Published: 12 March 2024 (print)/4 July 2023 (audio) 
Publisher: Penguin Random House Australia/Penguin Random House Australia Audio
Pages: 240/3 hrs and 19 mins
Narrator: R. A. Spratt
Format: Audiobook
Genre: Young Adult Contemporary
★ ★ ★ – 3 Stars
Selby hates homework.Spratt comes in guns blazing with a lot of yelling and chaos which was great. I liked for once there was a character who wasn’t studious, wasn’t on top of stuff, it’s about time there was a teen who got their own book who skipped out on doing any homework and it’s not entirely their fault. Selby I put up with as she is 15 and her actions are a very 15 year old response. There’s a balance at 15 where you can be a bit more immature than maybe a 16 or 17 year old character can get away with. Though immaturity has no age limit really, but you get more leeway the younger you get.
I didn’t like the note from the author essentially warning readers they will encounter Shakespeare in the book. It was like to let them know not to be scared off and to still give this book a chance. If you are reading a book having a few verbatim Shakespeare quotes in it shouldn’t deter you. I think the kids will survive. Especially given how it’s in a narrative form so it isn’t even the big scary play version they supposedly should detest. What was wonderful about having it put through a narrative lens is it’s a great example of how amazing Shakespeare is to see performed live. How reading a play in a book isn’t the right format. A play is to be performed and experienced. Diving right into the text to see it before you is the next best thing. If you can manage it.
It’s a bit Thursday Next with their ability to enter the world of Shakespeare and see it play out before them. As a lover of Thursday Next and her book jumping world this was super fun. Having a teen Hamlet interact with a modern teen really brings to light his angst and the family drama he has to endure. It’s easy to see how Shakespeare can be modernised because there are a lot of universal things and Selby getting to experience the plot points first hand is a great reminder that people have always been people even if you say it in a poetic form.
Spratt is quite emphatic and enthusiastic in her narration. Not unpleasant but it is funny why there was a need to be so emphatic about everything little thing. Seeing as it’s narrated by author I guess we can’t argue how enthusiastic she wanted to be on the reading. John Marsden’s retelling of Hamlet is one of my favourite retellings, and I love Shakespeare adaptations so while this is a tad enthusiastic (which I think won’t come across as intense in the book versus audio) it is a fun story. I love the mention that the play is four hours and the audiobook took three and a half. A great parallel.
Fast paced and light hearted it’s a quick read and one that might help the Shakespeare wary understand the universality and enduring nature of Shakespeare.
You can purchase Hamlet is Not Ok via the following
Wordery | Blackwell’s | Angus & Robertson
Fishpond | Amazon | Amazon Aust | Audible
This post will be exactly what it says on the label: a list of Shakespeare retellings. When it comes to Shakespeare there are a myriad of sources that borrow from the bard in storyline and content. A lot of the time the focus in on movies that are replicas of the plays or are modern retellings like 10 Things I Hate About You, Kiss Me Kate, and Gnomeo and Juliet, but there are a range of books that retell some of Shakespeare’s most famous works and rework them into completely new and wonderful stories.
