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Antique Roman
In the tale of Hamlet, Horatio is recorded as a loyal friend, but what if he were more? What if he filled Hamlet’s heart and dreams? And Hamlet filled his? This modern retelling of Shakespeare’s Hamlet, told through Horatio’s eyes is much more than a tragedy. Antique Roman is also a love story about how the handsome and dashing Prince of Denmark finds himself drawn to the quiet, introverted Horatio while at university in Wittenberg. Slowly but surely, Hamlet helps the guarded Horatio see his own true value and shows him how love can bring light to life.
But all too soon for the lovers, Hamlet receives word that his father, the King, has died, and he is to return to Elsinore in Denmark to comfort the grieving Queen. Horatio soon follows to support Hamlet, but finds the royal court mired in intrigue. It appears the late King’s death may not have been of natural causes, the Queen has already remarried her late husband’s brother who has taken the throne, and there have been reports of sightings of the dead King’s ghost.
Told mostly in modern English, this novel also weaves in lines from Shakespeare’s original play, thus offering readers an easy-to-understand version of the Bard’s Hamlet that still captures its flavour and mastery. It also opens up intriguing possibilities about what was the real story behind the play.
But all too soon for the lovers, Hamlet receives word that his father, the King, has died, and he is to return to Elsinore in Denmark to comfort the grieving Queen. Horatio soon follows to support Hamlet, but finds the royal court mired in intrigue. It appears the late King’s death may not have been of natural causes, the Queen has already remarried her late husband’s brother who has taken the throne, and there have been reports of sightings of the dead King’s ghost.
Told mostly in modern English, this novel also weaves in lines from Shakespeare’s original play, thus offering readers an easy-to-understand version of the Bard’s Hamlet that still captures its flavour and mastery. It also opens up intriguing possibilities about what was the real story behind the play.
198 pages, Paperback
Published October 13, 2021
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1240 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 27 of 27 reviews
February 21, 2022
CW: death of father (offscreen), grief, death, death of loved one (onscreen), murder, poison
This book read like Hamlet/Horatio AO3 fanfic in the BEST way. It felt like Hamlet meets Dead Poet's Society with a sprinkle of Ouran High School Host Club. It was such a joy to read, and I found myself in tears despite having read/seen Hamlet many times before. The romantic tension was palpable in every scene and though I didn't find the characterization of any of the characters to be particularly accurate, I found them perfectly suited for this interpretation.
I do think the insertion of lines directly from Hamlet was a bit jarring and made the material difficult to process switching back and forth so drastically, and I wish there was more original material, especially later on in the work. By the end of it, we were essentially just reading the original Hamlet with a couple extra descriptors. I just wish the author had stretched it out a bit and added more of their story between the scenes we know so well, especially because I really did enjoy what they had to add to the world.
Overall, I wouldn't praise this as scholarly commentary - the author spoke of Horatio in the author's note as though he is often discarded as an "unimportant role" and implied that thinking of him as a significant character is revolutionary on their part despite this actually being a VERY common concept amongst Shakespeare fans and students alike. I mean, he's the storyteller and the only one to survive, after all. However, I think this is a beautiful love letter to a beloved and complex character. I see this becoming a comfort read for me for sure.
This book read like Hamlet/Horatio AO3 fanfic in the BEST way. It felt like Hamlet meets Dead Poet's Society with a sprinkle of Ouran High School Host Club. It was such a joy to read, and I found myself in tears despite having read/seen Hamlet many times before. The romantic tension was palpable in every scene and though I didn't find the characterization of any of the characters to be particularly accurate, I found them perfectly suited for this interpretation.
I do think the insertion of lines directly from Hamlet was a bit jarring and made the material difficult to process switching back and forth so drastically, and I wish there was more original material, especially later on in the work. By the end of it, we were essentially just reading the original Hamlet with a couple extra descriptors. I just wish the author had stretched it out a bit and added more of their story between the scenes we know so well, especially because I really did enjoy what they had to add to the world.
Overall, I wouldn't praise this as scholarly commentary - the author spoke of Horatio in the author's note as though he is often discarded as an "unimportant role" and implied that thinking of him as a significant character is revolutionary on their part despite this actually being a VERY common concept amongst Shakespeare fans and students alike. I mean, he's the storyteller and the only one to survive, after all. However, I think this is a beautiful love letter to a beloved and complex character. I see this becoming a comfort read for me for sure.
May 14, 2024
3.5⭐️- This book is written quite strangely. It tries to be stylized with short and atmospheric prose but then switches to Shakespearean english at seemingly random times. It doesn't flow well and perhaps with more practice this sort of decision could work out but imo not in this instance.
