LitPick Review
It's Shakespeare's classic story of Macbeth, with lines untouched. The story begins with the king learning of Macbeth's fearless fighting on the battlefield. The king, it appears, is so impressed he decides to reward Macbeth in some way. Shift to Macbeth, our tragic hero, who has no lofty ambitions until he comes across the three weird sisters who inform him that he is to become Dane, and foretell his becoming a powerful king. Macbeth is skeptical at first but when he learns the king has indeed appointed him to such a position he begins to lust for even more power. Soon, he has vaulted down a road of obsession, greed, and guilt - a combination that has nasty consequences. But how far is too far? Shakespeare's play goes on to explore the ideas of fate, the power of suggestion, and Machiavellian politics, in a truly emotional story that will grip you from the start.
Opinion:
I can't really say anything against Shakespeare's storytelling prowess. The graphic novel aspect of Classic Comic's version of Macbeth made it much simpler to understand the more difficult parts of the play. It really is the best of both worlds: readers get to experience the integrity of Shakespeare's original text while getting the extra help of the graphics to better grasp the nuances of the play. The lines suddenly jump out with a vivacity that wouldn't otherwise be possible; they come alive. The comics helped make the play more understandable and thus more enjoyable without altering the lines. I would highly recommend it for anyone who wishes to explore Shakespeare, but is too afraid to tackle the challenges of Elizabethan English alone.
