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 ...
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reviews
Nov 23, 2011
Pmcmartin
rated it: 
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 h 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 h More...
Oct 02, 2011
Nicola
rated it: 
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 im 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 im More...
Nov 01, 2010
Courtney
rated it:
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. 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. More...
Dec 04, 2009
Brenda
rated it:
This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers.
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Oct 06, 2009
Sara
rated it:
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 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 More...
Mar 23, 2011
Liane
rated it:
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 w 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 w More...
Jan 09, 2009
Jen
rated it: 
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"
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Jun 14, 2009
chinasparrow
rated it:
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 ag 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 ag More...
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Jul 14, 2011
Danielle
rated it:
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
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Aug 19, 2009
Kelly
rated it:
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 More...
My favorite line in the book belongs to Hamlet in reference to More...
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Aug 25, 2009
Phair
rated it: 
This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers.
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Jul 13, 2010
Minu
rated it:
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 impo
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Jan 03, 2012
Beejay
rated it: 
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 gr
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Jan 02, 2010
Becky
rated it:
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 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 More...
Sep 30, 2010
Cindy
rated it:
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 woul
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May 09, 2011
Libby
rated it:
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
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Jan 03, 2010
Keli
rated it:
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:
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 se More...
What I appreciated most about this retelling of Hamlet is the author's confrontation of his protagonist's presumed se More...
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Feb 07, 2010
Jerry
rated it:
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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Nov 23, 2010
Alicia
rated it:
Thanks to this book, I finally understand Hamlet. It's amazing! A few...awkward moments, but then again, most of these characters are teenagers, and you know, teenagers have raging hormones... Other than that, the book was super awesome. Depressing ending, of course, but yeah. Everyone who's ever been confused by Hamlet (so most teenagers here on Earth) should read this :D
Oct 02, 2009
Jennifer
rated it:
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 Mars 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 Mars More...
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Jul 18, 2011
Ms Tlaskal
rated it:
This was incredible. A fantastic precursor to reading the original, Marsden remains faithful to the
taste and texture of Shakespeare yet converts it to a more accessible teenage form. He must have had great fun doing this. It is ideal YA fiction; concerned with all the ideas teens wrestle with; death, love and agonising about their parents. Thoroughly recommended.
taste and texture of Shakespeare yet converts it to a more accessible teenage form. He must have had great fun doing this. It is ideal YA fiction; concerned with all the ideas teens wrestle with; death, love and agonising about their parents. Thoroughly recommended.
May 27, 2011
Christina
rated it:
To be honest, I read this in two and a half hours, in a McDonald's during a misty early morning. I hadn't slept for 36 hours and I was trying to keep myself awake until that evening. Consequently, I don't really think I took too much of it in.
However, it was nice to finally know the story of Hamlet without having to read the actual play. I'm lazy like that.
However, it was nice to finally know the story of Hamlet without having to read the actual play. I'm lazy like that.
Dec 18, 2009
Sequoia
rated it:
I've never read or seen the original Hamlet so I have nothing to compare it by but this was a rather boring version a play greatly known. It said it would have any Shakespeare hater to love his works. I guess my problem was I didn't hate him just couldn't read plays without missing parts or misunderstanding what is going on, so this book brought timeline into a play but tookout importance and creativity. Lame.
Jun 21, 2009
Brenda
rated it:
I could totally see kids reading this (maybe even being assigned to read it by an enlightened English teacher) and loving most elements of the story. Of course, as an adult who has read it many times and knows the story well, this novel is simply another retelling. However, it captures the moods of the major players and would appeal to YA's.
Dec 14, 2009
Trudi
rated it:
I was really hoping for a lot more here. Take away the language and poetry from Shakespeare and you're left with something not much better than Cliff's Notes (remember those?) Making Shakespeare more accessible to teen audiences is a lofty goal, but I'm not convinced this is the way to do it. At the end of the day, I don't think compromising Shakespeare is worth it.
Dec 02, 2010
Raphael
rated it:
Brilliant! The thing I enjoyed the most about this book was the youth of Hamlet. He and his friends are teenagers (teenagers being, of course, Marsden's speciality), and it feels like the weight of both the castle and the story itself crushes them slowly as the book progresses.
Oct 09, 2011
Vivisawesome
rated it:
I've never read Hamlet. It seemed really dull and boring and I thought it was for old people and nerds. strangely enough, this book was lying on the floor in my bedroom. Fasinated by the cover, I started reading it.
Whilst reading this book, my dictionary was with my left hand and the book was with my right.
The language Hamlet used was hard to understand... but somehoe I got through it.
Whilst reading this book, my dictionary was with my left hand and the book was with my right.
The language Hamlet used was hard to understand... but somehoe I got through it.
Sep 13, 2011
Noelle
rated it:
When I got this book I first thought it was going to be a new John Marsden story but quickly discovered it is Shakespeare's work condensed. I give it 3 stars, because if it weren't for this book I might not have ever read anything Shakespeare, but this made it easy.
Apr 25, 2011
Jess - The Tales Compendium
rated it:
A great read from fantastic Australian author John Marsden. I wasn't sure what to expect considering I have never bothered to read anything by Shakespeare and only knew the general idea behind Hamlet but I was pleasantly surprised.