Overall the writing is good but the choices with the format are questionable. I'm only really saying this because i was kind of boggled by the story but quite liked it at the same time!
Horatio is so lovely and really carried my enjoyment of the story. His relationship with Hamlet feels organic and it's why i picked up the book in the first place. Casting Ophelia as someone who can understand both men and be their confidant was also charming and im glad she didn't fall into a "jealous woman" stereotype you can sometimes find in queer retellings.
Overall the writing is good but the choices with the format are questionable. I'm only really saying this because i was kind of boggled by the story but quite liked it at the same time!
Horatio is so lovely and really carried my enjoyment of the story. His relationship with Hamlet feels organic and it's why i picked up the book in the first place. Casting Ophelia as someone who can understand both men and be their confidant was also charming and im glad she didn't fall into a "jealous woman" stereotype you can sometimes find in queer retellings.
attempted
August 15, 2022I really wanted to like this and I loved the first half when Hamlet and Horatio are at Wittenberg together- the character development is great and I loved the author's interpretation of Horatio as a character. I was so bummed that, when they got back to Denmark, the book incorporates entire scenes from Hamlet in the original Shakespearean English. It was really jarring juxtaposed with the more modern way the rest of the book was written, and didn't fit with the dialogue or tone of the first half of the book at all. Horatio's characterization in those scenes also didn't seem consistent with the rest of the book. I may pick it up at some point to finish, but it was hard to read the parts based on actual Hamlet scenes without wishing they had been updated as well.
March 6, 2023
[3.5]
this might have just reignited my love for shakespeare 🥹 i need to reread hamlet ASAP
"Good night, sweet prince, / And flights of angels sing thee to thy rest" being a real line from the original play is so fucking crazy bruh they were gay in the original too idgaf what my english teacher said
the abrupt switch from modern english to shakespearean english threw me off a lot i feel like this needed like one or two more rounds of editing to make it flow better but i still had a great time! love these gay little danish ppl
this might have just reignited my love for shakespeare 🥹 i need to reread hamlet ASAP
"Good night, sweet prince, / And flights of angels sing thee to thy rest" being a real line from the original play is so fucking crazy bruh they were gay in the original too idgaf what my english teacher said
the abrupt switch from modern english to shakespearean english threw me off a lot i feel like this needed like one or two more rounds of editing to make it flow better but i still had a great time! love these gay little danish ppl
July 7, 2025
i really struggled with the writing style - i fear such short sentences just aren’t for me. i LOVED some of it, some of it i found pretty disappointing (especially in the second part), but i believe it is my obsession with hamlet that is at fault, and not the author
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February 25, 2025A mix of Hamlet x Horatio fanfic, some Song of Achilles inspiration, and a gay tragedy walk into a bar…
But seriously, I don’t know how to feel about this book, and I’m certainly not ready to rate it yet.
I’m going to leave spoiler alerts off for this review assuming you know how Hamlet’s story ends, I won’t spoil the story but I’m assuming you know the gist.
What started out as a *very* intriguing and might I say adorable take on Horatio and hamlet’s relationship, turned into a clusterfuck of Shakespearean language mixed with very modern dialect. While this was well done at first (a sprinkle of actual lines from the original work interspersed into the modern language), at times there were full pages of text from Shakespearean language, jumping from one to the other (from “old” english to modern English) which just made the story clunky and confusing and choppy. Don’t get me wrong, I loved the integration of actual lines from the original text! But the choppiness and sheer amount was just overdone.
I can see where the author took inspiration from the Song of Achilles (one of my favourite books ever) but the thing I love about TSOA (among other things of course) (SPOILER WARNING FOR TSOA) is that Achilles’ grief is shown on page. We aren’t told that hes sad and grieving, we are SHOWN that he’s shattered and near-feral for his lost love. In this book, we get perhaps 4-5 lines of sadness, but we don’t feel his sorrow. We aren’t ripped apart *with* him. Maybe I’m a masochist for wanting that, but ending so abruptly… no. I’m usually all for an ambiguous ending, but this? Giving us sprinkles of sadness when the book the author took inspiration from gives us waves of sorrow? I guess I had high hopes from the authors note thinking I would *feel* the pain in this book, and while yes I was sad (obviously) the end was so so rushed. The original text I know is also rushed, but getting to see inside his mind while processing what’s happening would have made it so much more DEVASTATING! This was your chance to take a well known story and rip us apart with it, to give us insight into the minds we didn’t see in the original, there was such missed opportunity there. Like, I felt more grief over a side character passing than I did at the end.
