This was OK. I noted the writer said he hadn't really read any other books on Shakespeare and it showed. This didn't feel particularly different to anything else I've read. But still an OK read.

I had not heard of Fintan O'Toole before, but after some Googling I can see he's a man of high esteem in the literary critique world so I was keen to read his thoughts.

Like any bibliophile, wordsmith or English student, I adore Shakespeare and am the proud owner of a very old, very beautiful leatherbound copy of all his works. I saw a First Folio last year and it nearly brought me to tears. And I'm also interested in how others see his plays and how they critique them, so I was very intrigued by this book. But to be honest, it wasn't my thing.

I was confused as to what this book was. A piece of literary criticism? A non-fiction story? A piece for evaluating in an English class? An essay? Opinions or fact? I just couldn't grasp what it was meant to be and what point he was trying to make with it.

Nothing felt new or fresh. I accept that everything that could be said about Shakespeare over the last 400+ years has been said, and so there probably isn't anything new, but this felt really obvious, more like a regurgitation of opinions. And he is quite often dismissive of things that are important but don't line up with the point he's trying to make. There was nothing fresh to keep me interesting.

Whilst Shakespeare and English Literature scholars may enjoy it and get something out of it, in my option, for the average reader it just isn't that great.

It is well researched, and it's clear he has a passion for Shakespeare, I just felt it had all been done before.

Fintan O'Toole is The Irish Times columnist and literary critic, who has taken 4 Shakespearean tragedies,Hamlet, Othello, King Lear and Macbeth, and invited the reader to take on board his critical approaches to the plays. His presentation has clarity and it is a relatively quick read that drew my attention, having closely studied Lear and Macbeth, and seen a number of productions and films on the other two. I think it is likely that if you know the plays well, you will get more out of reading this, although it has to be said when it comes to Shakespeare, there is little that is new under the sun.

This challenges traditional approaches to the plays and posits instead that the central flawed characters reflect the morality and turbulence of Victorian times, illuminating how the prevalence of different opposing perspectives, and the tensions that existed between them drive how the tragic characters were seen, whilst additionally putting far too much weight on their soliloquies. This over simplifies the characters, serving as an impediment to fully grasp and understand the complexities of the tragedies.

No doubt this and the more broader analysis will appeal to those readers interested in Shakespeare, who may or may not be convinced by O'Toole's arguments, but regardless are likely to find this to be an interesting read. Many thanks to the publisher for an ARC.

This was a really enjoyable and interesting read. I really enjoyed O'Toole's take on Tragedy and found it refreshing. I will be encouraging my Sixth Form Literature students to read this.

Very brief, but very interesting little book about Shakespeare, his tragedies, and what we can take from them. I love books that remind people that Shakespeare is for everyone, O'Toole definitely takes that tact!

Really really strong. This loses 1 star, for me, because I think despite that message it is quite dense, and does require a certain degree of English Studies / Literature background to fully appreciate. No a negative, just a note! Really liked this.