New Boy: William Shakespeare's Othello Retold: A Novel (Hogarth Shakespeare)

Previously in the Hogarth Shakespeare series we've seen a stylized video game version (Winterson's The Gap of Time), an interrogation of an iconic character (Jacobson's My Name is Shylock), an examination of class and gender differences flattened into a bland rom-com (Tyler's Vinegar Girl), and a brilliant examination of death and loss that came with the unbelievable Easter egg of all the insane ways Margaret Atwood could think to stage Shakespeare (Hag-Seed) What we haven't seen is anything that improved upon the original - until now.Before you break out the pitchforks, let me clarify: I'm not saying Tracy Chevalier is a better writer than William Shakespeare. I'm saying that by relocating Othello to a 1970s schoolyard in D.C. in her New Boy she turns the fatal flaw of the original play - that the action escalates insanely and all the characters have the communication skills and maturity of ten year olds - into its greatest strength. Of course popular girl Dee and Ghanaian-transplant Osei develop an instant connection - that's how kids are. Of course bully Ian decides he's displeased with a possible change to the schoolyard pecking order and decides to bring the new boy down a peg - that's how kids are. Of course things get immediately out of hand and everyone's dialled to eleven - that's how kids are. What looks unforgivably juvenile in a group of Venetian soldiers and their wives and girlfriends makes perfect sense in a middle school.You expect any retelling of Othello to deal extensively with issues of race and belonging, but Chevalier delivers the added bonus of a young Dee(sdemona) with a complex inner life who has several female friends with their own issues and motivations, and while I'm not saying they're acing the Bechdel test, they're definitely outperforming their source material. All these layers and overwhelming emotions are drawn in Chevalier's simple, spare prose, which evokes poetry while still consciously avoiding aping Shakespeare's verse.While Hogarth's series got off to a bit of a wobbly start and has seen the occasional stumble (looking at you, Tyler!), Atwood and Chevalier's most recent entries seem to indicate they've finally hit their stride and in this case, in my mind at least, outpaced the original.

It was a sweet story at first. It quickly reflected the racism that appears in and around our lives. It's lessons are learned through children. On a playground.

The writing is excellent, but the ending is awful. Well, what did I expect? It is Othello. Also it seemed unlikely that a six grader(the villain) would be old enough to be so diabolical and crafty.When I finished, I felt bad for everyone including the narrow minded teachers.

Okay, simple declarative sentence. Tracy Chevalier is a brilliant writer and storyteller. Othello has always been, for me, the least satisfactory of the four major tragedies despite the gorgeousness of Shakespeare's language. Iago is the only really interesting character and a plum role for an actor. Othello and Desdemona might be described (by me) as naïve and gullible, maybe a bit stupid.Chevalier's genius in her treatment of the play is in taking a not very credible plot with immature, not very credible characters and placing them where they belong-right smack in the world of a 6th graders' playground. These children, barely out of childhood, are inching toward adolescence, hormones beginning to kick in, credulous, gullible, naïve, and not stupid. It's the perfect setting for this story which seems rather silly and contrived with allegedly mature adults as its principals, but is not at all silly at with eleven year olds learning to be adults. To top it off, Chevalier even observes the classical unities of Greek drama, long discarded by Shakespeare's time.Brava, Tracy

Very good. It's a very humble writing. Tracy Chevalier proved herself as an excellent writer again by making one Shakespeare plot contemporary for our times.

This is the latest in the Hogarth Shakespeare series, an updated Othello set in a suburban Washington DC seventh grade in the 1970's. And I think it's one of the best and most devastating. In order for the story to maintain its punch, there has to be tragedy, but this is done so well, the characters, so vivid, this reader wanted to shout NO! Change the outcome. I read it in one sitting. Was riveted to the very last word.

This book will break your heart. I initially read it for the novelty of one of the greatest tragedies taking place in an elementary school, but found the story incrediblly compelling. The tenderness and intimacy between D and O are spellbinding. The tragedy is alarming, romantic, and deeply sad. This story invigorates an already beautiful tale into something intensely real and present. New Boy is a live play acted on a playground and I'm still reeling.

An interesting contribution to the Hogarth series on retelling Shakespeare. I felt it was a great young adult book.

An absolutely brilliant retelling of Shakespeare's Othello. It's set in a playground in America but it works incredibly well. All the character names are variations of the characters in Shakespeare's play, the props used to manipulate 'O' subtlety different. I have read all of Tracy Chevalier's novels, they are all brilliant and this one is incredible. The tragedy unfolds in a way which is as deeply moving as it is inevitable. Amazing writing.

Speed of delivery was wery fastination.I can't wait to reed the book so I can order another one.

I am reading my way through the Hogarth Shakespeare series - Hogarth Publishers has commissioned a number of popular authors to retell a Shakespeare play in modern language and present day setting. I respect Tracy Chevalier as a talented author and in New Boy, she is retelling Othello. Great job!

Shakespeare meets Lord of the Flies. Othello set in a school is compelling. Bringing out the most horrible side of children. Their prejudices, hate, envy, jealousy and yes Love as well. A page turner and a compelling read. It shakes you up after you finish it and thank yourself that it’s only a book!

J'ai beaucoup aimé ce roman. J'adore le style de Tracy Chevalier, j'ai quasiment tous ses romans, en anglais, bien évidemment. J'ai admiré la façon dont l'auteur(e) met l'histoire en scène, les personnages ayant tous des prénoms commençant par la même lettre que les personnages de Shakespeare, le lieu différent, bien sûr, mais le déroulement suivant les mêmes cheminements. Un régal ! Beaucoup d'émotion et finalement, bien que la trame nous soit familière, nous sentons un suspense jusqu'au bout avec l'horreur de la fin brutale.J'ai lu des critiques où les lecteurs trouvait qu'il n'y avait là rien d'original et suis en total désaccord avec eux. Je recommande donc la lecture de cette œuvre.