With all that being said, the first half of this book was probably close to a 5 star. I loved getting to know these characters in a new way, seeing their love blossom and seeing a different take on a classic story. But the second half just didn’t do it for me.
Again, I’m undecided on a rating— certainly not a bad rating, as I enjoyed my time reading this book, just can’t decide on how to balance my enjoyment of the first half with the disappointment of the second half.
Do I recommend? Yes. Gay Shakespeare retellings? I’ll always recommend. But don’t go into it expecting TSOA, even though the authors note mentions it, or expecting a fluid, hearty retelling. This is an imperfect, choppy, missed-opportunity filled book that I thoroughly enjoyed reading. I know I’ve been very negative in this review, but If I had to go back and choose to read this book again, I would.
But seriously, I don’t know how to feel about this book, and I’m certainly not ready to rate it yet.
I’m going to leave spoiler alerts off for this review assuming you know how Hamlet’s story ends, I won’t spoil the story but I’m assuming you know the gist.
What started out as a *very* intriguing and might I say adorable take on Horatio and hamlet’s relationship, turned into a clusterfuck of Shakespearean language mixed with very modern dialect. While this was well done at first (a sprinkle of actual lines from the original work interspersed into the modern language), at times there were full pages of text from Shakespearean language, jumping from one to the other (from “old” english to modern English) which just made the story clunky and confusing and choppy. Don’t get me wrong, I loved the integration of actual lines from the original text! But the choppiness and sheer amount was just overdone.
I can see where the author took inspiration from the Song of Achilles (one of my favourite books ever) but the thing I love about TSOA (among other things of course) (SPOILER WARNING FOR TSOA) is that Achilles’ grief is shown on page. We aren’t told that hes sad and grieving, we are SHOWN that he’s shattered and near-feral for his lost love. In this book, we get perhaps 4-5 lines of sadness, but we don’t feel his sorrow. We aren’t ripped apart *with* him. Maybe I’m a masochist for wanting that, but ending so abruptly… no. I’m usually all for an ambiguous ending, but this? Giving us sprinkles of sadness when the book the author took inspiration from gives us waves of sorrow? I guess I had high hopes from the authors note thinking I would *feel* the pain in this book, and while yes I was sad (obviously) the end was so so rushed. The original text I know is also rushed, but getting to see inside his mind while processing what’s happening would have made it so much more DEVASTATING! This was your chance to take a well known story and rip us apart with it, to give us insight into the minds we didn’t see in the original, there was such missed opportunity there. Like, I felt more grief over a side character passing than I did at the end.
With all that being said, the first half of this book was probably close to a 5 star. I loved getting to know these characters in a new way, seeing their love blossom and seeing a different take on a classic story. But the second half just didn’t do it for me.
Again, I’m undecided on a rating— certainly not a bad rating, as I enjoyed my time reading this book, just can’t decide on how to balance my enjoyment of the first half with the disappointment of the second half.
Do I recommend? Yes. Gay Shakespeare retellings? I’ll always recommend. But don’t go into it expecting TSOA, even though the authors note mentions it, or expecting a fluid, hearty retelling. This is an imperfect, choppy, missed-opportunity filled book that I thoroughly enjoyed reading. I know I’ve been very negative in this review, but If I had to go back and choose to read this book again, I would.
October 3, 2024
rating this is difficult because I love what the author added more than I like their use of the source material. as a hamlet retelling, it’s a nice perspective shift and adds some nuance. as a reimagining of hamlet and horatio’s relationship (independent from the plot points of shakespeare’s hamlet), this is wonderful and heart-wrenching and romantic.
all this to say, the first third of the book and the alternate ending (!!!) were my favorite pieces with some shakespearean tragedy in between.
all this to say, the first third of the book and the alternate ending (!!!) were my favorite pieces with some shakespearean tragedy in between.
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July 3, 2025I wonder how many Hamlet retellings it will take for me to finally realise they’re all gonna make me cry
December 22, 2021
I truly love everything about Antique Roman, I love how the author describes Horatio. I've always loved him, and felt close to him, but I feel even closer to him now.
And of course, I adore the way how the author wrote about Horatio's and Hamlet's relationship. I love how tender, how special it is. How tender and heartbreaking.
Antique Roman made me feel like Hamlet was now completed— now that I was able to see everything from our dear Horatio's eyes.
I was sobbing at the end, it devastated me in the most beautiful way.
I feel so grateful and happy that this book exists. It deserves much more attention, it deserves to be recognized.
5/5 ❤
And of course, I adore the way how the author wrote about Horatio's and Hamlet's relationship. I love how tender, how special it is. How tender and heartbreaking.
Antique Roman made me feel like Hamlet was now completed— now that I was able to see everything from our dear Horatio's eyes.
