Customer Reviews

Macbeth: A Novel

5 star:		(9)
4 star:		(6)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

In their afterword, the authors say '..our book...must be a new artistic product in its own right..' Sadly, I think they have failed in that objective. The book is based so closely on Shakespeare's play, with only some changes in emphasis, that it isn't possible to see it as a new artistic work. Throughout they take every opportunity to use the most-quoted words of the playwright - if this is a 'new' work then it is relies too heavily on borrowing from the old. If however, it is in fact a reworking of the play, which I believe it is, then it doesn't begin to compare on an artistic level.

In fact, it reads more like a historical sword and sorcery potboiler than like the psychologically complex and illuminating original. I found myself unmoved by the fate of either Macbeth or Lady Macbeth - despite considerably detailed descriptions of the events before and after the murder of Duncan, for me the authors failed to convey the horror, guilt and ultimate madness that Shakespeare got across with far fewer words. The lengthy descriptions of the landscape, fortresses and battles served merely to slow the plot down and to turn this from a psychological study of two complex individuals into a rather slow-moving action thriller - one in which we unfortunately already knew the end.

Where the authors mainly differed from Shakespeare was in the portrayal of the witches. Given a much more important role here, the emphasis became one of the supernatural controlling the puny affairs of men, whereas in the original, Macbeth's superstition is used primarily to further demonstrate the psychological weaknesses of the man.

I have struggled to decide what star rating to give the book. While my fairly damning review above shows that I don't think it reaches the artistic height the authors were clearly aiming for, it is nevertheless well-written and for someone less interested in the original would work well as a historical action novel in the vein of Conn Iggulden or Robert Low. I am therefore rating it as 4-star on that basis, though it would merit only 3 if I were to judge it solely in comparison with its illustrious ancestor.

I thought this was going to be a great historical novel and I had heard a lot of good things about David Hewson. The novel does stick fairly closely to Shakespeare. It definitely does not have an authentic 11thC period feel (which is what I was expecting) and I was constantly dragged out of the story by anachronisms and anomalies. The writing wasn't for me either, but that was just a matter of taste. Others might be more engaged. I'd say better to read Dorothy Dunnett's King Hereafter for a real taste of the Macbeth story.

An interesting book which fleshes out the story of Macbeth and twelfth century Scotland - not as the authors admit with any supposed historical accuracy but in such a way as to shine light on those murky corners which puzzle the modern playgoer. What exactly were the three witches representing? Was Lady Macbeth simply a conscienceless harridan? How did anyone in power manage to survive such vicious in-fighting?

This book gives a solid background to the play which, after all, was never meant to the an accurate portrayal of a time shrouded in obscurity. The Scottish countryside, bloody battles and primitive living conditions leap off the page. Even read alone, without knowledge of Shakespeare's tragedy, this book is a fascinating skirl through a brutal age.

This novelised version of the Macbeth story, very closely modeled on the Shakespeare play, started very well. From the start it is clear we are in a lawless, eleventh century Scotland, where bloody battles are fought between thanes and kingship is conferred, not by acts of succession, but agreements between the thanes, and hard-won loyalty most probably earned through bloody rule. Scotland is surrounded by potential enemies on all sides, not just without (Norsemen, England) but also from its own chieftains. This wild, unstable history and landscape is well set out, and the authors freely quote from Shakespeare's play, weaving various phrases spoken by the characters into their dialogue in the novel.

The weird sisters are particularly well served. It is always a dramatic problem, in modern times, to portray them, in a less superstitious age. However, here they are genuinely fearsome and strange, and their initial weaving of temptation for Macbeth and Banquo is horrendous, disgusting and creepy.

Initially, there is more understanding given to both to Macbeth and to the Lady (given a Christian name, Skena, here). Saintly Duncan and his sons both become much more duplicitous figures, and Macbeth is therefore accorded more sympathy.

However, as events unfurl, and where the play ratchets up event upon event, piling on the horror to dramatic effect, the novel begins to falter and the popping of Shakespeare's dialogue into the characters' mouths works less and less well, becoming more and more like an act of clever pastiche. The dark, savage and bloody end of the Macbeths feels drawn out and overegged, completely lacking the spare horror of the play.

I found the historical afterword much more interesting. The real Macbeth was much maligned, and by all accounts ruled Scotland rather well for some years. However, the play was written after James 1st had become king. And reputedly his line was descended from Banquo. So to some extent Shakespeare was pragmatically wrapping his play in spin, for a Stuart monarch, in the same way as Richard III was a spin favourable to a Tudor monarch.

In the end I'm afraid I was left thinking 'why?' This might have been better if it had not tried to so closely weave the play itself, but had taken the basic story and not used any of Shakespeare's words at all, which might have avoided the reader inevitably making comparisons between the play and the novel.

This is an excellent novel which would make a great companion if read with Shakespeare's play, since it tends to expand on the plot and flesh out the characters in far more detail. It also gives better insight into the terrain and venues mentioned in the play. I read it in three evenings and thoroughly enjoyed it. In particular, Lady Macbeth is given a deeper treatment and becomes a warmer, less aggressive character than in the play, and her change of outlook is expounded well. A must read for any Macbeth fan, since it humanises the man.

I wanted to be drawn in by this, but just wasn't. The characters just weren't developed enough for me to care about them. The historical detail felt wrong, and I just wasn't gripped at all. I studied the play at school and have seen several productions over the years since, and I was hoping to find further insights ... but didn't. A very disappointing effort by a respected author, of whom I expected better.

Hardly an original story, but rather fun all the same. I thought it was well written, and entertaining and perhaps a slightly more accessible take on the play

I enjoyed reading this adaptation of Shakespeare's play of the same name. I liked how they developed the characters, particularly Lady Macbeth, offering more detail than a playscript could and for me keeping them as I mostly imagine them. I became weighed down with the actual fighting/battles and for me these brought my rating down to 4 stars. It was certainly a bloody novel though, their ability to describe is excellent. I'm very pleased I have read it, I wouldn't say it is an easy read but it is very well written and once into it, it becomes easier to fly through the small chapters/sections. Definitely one I'd recommend for those who already know the story and equally for those approaching Macbeth for the first time.

Even though I have seen and read the Shakespeare version of Macbeth, I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It really brought the cold, hard life in Scotland in Mediaval times to life for me. I got a real feeling of the deterioration of the relationship between Macbeth and his wife - all brought about by his own imagination.

an excellent tale- wish I had had it w hen studying at school? Gave interesting character insight and brought conflicts to life.