Of all the Shakespearean plays, Macbeth has always been a favourite. I remember reading an abridged, illustrated version as a child, and was fascinated by the three witches, the intensity, the betrayal – it was all just so dramatic. I read the original as an adult and was simply blown away by that feeling of menacing doom.
So, when I saw there was a modern version of Macbeth penned by a dependable thriller writer – Jo Nesbo, I was really stoked to get my hands on it.
About the Book
He’s the best cop they’ve got.
When a drug bust turns into a bloodbath it’s up to Inspector Macbeth and his team to clean up the mess.
He’s also an ex-drug addict with a troubled past.
He’s rewarded for his success. Power. Money. Respect. They’re all within reach.
But a man like him won’t get to the top.
Plagued by hallucinations and paranoia, Macbeth starts to unravel. He’s convinced he won’t get what is rightfully his.
Unless he kills for it.
My Review
This book starts off slowly setting the stage. Maybe, it was just the mood I was in, but this part of the book was pretty slow and clunky.
A seagull swept in over Fife through the silence and moonlight under a cloud-free night sky. Below, the river shone like silver. On the west of the river- like an immense fortress wall- a steep black mountain rose to the sky.
I wanted Jo Nesbo to get to what he does best, which is tell a fast-paced crackling story.
So, I was a little bored in the beginning. But once the first domino falls – when Macbeth finally turns from good to evil by killing his boss Duncan – the action really ratchets up.
But not at the expense of character building. All the great characters I loved in Macbeth – Macbeth, Lady Macbeth, Banquo, Caithness and more were present in this novel. The story modernized though it was, retained the essence of Shakespeare’s Macbeth (with a few twists and turns to keep me reading and invested in the story).
Overall, I was pleasantly surprised by this book. In style, it is very different from his Harry Hole novels (which are nice but formulaic), and I didn’t expect such a successful adaptation of Shakespeare’s quotes into contemporary language without sacrificing their beauty, their impact, their significance.
Now, I am looking forward to reading the other retellings in the Hogarth Shakespeare series. They are all authored by quality writers, and I am sure the rest will be as good or better than this one.
Have you read any of these books?
Ooh! I haven’t read any of the Hogarth Shakespeare retellings (and in general I don’t find that many authors are good at a retelling), but I admit I am tempted by this one! Macbeth is my favorite of the tragedies too — it was the first Shakespeare play I read in school, and the teacher teaching it to me was really good — and it sounds very cool to read a take on it by a mystery author.
I am looking forward to the other books in the series. They sound quite interesting – especially intrigued by the King Lear adaptation.
I love me some Jo Nesbo and this sounds really interesting!
It really is. I was pleasantly surprised by it.