Laertes
Year: 2022
Author: Carly Stevens
Length: 208 pages
While I rarely see it done, I appreciate the authors who give voice and context to the side characters from famous literary works. I also like adaptations of these works in different settings that show how timeless the story is. While movies like Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead (1990) follow the former and The Lion King (1994) follow the latter, one book I have read recently has fused both into a 1920s exploration of what Laertes was doing while the events of Hamlet unfolded in Denmark.
The beauty of choosing to follow Laertes is that the (obviously titular) book about him explores the life of a man with royal connections, but who doesn’t fully rely on them to get ahead in life. Even without the intro flashback and eventual conflict with Hamlet, there’s a coming of age in Laertes that feels distinctly of the high society in the 1920s era. The old-school academic setting combined with a forward-thinking flapper romantic interest evokes European origins while recognizing American influence at the time. Just on vibes alone, I’d recommend this book as it scratches some kind of literary itch I didn’t know I had.
Of course, my only minor gripe is perhaps how narrow the narrative is when it comes to the Hamlet timeline. I would have enjoyed perhaps a build-up that incorporated more of the other Hamlet characters in a prequel context instead of the select few that established the relationship (albeit almost homoerotic) between Laertes and Hamlet. As it stands, the connection to the last moments of Laertes’ life feels disconnected from the rest of the narrative and seems to serve as an “oh, by the way” that thrusts the main character into the political drama unfolding at home.
An intriguing time-shifted focus on a minor character from Hamlet, I give Laertes 4.5 stars out of 5.
1/2
