John Marsden’s Hamlet is a novel telling of the classic Shakespeare play. Marsden has a gift for simplifying the language while not taking away from the plot and pathos of the story. The novel is mostly taken straight from canon; the famous speeches appear, but spoken in English.
Hamlet and Ophelia are two young people in difficult circumstances. Hamlet begins as a person who, already a little odd, is coming undone. Ophelia is a girl who struggles all of her life for individuality and support. Suddenly, the world they know is swept out from under their feet. They need to figure out how they are going to cope with their changing circumstances.
The novel is set exclusively in the castle of Elsinore and the surrounding countryside. The old king is dead and a new king has taken his throne and his wife. Hamlet now has an uncle for a father, his stepfather as king. He is lost by the upheaval of all he knows and has no one to turn to. Ophelia’s friends have all gone, the only people she has are Hamlet and her father, but both of them pass further and further away from her, finally leaving her bereft. The novel explores their reactions, motivations, and psychology.
The Play’s the Thing
Disclaimer: I did not go back and re-read the Shakespeare play. That being said, Marsden’s novel was remarkably faithful to the play. There were a couple jarring moments – such as at the beginning of the story when Hamlet and his friends run outside to play football. Marsden also elaborates from time to time, filling in gaps in the story and fleshing out some of the formerly two-dimensional characters.
When Marsden is taking straight from the play he uses his gifts of language. Famous soliloquies are not exempt from his touch. All of the prose, all of the dialogue, is couched in simple modern terms. The words are believable, fresh, and understandable. In this way the novel is less of a retelling than it is a translation.
Recommendations
This novel would be either an excellent introduction to Shakespeare, or a valuable companion to the play. It could also be an amazing tool for anyone struggling to enter Hamlet’s world. The language and themes are accessible to all levels from young adult to mature readers. That being said, due to some sexual themes and brief language, I’d rate it as a PG-13.
Where I’m coming from
Confession: I love to read and will devour almost any book put into my path. I also have a theatre background and a love for Shakespeare. My favorite Shakespeare play is Henry V. I enjoyed reading Hamlet and watching all of the movie versions. However, I do strongly feel that this book would appeal to any type of reader.
My rating: 
(four out of five happy faces)
By Deidre Cutter
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