in re-writing the story of hamlet in an easier manner, also making it feel more thrill-seeking. I am very into creepy scary novels, and this was perfect for me because i found a classic story that has exactly what interests me in reading. I think i fell in love wit...more
I have a slight addiction to Hamlet, so I'm afraid that I am a bit picky when it comes to variations of the story. I am sure the author is probably quite talented, but IMHO, this story was awful. It's sort of a Cliff Notes version, but in novel form. So many of the themes are missing from the story, whilst other elements have been added that I certainly never took away from Hamlet before (I really don't want to guess at the size of Hamlet's penis nor do I want to hear about his bowel movements)....more
Really enjoyed this, having revisited the play often through the years. Wish I'd had this version back when I was studying it - what a great introduction to the plot, the characters, and a humanising view which would be highly accessable to young readers especially. Marsden avoided any self-conscious and overplayed approaches to the oft-quoted passages, and yet maintained enough of them to satisfy expectations. Would recommend this to anyone who wants to know "what Hamlet is about" and it certai...more
Hamlet as a brooding misunderstood teenager who is a bit of a peeping tom and a bit mentally unbalanced. I think my students might enjoy this more than I did because it is so much more their language, but that being said, there is a lot of random seemingly un-required private part descriptions and usage in this book. No character is fully explored and so I did not understand the motivation of any of them; this made it hard to be invested in their happiness and outcomes.
Still, it is a light read...more
Still, it is a light read...more
In anyone's books it is a fairly ambitious task to rework a work of one of the English language's great masters. And while Marsden is a polished writer, the link from his Tomorrow series to this seems unobvious (I don't know if that is a word - too late at night!).
Marsden cleverly turns to story into one of teen angst and sexual awakenings, and it is actually incredibly effective at capturing the mood and issues of the tragedy. Everything is dramatic as a teenager, you want to rebel against the...more
Marsden cleverly turns to story into one of teen angst and sexual awakenings, and it is actually incredibly effective at capturing the mood and issues of the tragedy. Everything is dramatic as a teenager, you want to rebel against the...more
Once upon a time there was an amazing author named John Marsden.
Who wrote serious, emotion-wringing realistic fiction (i.e. Letters From the Inside).
And fast-paced, jaw dropping dystopian novels (aka The Tomorrow Series).
And who decided to tackle retelling the greatest play of all time.
HAMLET.
This is my third YA-Hamlet read in three years, and definitely my favorite. It’s also the most true to the original story. (I flat-out find Ophelia more interesting when she actually goes mad!) The parts I...more
Who wrote serious, emotion-wringing realistic fiction (i.e. Letters From the Inside).
And fast-paced, jaw dropping dystopian novels (aka The Tomorrow Series).
And who decided to tackle retelling the greatest play of all time.
HAMLET.
This is my third YA-Hamlet read in three years, and definitely my favorite. It’s also the most true to the original story. (I flat-out find Ophelia more interesting when she actually goes mad!) The parts I...more
Marsden re-tells in prose what is arguably Shakespeare's best and most complex play. Whilst aspects of the recontextualising (Hamlet playing AFL with his mates one minute, then returning to his room in the Danish castle the next) don't really work, Marsden's ability to communicate this famous story to a young adult audience is compelling. The young adult voices captured through Hamlet, Horatio and Ophelia are well done, although the language (perhaps intentionally) moves strangely from more rela...more
I was excited to read this novel, but I found it sadly lacking. It will be good for those students who struggle with Shakespeare because the book narrates the classic tale faithfully (but it does elaborate and further develop the characters and plot). Sadly, the author's writing style is awkward. It's as if he couldn't decide between writing a modern/hip version of the famous play or simply transcribe it into novel form.
My favorite line in the book belongs to Hamlet in reference to Ophelia, " H...more
My favorite line in the book belongs to Hamlet in reference to Ophelia, " H...more
This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it,
click here.
After reading the original play in its entirety and following it up with Marsden's novel, I can truly say he was as accurate (if not more) as any film adaptation of Shakespeare's plays. There were parts of the book that were verbatim from the play, which some readers (especially adults) would say is unoriginal, however, he mixed it up by philosophizing, inserting characters' thoughts and new scenes in between the original parts of the play, which lent this novel a modern perspective. Most import...more
A novelization of Shakespeare’s play. Prince Hamlet’s father is dead, and now his mother has married his uncle. The ghost of Hamlet’s father reveals that his brother, now married to the queen, actually murdered him to take his throne. The ghost wants Hamlet to kill the murderer for revenge.
• Extreme language, infrequent
• Explicit sexual scenes, some homosexual fantasies
• Characters are two-dimensional, and are obsessed with sex
• Inconsistent writing
• Overall, not recommended--stick with real Sh...more
• Extreme language, infrequent
• Explicit sexual scenes, some homosexual fantasies
• Characters are two-dimensional, and are obsessed with sex
• Inconsistent writing
• Overall, not recommended--stick with real Sh...more
"TO READ OR NOT TO READ. THAT IS THE QUESTION".
oh where to begin with this book...............
so I remember when I discovered this book, and I asked my friends if it was good. and they were all like, "OMG it was amazing and fabulous" blah blah blah.
