Gnomeo and Juliet

It's Red vs. Blue in this retelling of Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet. The star-crossed lovers take the form of ceramic garden gnomes in the 2011 CGI film Gnomeo and Juliet.

I was somewhat afraid that they would take the names and that would be the extent of the relation to the play, but it does follow the essential storyline of R&J. There are a few changes; the gnomes don't mix at a party, for instance, but Gnomeo runs into Juliet when she's cat-burgling an orchid for the Red's garden. Their first encounter is more of an acrobatic flirtation than a traditional dance.

There are a lot of great Shakespeare references for the aficionados as well as slapstick for the kids. (Honestly, I was pretty nervous throughout from the tinkling of ceramic in motion.) It all follows the story pretty closely -- included a ceramic shattering of Juliet's cousin Tybalt. Gnomeo gets chased away to the park where he encounters, in one of my favorite scenes, the statue of Shakespeare, who explains how the story is supposed to go, and why it's such good writing.

Although Gnomeo is the one who has the knowledge to possibly change their tragic fate, it doesn't come across too much as male heroics. I don't think I can spoil the ending -- it is a kids' movie, after all -- but I won't say anything more specific than that.

In spite of being, as I said, nominally a kids' movie, the pacing is good, and there are lots of puns and plenty of humor for the adults to catch. Shakespeare references, from other plays as well as R&J, abound, and the writing is sharp throughout. The casting is good, and the animation -- while veering more toward cartoonish than realistic -- was well done and fitting. I was completely charmed by this movie.

Juliet Immortal by Stacey Jay

And we're swinging by Shakespeare again this week with Juliet Immortal by Stacey Jay. Isn't that a luscious cover? It would make me want to read this book even if I wasn't a fan of Shakespeare retellings already.

Although this isn't so much a retelling as a "and then what," which intrigued me even more -- they're dead, right? So then what? Well, in Jay's novel, Romeo and Juliet's deaths are far from the romantic lovers' last stand. Instead, Romeo sacrifices their lives to grant them a kind of immortality; one in which they are forever drawn back to earth to try to save (in Juliet's case) or destroy (in Romeo's case) the young love of true soul mates.

The book makes funny references to the play -- Juliet hates that play, which was penned when Romeo told some hot-shot writer about their tragic death. The book takes place in the modern world, with occasional references to the many other lives Juliet has touched over the centuries.

Not quite your typical ghost story, Juliet Immortal plays with its own distinctive mythology, one that I wouldn't mind seeing again in some form, or knowing more about. For all of that, it's a neatly tied-up novel with no indication that there will be a sequel (but I would read one if Jay ever revisits).

Check out Stacey Jay's website for more reviews and tidbits on the book.

The Tempest

The Tempest. Starring Helen Mirren as Prospero (or Prospera). First of all, I have to say I love this concept. Considering how much Shakespeare tends to play with gender roles (literally and figuratively), this is a mild change, but I also love Helen Mirren, so I was eager to see this one.

The movie itself is pretty luscious. It was filmed in Hawaii, and they took advantage of everything from rich jungle to volcanic barren landscapes. The costumes were detailed and all of the era. The only thing that ever felt out of place was the occasional rock guitar riff.

The special effects were sometimes spot on and sometimes looked a little cheap. Don't get me wrong, they worked well enough that you can always tell what's going on. Just if you watch this brace yourself for the occasional wince at a corny special effect.

Still, it is Shakespeare, and the majority of the film is about the people and the language. And the casting in this is superb. There were definitely some faces that I would not associate with Shakespeare -- but I think a match up like that, when it works (and it does here) makes it all the better for being surprising. E.g.:

I was a little lost at first, as far as what was being said (in spite of having been in the Tempest at one point) but if you're having trouble at the beginning, it's just because there's, well, a tempest, and everyone is yelling -- give it another five minutes and I think even the casual Shakespeare fan won't have any trouble following the dialog.

All things considered, I found this to be a very enjoyable and interesting take on one of my favorite Shakespeare plays. I hope you'll check it out.

Falling for Hamlet by Michelle Ray

Falling for Hamlet is, as you can probably tell from the cover, a modernization of Hamlet. It takes place in a modern Denmark, with a modern castle full of cell phones and security cameras. Ophelia is in high school, Hamlet has just graduated and is off to college when the familiar events start to fall into place.

Michelle Ray tells the story entirely from Ophelia's viewpoint, and deviates from the play only in minor plot details, with the notable exception that Ophelia fakes her death because she fears for her life. (And so is still around to observe the fallout at the end of the story.)

As much as I liked the concept, the execution was lacking. I found myself skimming over numerous sections of Ophelia's drawn out contemplation of what was going on and what was Hamlet thinking and oh my Hamlet is just so sexy. Perhaps the teenage/high school mentality is not one that I can particular relate to at this stage in my life; it tended to bog down the book for me.

If you're a die hard Hamlet fan, I'd say give this one a try. Or if you're looking for a book that's a good, teen-level introduction to Shakespeare, this one is certainly worth a shot.

The Voyage of the Basset by James C. Christensen

I have always loved James C. Christensen's artwork, so one day while I was waxing poetic to my friend Sheila about his art, she said, "Wait a minute, I know that name sounded familiar. TELL ME you've read The Voyage of the Basset?"

Well I HADN'T. So naturally I immediately sought it out...

And let me tell you: this book is gorgeous. I knew it would be, of course; every page is illustrated by Christensen.

