Hag-Seed

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Remakes of classic tales are not just exclusive to cinema. It’s a literary subgenre all its own, often referred to as either retellings or ‘piggyback’ novels –there are some blurred lines that distinct the two, but you get the idea. I’ve always been of the opinion that a classic’s longevity can be measured by how it can be reinterpreted and retold to the masses over generations and who else could be labelled King of Transcendence than old mate Shakespeare.

Whilst I’m not really a fan –I don’t read his plays or poems recreationally and I cling to the Shakespeare-aversion I developed being forced to study him in high school- I can definitely appreciate what it is about Shakespeare’s stories that make them so adaptable to the modern times. It doesn’t matter what play you take, Shakespeare’s comedies and tragedies transcend generations because of their timeless themes, characters, and narrative flow.

On this train of thought, I just finished reading Hag-Seed…

A retelling of The Tempest, the book tells the story of Felix Phillips who was at the top of his game as Artistic Director of the Makesiweg Theatre Festival, but whose world came crashing down when he was muzzled out of his job by his assistant, Tony. Living alone in a ramshackle hovel for twelve years, Felix broods and dreams of revenge. His chance arrives when he gets a job as a professor for a Literacy Through Literature facility in a nearby prison. Turning the class into a theatre troupe, he plans to stage his bold and brave version of The Tempest that was cancelled twelve years ago in the hope of dealing out some justice and healing some old emotional wounds.

Margaret Atwood’s retelling of a Shakespearean classic is hands down one of the most compelling reads that I’ve indulged in in a long while! It’s a simple yet well-crafted story that explores all of the classic Shakespearean themes: madness, imprisonment, magic, treachery, betrayal, and revenge while having fun with genres and the whole play-within-a-play setup.

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When it begins, it almost has the vibe of a crime novel, with the theme of betrayal and revenge, mixed with the assorted characters of convicts, enforcing this tone. However, as we delve deeper into the rabbit hole, the book takes on a number of different tones including Gothic thriller, inspiring drama, and even the quest narrative. There’s a lot that puts you in mind of other classic works such as The Shawshank Redemption, To Sir With Love, and anything Poe or James inspired – namely in the potentially unreliable narrator- and because the core betrayal of the story is so relatable, as are the characters, there is an almost immediate attachment to the protagonist, which compels you to keep turning pages as you must find out if he gets his payoff. It’s actually a great example of character-reader symbiosis in that Felix is the everyman, the reader, the average Joe, and when he’s happy, you’re happy.

I haven’t blazed through a book this quickly since The Kite Runner and I found Hag-Seed to be wonderfully accessible, compelling, and I was well and truly immersed in the story from the first page.

I think it’s fair to say now that Margaret Atwood would have to be one of my favourite authors!

Hag-Seed is a modern retelling of Shakespeare’s The Tempest, written by Margaret Atwood and published by Hogarth in 2016.