I was sobbing at the end, it devastated me in the most beautiful way.
I feel so grateful and happy that this book exists. It deserves much more attention, it deserves to be recognized.
5/5 ❤
January 11, 2023
Definitely an entertaining read, but some parts just didn’t flow as well as I had hoped and other moments felt clunky… Overall, I feel fairly neutral about this one. But glad I had the chance to pick it up!
March 27, 2022
does it read like an ao3 fanfic? yeah. am i mad about it? not really
October 4, 2024
3.25! I thought this was clever and ejoyable! I love a retelling and I love when authors look into subtext of original work and make an argument. I haven't read Hamlet or seen the play, but this made me wish I had footnotes and could compare as I went along -- there were moments where I felt it was just so clear the author was using the reactions of other characters to argue for the intimacy between Horatio and Hamlet. Things I also liked: the development of their crew and friendships at school (basically fanfiction), Rosen/Guild finishing each other's sentences in dialogue, Ophelia and her agency, the motifs of being played/the pawn, the ghost/specter language spinkled throughout, the way Horatio's and Hamlet's love and devotion is written (it feel SO real and so clear--this is what love feels like!), the title and the background behind it!! The additional ending of the second addition has my head spinninggg (is he mad or is this real?? yoooo). Things I wish were different: the dialogue shifting to Shakespearean English once they get back to Denmark was a tough to follow, and would have liked some more clarity in moments of tension/character development (Laertes betrayal feels like it comes out of nowhere etc). Definitely good for fans of Song of Achilles. Was unaware that it was a complete and total trajedy.
March 5, 2023
I’ve never read Hamlet before as English is foreign language in my country, So we’re not required to read Shakespeare nor had to know any. Therefore I kind of absolutely had no thought about what this book could offer me. Truthfully, I quite enjoyed the first half of the novel before I googled the plot and got to know that this was following the almost exact same storyline. But I read till the end though. And I was praying hard for it not to end up as the original Hamlet.
Unfortunately, It did.
I just feel like this had and still has an opportunity to be something unique. The reinterpretation could be more delightful. But ugh it’s like reading Hamlet in a universe that they end up together but other than that it’s just the same. And maybe bc we see things from Horatio’s perspective so every characters’ decisions look more absurd than it ever was. Especially Hamlet himself. Childish as he was. Can’t believe he got to be the main characters of the original one.
Unfortunately, It did.
I just feel like this had and still has an opportunity to be something unique. The reinterpretation could be more delightful. But ugh it’s like reading Hamlet in a universe that they end up together but other than that it’s just the same. And maybe bc we see things from Horatio’s perspective so every characters’ decisions look more absurd than it ever was. Especially Hamlet himself. Childish as he was. Can’t believe he got to be the main characters of the original one.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 26, 2023
4.7/5 stars
this book I amazing. horatio is my favorite character in the original play so I was really excited for this book and it blew me away how the author is able to give horatio so much character that isn't in the play it great. also the author made the last scene so much sadder than it I in the play and I happy about that.
the only thing that confused me sometimes was the switch between modern English and old English
this book I amazing. horatio is my favorite character in the original play so I was really excited for this book and it blew me away how the author is able to give horatio so much character that isn't in the play it great. also the author made the last scene so much sadder than it I in the play and I happy about that.
the only thing that confused me sometimes was the switch between modern English and old English
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 3, 2024
A veces una solo quiere leer un libro que se siente como un fanfic sacado de ao3 y eso está perfecto.
La verdad es que yo la pasé bárbaro leyéndolo. Lo único que tengo para criticarle es que, en la segunda parte, intercalaba demasiado con el texto original y quedaba medio raro, además de que no agregaba escenas nuevas entre medio de esto como para darle un poco más de autonomía y expandir la historia. Igual me gustó, fue entretenido y se lee rápido, así que banco.
La verdad es que yo la pasé bárbaro leyéndolo. Lo único que tengo para criticarle es que, en la segunda parte, intercalaba demasiado con el texto original y quedaba medio raro, además de que no agregaba escenas nuevas entre medio de esto como para darle un poco más de autonomía y expandir la historia. Igual me gustó, fue entretenido y se lee rápido, así que banco.
