Wednesday 7 September 2016

As I descended by Robin Talley

Publisher: MIRA Ink (6th September 2016)

Somehow I've never read a Robin Talley book before but I'll definitely remedy that after this! I knew that a lesbian take on Macbeth would be something I'd love.

It's a bit disconcerting how well the drama and tragedy of Macbeth fits in the high school setting! I loved how the key points of the play were given a modern slant but it was different enough that I didn't know exactly what was coming. Knowing how it all ended was really unsettling and made the book a very tense reading experience!

Robin Talley's writing style complimented the dark themes, combining visceral descriptions and a pervasive feeling of tension that built as the plot unravelled. I'd love to see more lesbian relationships in YA and it was great how the characters were reimagined in the modern setting.

The only aspect that I didn't fully connect with was the characters' voices and motivations in a couple of places, perhaps when the events were steered by the Shakespearean plot.

This book is so tense and exciting that I'm desperate to read more by Robin Talley and a lot more Shakespearean YA retellings!

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If you liked the sound of this, now try 'The Deviants' by CJ Skuse and Lying About Last Summer by Sue Wallman.

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