Review of NEW BOY by Tracy Chevalier

New Boy (Hogarth Shakespeare)

By Tracy Chevalier

Published May 11th, 2017 by Hogarth

Hardcover, 204 pages

From the New York Times bestselling author of Girl with a Pearl Earring comes the fifth installment in the Hogarth Shakespeare series, a modern retelling of Othello set in a suburban schoolyard.

Arriving at his fifth school in as many years, a diplomat's son, Osei Kokote, knows he needs an ally if he is to survive his first day so he's lucky to hit it off with Dee, the most popular girl in school. But one student can't stand to witness this budding relationship: Ian decides to destroy the friendship between the black boy and the golden girl. By the end of the day, the school and its key players - teachers and pupils alike - will never be the same again.

The tragedy of Othello is transposed to a 1970's suburban Washington schoolyard, where kids fall in and out of love with each other before lunchtime, and practice a casual racism picked up from their parents and teachers. Peeking over the shoulders of four 11 year olds Osei, Dee, Ian, and his reluctant girlfriend Mimi, Tracy Chevalier's powerful drama of friends torn apart by jealousy, bullying and betrayal will leave you reeling.

PURCHASE:

AMAZON | B&N | PENGUIN | BAM!

How about we begin with that for some strange reason I am indecisive regarding my opinion of this book. I have never had this occur before, so as you can imagine I am perplexed concerning it nonetheless I will forge ahead.

Next, this is a speedy read, you should blast through it in no time. The story takes place within one day additionally each section is a different part of the school day. Now, the story itself is interesting keeping you engaged. Furthermore, as a reader, I was engrossed in the many different aspects of hate and deception that the book was abundant with. However, eleven-year-olds do not have the mental capacity for such a complex plan that Ian instigated also some other situations were not proper for an elementary school playground. Plus, at that age, boys and girls are not as involved emotionally. Consequently, the plot of the story had trouble working logically for me though it was entertaining. That’s all folk’s.

Born:

19 October 1962 in Washington, DC. Youngest of 3 children. Father was a photographer for The Washington Post.

Childhood:

Nerdy. Spent a lot of time lying on my bed reading. Favorite authors back then: Laura Ingalls Wilder, Madeleine L’Engle, Zilpha Keatley Snyder, Joan Aiken, Susan Cooper, Lloyd Alexander. Book I would have taken to a desert island: Anne of Green Gables by L.M. Montgomery.

Education:

BA in English, Oberlin College, Ohio, 1984. No one was surprised that I went there; I was made for such a progressive, liberal place.

MA in creative writing, University of East Anglia, Norwich, England, 1994. There’s a lot of debate about whether or not you can be taught to write. Why doesn’t anyone ask that of professional singers, painters, dancers? That year forced me to write all the time and take it seriously.

http://www.tchevalier.com/ | FACEBOOK | TWITTER