January 18, 2022
I AM SCREAMING RN
like logically ik how hamlet ends but GOD THAT HURT. IN A GOOD WAY THO. THAI BOOK WAS A MF MASTERPIECE. I WAS IN LOVE THE WHOLE TIME. I READ IT IN UNDER 24 HOURS AND WOW I COULD NOT PUT IT DOWN. I THOUGHT ABOUT IT EVERY WAKING MOMENT I WAS NOT READING IT. I AM OBSESSED AND WILL MOST DEFINITELY READ IT AGAIN 😍
like logically ik how hamlet ends but GOD THAT HURT. IN A GOOD WAY THO. THAI BOOK WAS A MF MASTERPIECE. I WAS IN LOVE THE WHOLE TIME. I READ IT IN UNDER 24 HOURS AND WOW I COULD NOT PUT IT DOWN. I THOUGHT ABOUT IT EVERY WAKING MOMENT I WAS NOT READING IT. I AM OBSESSED AND WILL MOST DEFINITELY READ IT AGAIN 😍
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 27, 2022
A lovely and very self-indulgent retelling. There’s definitely a sharp drop off in style once we get to the main original plot points, at certain parts it did feel like I was just rereading excerpts of the original Hamlet. However I still really enjoyed the drama and added tragedy of Horatio and Hamlet’s deepened relationship.
April 20, 2023
3.5 stars, a very fun book to read but imo the switching between the original lines and the added ones made it seem very strange, the immediate change felt off
But I absolutely loved the wittenberg saga and how it was written, great pacing and whatnot
The end did feel as though I was re reading Hamlet all over again though, but it was a super fun book to read!!
But I absolutely loved the wittenberg saga and how it was written, great pacing and whatnot
The end did feel as though I was re reading Hamlet all over again though, but it was a super fun book to read!!
November 6, 2023
Oh my lord, I knew the ending of the tragedy and yet I’m still crying at the end of the book. A wonderful mix of classic and modern from Horatio’s point of view to this Shakespeare tragedy. I wish I had seen more of each character but the quickness of the book and the rise and fall of emotion made it a captivating story, even though I knew what came at the end.
April 15, 2023
I really enjoyed this over all, but the author mixes the Early Modern English directly from Shakespeare's text with modern English witch gave me whiplash. I loved this take on the story and it's definitely worth a read, but the writing was not the best.
April 4, 2024
3.7/5
Made me cry at the end but nearly every Hamlet retelling does, so idk.
It reads like an AO3 fanfiction (positive), which while not entirely professional (was it supposed to be?? idk) was great.
The weird insertions of Shakespeare line in the later half was questionable.
Made me cry at the end but nearly every Hamlet retelling does, so idk.
It reads like an AO3 fanfiction (positive), which while not entirely professional (was it supposed to be?? idk) was great.
The weird insertions of Shakespeare line in the later half was questionable.
July 7, 2022
4.5 stars
waugh
waugh
January 26, 2023
No because like this book? Perfection.
January 13, 2024
Goodnight, sweet Prince. And may flights of angels sing thee to thy rest.
August 9, 2023
I had gotten this book due to the authors tiktoks, i was extremely excited as just like them, i adore the story of Hamlet and have always seen Hamlet and Horatio as more than just bros. I did enjoy the book, however i wasn’t thrilled by the characterisation of Horatio, Rosencrantz and Guildenstern. Rosencrantz and Guildenstern felt like Fred and George Weasley and Horatio felt like male y/n. Also, the complete change from a slight fancier English into shakespearean was a jumpscare. From what the author had said on tiktok i assumed it would be more of a retelling where they came up with a new way of telling the story and what was said by the characters but most of the time it felt like i was reading a copy paste from Hamlet with minor changes. Also, why were a bunch of Danes saying folly and then immediately dropped it from their vocab when the king died. Overall, decent book, could’ve done with a bit more editing and less copy pasting. Hamlet was fit as, pure usual.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 17, 2023
I very much enjoyed reading this. Hamlet is my favorite of Shakespeare's plays, and I love seeking out different adaptations and interpretations to expand upon it. While I myself have never ascribed to the Hamlet/Horatio romance of the work, I agree that it is not totally unfounded. This book did a very good job of building their relationship in a realistic way before the events of the play.
However, I began to get lost as the book entered part two following the death of King Hamlet. To me, the Shakespearean dialogue stuck out like a sore thumb compared to the rest of the writing. While I mostly expected it (Shakespeare's style is not easily copied), it still took me out of the story a bit.
Overall, I would definitely recommend this book to any other Shakespeare enthusiast, and it is definitely something I would read again.
However, I began to get lost as the book entered part two following the death of King Hamlet. To me, the Shakespearean dialogue stuck out like a sore thumb compared to the rest of the writing. While I mostly expected it (Shakespeare's style is not easily copied), it still took me out of the story a bit.
Overall, I would definitely recommend this book to any other Shakespeare enthusiast, and it is definitely something I would read again.
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February 4, 2022dnf @ 70%
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