Miranda and Caliban

I love this fantastic retelling of The Tempest. The author has an amazing way of bringing very familiar Shakespeare characters and their story alive in a very different yet profound, and wonderful way. The heart of this retelling is a beautiful yet forbidden love story. Ariel is not the fun loving and gentle spirit that he is thought to be. He is mercurial, mean, and nasty. He only does Prospero's bidding because he owes Prospero a very large favor. All of the other dirty things he does is because he is just a evil and he likes making trouble for Caliban and Miranda. Caliban is not as savage, wild, inhuman, unintelligent, and unfeeling as many may think. You find yourself cheering for Caliban, you want him to have something, anything good to happen for him. Miranda, Miranda is the saddest, most heartbreaking and miserable character in this story. She is isolated for years by herself until her "Papa" Prospero calls forth Caliban from the other side of the isle She is physically, emotionally and mentally abused by her "Papa" which really sticks out in this retelling. Your heart breaks for her many times over. Prospero has complete and ultimate control over Miranda, Caliban, Ariel and the other Elementals on the isle. He is abusive, manipulative, cruel, hateful and spiteful. For all of you Shakespeare lovers out there who adore The Tempest, this book is for you. I truly enjoyed reading this retelling of one of my all time favorite plays.

This is not the kind of book I usually read, but I was pleasantly surprised by this retelling of The Tempest. The descriptions are vivid and unforgettable. It is movie ready.

I am not at all surprised that I enjoyed this book. I have always liked Jacqueline Carey's writing and this was just another one to add to the list. The prose is very poetic and beautiful and both Miranda and Caliban had their own distinctive voices. While Jacqueline Carey definitely made these characters something of her own I do not think she did the Bard any disrespect in doing so. I found myself sharing much of the emotions of Miranda and Caliban in this book. Caliban especially I was rooting for. In this book he is a tragic but kindly man who has been dealt a cruel hand at every moment. And in many ways meeting Miranda was just another one of those cruelties. This book is not a happy one so if you are looking for a joyful read this one might not be for you. But if you are looking for something beautiful and tragic then I definitely would say check this one out.

It's nice to read, but it is pretty boring.

I love Jacqueline Carey! After the Kushiel series, my love for reading was reignited. I never wanted the books to end! The same is true with this one. I know its a good book when I see the percentage crawling to the 90%s and I try to read more slowly so that its not over yet! I kept thinking about the story and the characters long after I finished the book. The shifting of points of view were natural and flowed so well. It was a beautiful, complex story. It makes me want to read the Tempest. Really, it just makes me yearn for more from Jacqueline Carey.

I have never read the original of "The Tempest" but I cannot imagine it would hold the same surreal beauty as this version. Miranda is pure and kind while Caliban is wild and sweet. Ariel is tricksy and Prospero is cruel and oppressive. It is a beautiful, sad and poignant tale that makes you wish for a happy ending. ***This This book is suitable for mature young adult through adult readers who enjoy retellings of the classics or just beautiful stories :)

Carey is a favorite author for me, so I rarely find myself not wanting to buy one of her books. This was an intriguing tale based around Shakespeare's work, The Tempest, which addresses the story of Miranda and Caliban while on the island with the exiled Prospero. In Carey's trademark way, she weaves an interesting relationship between Miranda and the foundling outcast, Caliban, and allows you to see their small world through their eyes as they both grow up together. The fantastical elements of the story are secondary to their relationship and growing feelings for each other, and their emotional bond is tight and supportive. The story unfolds as it is meant to unfold, but experiencing it from their point of view makes it feel more poignant.

Carey has been a brilliant writer for many years now, she does great justice to this tale, telling it from a different perspective than Prospero's well worth the read.

Excellent

I really love the books written by Jacqueline Carey. For my translation studies, I bought this book to work on, and I wasn't disappointed. The story is not only great, the researchs behind it were also phenomenal. The author did a really good job at it and every detail counts! Whoever wants to read The Tempest from another point of view, this book is for you !

Jacqueline Carey is one of my favorite author and this book didn't disappoint, good story, fantastic writing, everything I wanted from this book is there.