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Wednesday, June 7, 2017

New Boy

31706250From the New York Times bestselling author of Girl with a Pearl Earring comes the fifth installment in the Hogarth Shakespeare series, a modern retelling of Othello set in a suburban schoolyard

Arriving at his fifth school in as many years, a diplomat's son, Osei Kokote, knows he needs an ally if he is to survive his first day so he's lucky to hit it off with Dee, the most popular girl in school. But one student can't stand to witness this budding relationship: Ian decides to destroy the friendship between the black boy and the golden girl. By the end of the day, the school and its key players - teachers and pupils alike - will never be the same again.

The tragedy of Othello is transposed to a 1970's suburban Washington schoolyard, where kids fall in and out of love with each other before lunchtime, and practice a casual racism picked up from their parents and teachers. Peeking over the shoulders of four 11 year olds Osei, Dee, Ian, and his reluctant girlfriend Mimi, Tracy Chevalier's powerful drama of friends torn apart by jealousy, bullying and betrayal will leave you reeling.
 

  I had such high hopes for this book. I love a good old fashioned retelling and so was really excited to get a chance to review this. I was disappointed though. Maybe it was because I am not that familiar with the story as I thought I was. But either or, I didn't enjoy it. It was good, don't get me wrong, but I felt like I couldn't really connect to the characters as much as I wanted to.  That's just a personal preference.
Overall it was okay but nothing to wow. 
I received this book for review through Blogging for Books.