So I borrowed the book from my local library assuming that this was going to be a good book. I started reading and I got sooooo confused because one minute, the novel is written in modern day language, the next minute, it is written in Elizabethan la...more
oh where to begin with this book...............
so I remember when I discovered this book, and I asked my friends if it was good. and they were all like, "OMG it was amazing and fabulous" blah blah blah.
So I borrowed the book from my local library assuming that this was going to be a good book. I started reading and I got sooooo confused because one minute, the novel is written in modern day language, the next minute, it is written in Elizabethan la...more
As one of those uneducated people who have never actually read Shakespeare, other than some wonderful quotes, the odd “scene” acted out at school, or a glimpse at some of his beautiful poetry, I approached John Marsden’s “Hamlet: A Novel” full of anticipation, blissfully ignorant but waiting to be told just what was so rotten in the State of Denmark. Oh, joy, Marsden has absolutely done it for me with this one: I feel that I want to go out now and read the Bard’s version myself. Isn’t that a gre...more
First posted to my blog, Terra On the Bookshelf
Hamlet's father has died and his mother quickly remarries. One cold night he is roused from his sleep by Horatio and Bernardo who claim that the have seen the ghost of Hamlet's father walking the grounds. The drag Hamlet from his bed to encounter the spirit, seeming indeed to be that of his father, who claims to have been murdered by the very man who has claimed the crown and married Hamlet's mother - Hamlet's uncle and his father's own brother!
This...more
Hamlet's father has died and his mother quickly remarries. One cold night he is roused from his sleep by Horatio and Bernardo who claim that the have seen the ghost of Hamlet's father walking the grounds. The drag Hamlet from his bed to encounter the spirit, seeming indeed to be that of his father, who claims to have been murdered by the very man who has claimed the crown and married Hamlet's mother - Hamlet's uncle and his father's own brother!
This...more
So perhaps I am one of the few alive who hasn't read Shakespeare Hamlet...(perhaps it was because I went to 3 high schools or skipped two grades); but I am also very intimidated by Shakespeare, so when I saw that John Marsden had written a 'speak easy' novel, I decided to start there. I actually really enjoyed it. I think now, I could read Shakespeare's Hamlet and understand it. I have seen a stage play and a movie, but since I wasn't familiar with the story, I couldn't stay awake, now I would.
I was really looking forward to this novelization of Hamlet, because I like John Marsden as an author so much. Marsden did a really good job with it, but once I started reading, I remembered...I don't like Hamlet that much to begin with. Mostly because I don't like Hamlet--he's kind of a jerk, particularly to his mother and Ophelia. I definitely buy Claudius as the bad guy, but I don't exactly find myself cheering for Hamlet. I also feel like Ophelia goes made a little too suddenly and without e...more
This book did a passable job of translating the story of Hamlet into a version that is approachable to younger readers. However, Hamlet is such a psychological play and Marsden glossed over some of the more complex parts and focused instead on the action. Ophelia gets marginalized once again. However, it's a completely acceptable book. The main problem is that when you set out to paint a Monet, you damn well better paint a Monet.
May 30, 2009
Dusty
rated it
3 of 5 stars
Recommended to Dusty by:
Alma Salinas
Shelves:
read-in-2009
I don't know. Hamlet is probably Shakespeare's best play, and since its hero is a self-consumed adolescent I suppose it's decent material for a YA novel. But although John Marsden's sentences are tight, his book feels less like a novel than like a prose summarization of the bard's poetry. I suppose that was the plan, but isn't that also what you get from Cliff's Notes?
What I appreciated most about this retelling of Hamlet is the author's confrontation of his protagonist's presumed sexual identit...more
What I appreciated most about this retelling of Hamlet is the author's confrontation of his protagonist's presumed sexual identit...more
Okay rewrite of Shakespeare's classic but lacks the subtlety and undertones of the original. Some language updated to be more in-your-face modern but the result is an uneven narrative flow from the mix of old and new. Most of the memorable quotes kept intact, but Hamlet made to look crazy, like King George III, rather than overwhelmed by emotion and desire for revenge for his father's death/murder and mother's hasty remarriage.
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His first book, So Much To Tell You, was published in 1987. This was followed by Take My Word For It, a half-sequel written from the point of view of another character. His landmark Tomorrow series is recognized as the most popular book series for young adults ever written in Australia. The first book of this series, Tomorrow When The War Began, has been reprinted 26 times in Australia. The first...more
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“If I have to do battle with you a thousand times to prove my point, I'll do it.'
The queen unwisely asked, 'But to prove what point, my dear Hamlet?'
'That I loved Ophelia! Fifty thousand brothers, with all the love they can summon, would not equal my love for here. Ophelia, Ophelia.”
—
4 people liked it
The queen unwisely asked, 'But to prove what point, my dear Hamlet?'
'That I loved Ophelia! Fifty thousand brothers, with all the love they can summon, would not equal my love for here. Ophelia, Ophelia.”
“A beggar who goes fishing may use a worm which has feasted on a king as his bait. And the fisherman may eat the fish caught with that bait. What does this tells us? Well, it tells us that a king may progress through the guts of a pauper.”
—
2 people liked it
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Nov 23, 2011 10:32am