As I read, at first I worried that it would be more of a mythology review than an actual story. Mr. Aisling and his two daughters go for a walk one night and find a ship awaiting them: The Basset. They set out on a voyage of discovery, visiting royal fairies and other legendary creatures. But as they continue on their way, and I continued through the book, there are dangers both obvious and subtle in store for them.

I really liked the way the story was woven and the resolution. And the reminder that "By believing, one sees." Pretty apt for those of us who love fairy tales and mythology, isn't it?

This is definitely a little heavier than your typical picture book, but it's well worth checking out, both for the story and OF COURSE for the artwork. It's a bit pricey, used on amazon, but you can probably get it through your library. And if you can't, you tell them to get a copy!

Wyrd Sisters by Terry Pratchett

Wyrd Sisters: Or, Terry Pratchett's Macbeth.

Honestly, I am not sure who I'm recommending this to, other than anyone, everyone, who hasn't read it. While it is a retelling of a famous story, it's a retelling in the loosest terms. Yet as I reread it recently, I couldn't help but notice how much fairy tale tropery Pratchett uses--and turns on his head.

For lovers of fantasy and folklore, you could do a lot worse than to pick up a Discworld novel, and this is a great starting place. If you're not familiar with the series, the first book is The Colour of Magic. However, the series is made of subseries, and Wyrd Sisters is the first one featuring my favorite character, Granny Weatherwax, an extraordinary witch and headologist.

Plus: Macbeth! Shakespeare! And other fairy tale references.

Strange Brew

If you thought Strange Brew, starring and directed by Rick Moranis and Dave Thomas, was just a buddy comedy about two Canadian brothers in an endless quest for beer and donuts--you weren't paying attention. Because it's also HAMLET.

My husband picked this up and watched me watching with eager anticipation, until the first mention of Elsinore Castle made me say, "How Gothic." Then he burst out: "IT'S HAMLET!"

And it's true. This beer comedy is a ... subtle?... retelling of the Bard's story. Pam, heiress to Elsinore Brewery, is trying to figure out how to run a business and to figure out what REALLY happened to her father, when along come two bumbling hosers to help her out and, if they can manage it, get some free beer. Looney and with just a little bit of a love story, this is one of the few comedies that is still funny years after its release. And we know that's because they picked a good story as their basis, right?

If you haven't seen this, and you like Shakespeare adaptations, check out this forerunner of all the other strange buddy comedies.

Ophelia by Lisa Klein

Ophelia, by Lisa Klein, is (as you can probably guess from the title) told from the point of view of Ophelia, starting before and ending after the play, but going through the same essential framework as Shakespeare's story.

Personally, there were times I found the writing a bit tedious, but the story itself moved quickly enough that it didn't drag things out. The character is interesting enough that, familiar as the story may be, the fresh perspective makes it a worthwhile read. (And we like retold stories here anyway, right?) I think the 4 1/2 star rating on amazon.com is fair, and as the above review says, whether you've seen Hamlet or not, this is a creative, enjoyable story.

Saving Juliet by Suzanne Selfors

Mimi has a life a lot of girls would envy: a famous theatre family and the starring role in a Broadway production of Romeo and Juliet. What she wants to do, though, is go to college and study medicine--a point on which she and her mother could not more strongly disagree. Then, in a quill and magical ink incident, Mimi finds herself transported back to Shakespeare's Verona, watching the actions of the tragedy play out before her. She has to learn how to take things into her own hands, and not accept fate, before it's too late for the famous tragic pair.

I found that this started slow--oh, poor Mimi, stuck on Broadway--but when she gets to Verona the story and the humor pick right up. Selfors doesn't hesitate to play with conventions from our time or Shakespeare's, and altogether, this book is a compelling, satisfying read.

(While Shakespeare isn't strictly Fairy Tale, Folklore, or Mythology, I think that it's taken on the same status and retell-ability. Don't you?)

Fool by Christopher Moore

I'm becoming more and more a fan of Moore the more I read of Moore. Whew, had to get that out of the way! But having said that, I definitely recommend several of his books to those of us who like retold tales (and who else is watching this blog??), in particular his newest book, Fool.

Fool is the story of King Lear, told from, in case the title didn't give it away, the jester's point of view. It's bawdy and brilliant, everything you would expect from the tenacious humor of Christopher Moore and the genius of Shakespeare. Recommended for Moore fans, Shakespeare fans, and... anyone following this blog....

Prospero Lost by L. Jagi Lamplighter

I admit I was initially attracted to Prospero Lost because I was in The Tempest a few years ago, so anything relating to it still catches my eye. This story takes place long after the play, with the idea that Shakespeare knew Prospero, and Prospero told the Bard the tale of his adventures at sea. So the play is part family history for Miranda, Prospero, and the siblings that have come along in the centuries since then.

Miranda Prospero is the daughter of famed Prospero, and in charge of the family business, keeping the elements in line so that the rest of humanity doesn't suffer constant natural disasters. When her father goes missing, leaving a warning for her and her siblings, Miranda sets out to find out what's happening and unearth some family secrets in the meantime.

I really liked the concept behind this book. Although occasionally suffering from an abundance of adverbs, and quite a variety of unnecessary dialog tags, for the most part the writing is fluid and clear. The author pulls in a lot of other fairy tales in small references, like The Well at the World's End (being a key feature in the Prospero family longevity). There's quite a bit of Christmas ... mythology, so I would definitely recommend it for your December reading lists. :)

It is the first book in a trilogy, so be aware of that before you begin!