Macbeth

O começo é estranho; embora cheio de ação, parece arrastado e lento. E aí de repente engrena e sobe com força!

3.5 stars. I liked it. Nesbo did well with the characters and the plot, and mostly stayed true to the story about the Scot we love to hate. I feel that he could have delved deeper into Lady Macbeth's character - she is so fascinating. But a good job all round.

I've never read Shakespeare's Macbeth. I have read a lot of Jo Nesbo however. Macbeth was very different from the Harry Hole series. A little slow to start off, but the pace quickly picked up. An enjoyable read.

‘'A seagull swept in over Fife through the silence and moonlight under a cloud-free night sky. Below, the river shone like silver. On the west of the river- like an immense fortress wall- a steep black mountain rose to the sky.''

Without any prologue and lengthy introductions, I must tell you that this book is a masterpiece. It has the status of a classic, the making of a novel that will defy time. Nesbø took the masterpiece by William Shakespeare and elevated it to new heights. If you follow my reviews, you know that I have two obsessions: Wuthering Heights and Macbeth. I never thought I'd say that another writer would come to rival the greatness of the Scottish Play but there you have it. Sacrilege verified.

Nesbø sets the action in Scotland, during the 70's and we are transported into the fickle, cruel world of casinos, the drug ‘'market'' and the universe of high crime. Everything is masterfully crafted to reflect Shakespeare's world. Macbeth is the head of the SWAT unit, Lady is the owner of a quality casino, Banquo is Macbeth's mentor. The Norse Riders gang is the main rival and Hecate is the mob boss who appears to move the strings and direct the characters' fate. See what Nesbø did there? I think you do and I tell you it is a marvelous stance. He shows how Fate arms Macbeth's hand and the sequence of events is immediate. The consequences unavoidable and irreversible.

‘'The king of hearts and the queen of spades. That evening they met under an evil moon.''

As in the original material, the finest scenes are the ones between Macbeth and Lady. Dare I say that their relationship in Nesbø's retelling is even more fleshed out and poignant? Well, I do because it's the truth. If you love this frighteningly alluring couple in the Bard's play, you will fall head-over-heels for them in this novel. Macbeth is perfectly drawn. He's slightly more malicious and ruthless than his Shakespearean counterpart but this is to be expected given the setting and the direction of the story. Because of Hecate's brew, Macbeth's visions start early and they are striking. The depiction of his guilt and the emotional toil of his actions, his steady descent into despair, his surrendering to his fate is a devastating process to read and knowing the outcome makes it even worse, it makes it even more powerful.

‘'I sleepwalk in the darkest night without hurting myself.''

Lovely Lady...She is brilliant, as fascinating and dangerous as the Queen of Scotland. And do you know what I enjoyed the most? The fact that in Nesbø's version, Lady is a powerful woman who has come into her own without taking orders and sh...from men. She is more experienced, more intelligent than Macbeth. Their relationship is balanced and loving yet, she doesn't need him to define her as a person. She is not ‘'his'' queen, she is a woman who has forged herself through fire and steel and takes responsibility of her own choices. And in this version, she is granted a number of redeeming qualities that are absolutely absent in the original play.

‘'Sleep no more. Macbeth is murdering sleep.''

I cannot say much because spoilers are lurking. Even though we all know the original story, Nesbø has created quite a few twists and turns that forbid me to say much. It's a joy to be able to recognise the exact scenes from the Bard's play, the monologues and the famous quotes within the context of Nesbø's story, to pinpoint the parallel lines between the two works. The bleak atmosphere of Scotland, the fact that most of the action takes place during the night, the frenetic 70's vibe mirror the spirit of Macbeth to perfection. I didn't expect such a successful adaptation of Shakespeare's quotes into contemporary language without sacrificing their beauty, their impact, their significance. So major congratulations to Don Bartlett for the translation from the original Norwegian. The interactions are as solemn and as natural as they can be and the prose is rich in a distinct, dark Nordic beauty.

Naturally, I knew of Nesbø but I've never read any of his novels. I didn't let my expectations rise too much prior to reading this but to say that I was pleasantly surprised is an understatement. Nesbø took the Nordic heritage and the dark Scottish setting and remained faithful to the original source. Without presuming to be equal to the Bard, full of respect and obviously aware of the tremendous responsibility, he created a work that would make William Shakespeare proud. So, read it, dearest friends. This is the best retelling of Shakespeare's work that we will ever come to know in our time...

‘'I owe it hell on earth.''

Many thanks to Penguin Random House, Hogarth UK and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange of an honest review,

My reviews can also be found on https://theopinionatedreaderblog.wordpress.com

It's not the strongest of starts - more foul than fair with some overwrought thriller noir stickhandling that had me rolling my eyes. Macbeth's an orphan SWAT team lead and expert knife-thrower while Lady is a former prostitute now newly minted casino owner. It all feels like something 13 year old me would have come up with. But I get it - it's not easy bringing a 400 year old text into the modern era.

And that's the fun of it. Watching Nesbo tackle this particular challenge. The murders, the visions, the witches and the former sense of inevitability come crashing down to nothing but grim resignation. When Nesbo gets to the action he really shines. The Banquo Fleance scene is edge of your seat writing. But it's all the stuff around it that creeps in this petty pace. It's John Woo come to America - you can still see the action that garnered him international attention in the first place - but at a certain point the slow motion doves becomes cringey cliche. More simply - this isn't the Nesbo you want to start with.

Macbeth (Hogarth Shakespeare) by Jo Nesbø is one of the best books I have read this month. I am rather sad that this review is so late so I do apologize for my late review but go out and get this book. I have a confession when I was in college I did 15 weeks of Shakespeare in college and this is by far my favorite Macbeth. I like many readers found the beginning very slow but a good thriller should be like a good whiskey and give you a nice slow burn. Set in the 1970's, this book focuses on a police force attempting to shed its drug problem. A dangerous drug lord named Hecate has high connections in the city and will use them to get what he wants - absolute power. He is manipulative and clever. Macbeth is a man with demons. He has addiction issues and is prone to violence and paranoia. He also just so happens to be the head of the SWAT team. I found each character complex and unique and for someone like me that is what keeps me engaged. The drug bust in this book is the turning point which keeps the reader turning pages. I find greed ambition and police corruption make for an awesome read. I actually think this would be an awesome tv show to watch. I look forward to reading more books by Jo Nesbo in the future I am very impressed by this novel. I have only read one other by him. This is a much enjoyable departure hands down you have made a new fan. Thank you Netgalley and all parties involved this was a fun ride.

As the title implies, Macbeth is a modern interpretation of Shakespeare's Macbeth. Set in a tiny town in northern Scotland, the characters are police officers rather than nobles. The law enforcement hierarchy is not too far off from that of royalty, and provides a logical setting for all of the death that ensues. While I enjoyed the interpretation, the book was a bit slow at times and could have been shorter. Nonetheless, Nesbo does a good job bringing this Shakespeare story into the modern age.