Macbeth by Jo Nesbo

Ever since reading and enjoying Hag-seed, Margaret Atwood's splendid re-imagining of Shakespeare's Tempest, I've faithfully kept track of the other installments in Hogarth Publishing's ambitious Shakespeare project. The more recent efforts have been somewhat lacking, but I've still been eagerly awaiting Jo Nesbo's take on Macbeth. I enjoyed reading many of Nesbo's Harry Hole novels years ago, so I was excited to see the master of dark, Norwegian crime novels take on Shakespeare's darker work.

True to his bare-bones approach to writing his bestselling novels, Nesbo wisely stays close to the source with his retelling. His Macbeth is set in the middle of a 1970's drug war. Chief of Police Duncan battles notorious drug lord Hecate. Hecate plans to use SWAT officer Macbeth to  see his own agenda advanced. Macbeth has always strayed into the gray area of the law and has no problem falling into a path of lawlessness.

Nesbo has a penchant for writing darkly persuaded characters with a depth and empathy that is second to none. I couldn't help but compare his Macbeth to Harry Hole. Fair or not, Nesbo's Macbeth never reached the fully drawn level that I've come to expect from him. Consequently, it was rather difficult to root for this protagonist. Still, Nesbo is a pro and managed to give his story a suspense that I've never felt in the play.

Despite a few gripes, I found myself enjoying this retelling and constantly reveling in the connections to the original work. Jo Nesbo has a signature authorial style that transcends his novels. Fortunately, this unique voice found itself front a center of this version of Shakespeare's classic. While I still think Atwood's retelling was more satisfying, Nesbo's Macbeth comes in a close second. We have a few years now until Hogarth releases their final announced novel in the collection. With a strong effort from Nesbo, I'm eagerly awaiting Gillian Flynn's take on Hamlet in 2021.

For more information, visit the author's website, Amazon, and Goodreads.

(2018, 15)

This entry was posted on Wednesday, April 11, 2018 and is filed under ,,,. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can leave a response.

5 Responses to “Macbeth by Jo Nesbo”

  1. Ooo to talk such a great story. I too am curious about Flynn's book.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Smartphones. Ugh "to tackle such a great story"

      Delete
    2. They've been more hit than miss, but I have confidence in Flynn!

      Delete
  2. From your review, I’d love a book like this but something has been holding me back from picking it up, but I just can’t figure out what yet. Hmmm, i should probably just throw caution to the wind and do it 🤷🏽‍♀️

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. If you're on the fence, maybe start with Hag-seed by Atwood first. I liked both, but that one was superior!

      Delete

Powered by Blogger.