Psychologically acute, Shakespeare-steeped tale ... Berlinski has an intricate understanding of the dynamics of predation, the psyches of performers and the culture of theater, particularly the grittier, convention-trampling downtown variety.
Mona’s peregrinations verge on the tedious. Far more persuasive and engaging are the portions of the novel that grapple with Shakespeare’s text and put readers smack in the middle of a rehearsal or performance. Bravo to that.
Extravagantly brilliant and darkly funny ... A tour de force of a novel. Read it for its utterly convincing portrayal of female sexual desire. For its nuanced depiction of the aftermath of #MeToo, including the generational differences between Mona’s middle-age cohort and younger women like Rachel who, in real life, brought down Harvey Weinstein and so many others. But most of all, read it for Berlinski’s dazzling insights into how Shakespeare offers us mere mortals a playbook for every season of life.
