Macbeth

From Booklist
Gr. 6-9. Reimagining Macbeth as a space opera seems a natural way to repackage the play as a graphic novel. Cover maintains much of Shakespeare's dialogue and sometimes relies on it to direct depictions of his characters in the art. Lady Macbeth, however, is a bit more buxom than she might seem in the original play, and in addition to lots of cool, futuristic space armor, there's a dragon or two in this version. The black-and-white images are full of action and energy, and faces are clear and distinct. An appendix provides readers with technical information on how the art was created. This is certainly no substitute for seeing or hearing the stage play, but this visual take may make studying the real thing far less intimidating. Francisca Goldsmith
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From School Library Journal
Grade 9 Up–In this adaptation, the Weird Sisters are cloaked robots that speak in barcode, the soldiers horses are winged dragonlike creatures, and the letters to Lady Macbeth arrive via computer. Despite the intriguing potential of this format and the updated setting, the book is disappointing. As the story opens, the black-and-white artwork is intricate and appealing. However, readers unfamiliar with the plot will have difficulty following the action and the characters. Also, the quality of the illustrations tends to deteriorate at random intervals. For example, in some scenes Lady Macbeth is harshly outlined with thick black lines that look like the work of an amateur manga artist, while in the same panel her husband appears masterfully drawn. Similarly, halfway through the murder of Lady Macduff, the style shifts abruptly, disrupting the flow of the panels. This science-fiction version of the play might be fun to use in a classroom to illustrate the timelessness of the Bards plays, but it is unlikely to find a wide audience.–Heather M. Lisowski, Philip S. Miller Library, Castle Rock, CO
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