Hamlet (Play)
This was a bit of a longer play, and I felt like parts of it dragged on a bit. There was so much anticipation, and I was never exactly sure where things were going. Things ended quite interestingly. Plus, it was nice to know which play the famous quote “To thine own self be true.” came from.
I now feel as if I’m just a bit more well read after reading some of Shakespeare’s plays. This post is my final post as part of A Shakespearean Summer Challenge which ends today. What can I say? Procrastination is my friend.
In My Mailbox (14)
This meme is hosted by Kristi aka The Story Siren. This week I received two books, both not YA. Keeping things interesting! First off:
The
Embers
Engaged to the man she loves, Emily Ascher stands on the brink of a new life. But a ring on a finger can somehow change everything, and with the promise of new love settling into old comes a difficult look at how her family has been torn apart in the many years since her brother died. Her parents have long since divorced, and her father, Joe, a famous actor and playwright, carries the blame for his son’s death–but what really happened on that winter night? Why has he been unable to clear his name, or even discuss that evening with Emily and her mother?
As spring looms–and with it Emily’s wedding in the Berkshires and the unveiling of Joe’s first new play since the tragedy–each Ascher begins to reevaluate the events of long ago, finally facing the truth of his or her own culpability in them. Moving between past and present over the course of sixteen years, and interweaving the perspectives of a father, mother, and daughter who finally summon the courage to put the pieces of their lives back together, “The Embers” is a debut novel of buried secrets and deep regrets that threaten to crush a family while bonding its members irrevocably.
This book was a surprise. I’m still not sure why I got it. It looks good, though, and I’m definitely looking forward to reading it!
Mr. & Mrs. Fitzwilliam Darcy
Beginning on their wedding day, Darcy and Elizabeth are two people who are deeply in love with one another and are excited to begin their marriage.
Their courtship was tempestuous; misunderstandings and misgivings nearly tore them apart. But now that they’ve seen each other without prejudice, their trust, attraction, and delight in each other grows with every passing day. Both are inexperienced and innocent, sharing moments of shyness and boldness as they discover the kinds of intimacies that a newlywed couple shares.
As their love story unfolds, they reveal their innermost secrets and feelings, embracing each other in a marriage filled with romance, passion, humor, and drama that will keep you spellbound.
More Darcy and Lizzy. Woot! My library has had this “on order” since March. I was absolutely ecstatic when I finally got a hold of it. So far, so good. I’m finding it a bit humorous. I keep finding all these exclamation marks whenever they talk to each other. Oh! My love! That sort of thing. It’s pretty good, though. The cover is SHINY. :D
And.. That’s it! So, whaddya think?
Macbeth (Play)
When you want to be an undisputed king, how far would you go to get rid of your competition? Follow Macbeth and his friends and family as lives are lost, guilt is dealt with, and learn just how short life can be.
Since this was a Shakespearean tragedy, there was a whole bunch of, well, tragedy. Although I found the constant plotting and killing a bit tiresome, overall I really enjoyed this play. I found myself reading it aloud to myself simply to hear the way the words rolled. It’s quite lyrical.
Sometimes I found myself wondering if the characters were just acting crazy or if they actually had some sort of mental problem. I found myself shaking my head at their actions more than once. Now I’ve added another play that I want to see on stage, as it was meant to be seen. It certainly was interesting.
This review was part of A Shakespearean Summer, hosted by Liv’s Book Reviews.