Inspired by Shakespeare: Books for the Ides of March
"Ides" refers to a day in the middle of the month, often a day when debts are due. In Shakespeare's play Julius Caesar, a soothsayer warns the title character to "beware the Ides of March". He should have paid attention. On that particular March 15 things escalated quickly and Caesar was assassinated by a group of senators he trusted.
With these innovative adaptations of Shakespeare's plays you don't need to fear the Ides of March – or any other day. Although it's always sensible to avoid meetings that may turn violent.
Hamlet
Nutshell by Ian McEwan
Hamlet, a fetus, on the brink of birth, describes what is going on outside the womb – including a sinister plan orchestrated by its mother and a mysterious collaborator.
Other books inspired by Hamlet:
- Gertrude and Claudius by John Updike
- Ophelia by Lisa Klein
- The Raven Tower by Ann Leckie
- The Story of Edgar Sawtelle by David Wroblewski
- To Be or Not to Be: A Chooseable Path Adventure by Ryan North
- The Steep and Thorny Way by Cat Winters (Teen Fiction)
Read the original:
- Hamlet by William Shakespeare
Julius Caesar
The Ides of March by Thornton Wilder
Thornton Wilder tells the story of Julius Caesar through letters and documents in this epistolary novel.
Read the original:
- Julius Caesar by William Shakespeare
King Lear
Fool by Christopher Moore
A humorous retelling of King Lear from the perspective of Pocket, the king's fool who describes how the kingdom became divided and Lear descended into madness. Followed by sequels: The Serpent of Venice and Shakespeare for Squirrels based on The Merchant of Venice and A Midsummer Night's Dream.
Other books inspired by King Lear:
- Dunbar by Edward St Aubyn
- A Thousand Acres by Jane Smiley
Read the original:
- King Lear by William Shakespeare
Macbeth
Macbeth by Jo Nesbo
Norwegian crime writer Nesbo transports Shakespeare's play to 1970s Scotland where crime and corruption are out of control. Powerful drug lord Hecate wants police commissioner Duncan out of the way, so he manipulates Macbeth, head of the SWAT team, to do his bidding.
Other books inspired by Macbeth:
- King Hereafter by Dorothy Dunnett
- The Weird Sisters by Eleanor Brown
- Wyrd Sisters by Terry Pratchett
- Enter Three Witches by Caroline B. Cooney (Teen Fiction)
- Third Witch by Jackie French (Teen Fiction)
Read the original:
- Macbeth by William Shakespeare
A Midsummer Night's Dream
The Great Night by Chris Adrian
A faerie kingdom is secretly located in a San Francisco park. When faerie queen Titania releases Puck, an ancient demon, three heartbroken humans and a group of homeless actors are trapped in the park.
Other books inspired by A Midsummer Night's Dream
- Dreamers Often Lie by Jacqueline West
- Lords and Ladies by Terry Pratchett
Read the original:
- A Midsummer Night's Dream by William Shakespeare
Othello
New Boy by Tracy Chevalier
This story of 11-year-olds torn apart by jealousy, bullying and betrayal takes Othello and transports it to a 1970s elementary school. As a diplomat's son, Osei Kokote is used to being uprooted; it's his first day in another new school – this time in Washington, DC – where he is not only the new kid but also the only Black student. He is quickly befriended by Dee, a beautiful and popular girl. Dee and O's friendship sparks anger in Ian, a school bully who does not approve of the relationship.
Read the original:
- Othello by William Shakespeare
Richard III
Daughter of Time by Josephine Tey
This is considered one of the best mystery stories of the 20th century. In it Alan Grant, a bedridden detective is given a “case” to distract him while he’s recovering from an injury. His companions bring him history books and “witnesses” to interview as he tries to get to the bottom of the mystery of the Princes in the Tower. It can be argued that this book was actually inspired by the real life Richard III rather than the play but it’s a good read anyway.
Read the original:
- Richard III by William Shakespeare
Romeo and Juliet
The Prince of Cats by Ronald Wimberley
This retelling of Romeo and Juliet changes the setting to 1980s Brooklyn and re-imagines the Montagues and Capulets as rival street gangs. Tybalt is the main character in this wholly original graphic novel.
Other books inspired by Romeo and Juliet:
- Romeo and/or Juliet: A Chooseable Path Adventure by Ryan North
- Warm Bodies by Isaac Marion
- These Violent Delights by Chloe Gong (Teen Fiction)
Read the original:
- Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare
The Tempest
The Dream of Perpetual Motion by Dexter Palmer
Who doesn't need a steampunk marriage of The Tempest and Charlie and the Chocolate Factory? Greeting card writer Harry Winslow has been imprisoned on a zeppelin. Alone except for the disembodied voice of his beloved Miranda and the cryogenically frozen corpse of her father Prospero he tells the story of how he got to this place. Reviewers seem to either love or hate this book.
Other books inspired by The Tempest:
- Hag-seed by Margaret Atwood
Read the original:
- The Tempest by William Shakespeare
What other adaptations of Shakespeare's work would you recommend? Share in the comments below.
One thought on “Inspired by Shakespeare: Books for the Ides of March”
For KING LEAR, there’s also the 2017 novel We That Are Young by Preti Taneja. TPL currently has 15 hard copies & three e-book copies in the system. It’s a version of KL set in modern India.
Two suggestions from the ongoing Hogarth Press ‘Shakespeare Retold’ series: Jeannette Winterson’s THE GAP OF TIME (based on THE WINTER’S TALE) and Howard Jacobson’s MY NAME IS SHYLOCK (based on THE MERCHANT OF VENICE).