Faye brings considerable skills and irreverent humor ... Lush and magical, thoughtful and provocative, The King of Infinite Space is a remarkable achievement, staying true to Shakespeare’s tragic play in ways that will surprise and delight while reveling in neurodivergence, queer attraction and quantum physics. Though the buildup is slow and Benjamin’s philosophical meanderings occasionally digressive, this is a novel to stick with for its rewards of a surprising plot and Faye’s delightful storytelling.
... a mind-bending update on the classic tragedy that cleverly keeps its spirit intact while modernizing relationships and plot points ... Faye drops the Bard's best beats into a blender with thought experiments, existential dilemmas and some snicker-worthy double entendres, then sets it to delirious fun. The story draws its allusions from a few of Shakespeare's best-known works. However, readers unfamiliar with the source material should have no trouble following the plot or investing in the emotional stakes. Ben and Horatio's complicated history and heavy sexual tension add a heart-stirring romantic subplot, but don't mistake this mind-bending romp for Hamratio slashfic. Faye has invested considerable care in creating and balancing her trio of protagonists ... wears its heart on its sleeve down to its explosive and sentimental conclusion.
... not only a richly realized mash-up of mystery and fantasy, it’s also a clever pastiche of Hamlet ... Their evolving relationship is brilliantly realized, as, for that matter, is the entire book, which is, alas, ever faithful to the original, which is, remember, a tragedy. The curtain falls.
... a marvelous exploration of Hamlet, a thoughtful, inclusive and provocative interpretation of the tale. Modern and magical, it’s equal parts thriller and love story, built on a foundation of the classic work while also freely and gleefully embracing its own uniqueness. Like so many of the best reinterpretations, the original is still there, but deeply changed; the core of the tale, the spirit that makes it so great, remains, even as the narrative structure around it becomes something new ... precisely what I hoped for. Tackling the Bard – particularly one of the big ones – is a delicate task; for it to truly work, the author must create something altogether new while also holding onto the fundamental greatness of the source. Faye does that beautifully, giving us a compelling and haunting story that captures that spirit while also being entirely its own ... The most incredible thing – at least to my mind – is that you don’t even need to know Hamlet to engage with and enjoy this book. Yes, there are plenty of references and allusions that will light up the Shakespearean synapses, but even those without that perspective will still experience a book that is mysterious and magical, driven by love and fear and introspection. I assumed I would like this book – my affection for this sort of work is well-documented – but I had little inkling of just how much. This is the modern, thoughtful, queer, feminist literary take on Hamlet that I didn’t know I wanted until I had it. Lyndsay Faye has crafted something wonderful with The King of Infinite Space – to read or not to read isn’t even a question. Read.
... wildly imaginative ... Faye perfectly juxtaposes corrosive ambition, jealousy, and madness against the ineffable strength of love over distance, time, and space ... Faye first won fans with an eclectic array of historical novels revisiting Jane Eyre and Sherlock Holmes. Her exciting new work should be especially appealing to readers who were intrigued by the reimaginings of Anne Tyler, Margaret Atwood, or Jeanette Winterson for the Hogarth Press Shakespeare project.
Shakespeare novices may or may not miss the quotes; aficionados will find themselves assaulted with the slings and arrows of lyrical literalism ... What rescues The King of Infinite Space is what Faye chooses to change in the story (in the spirit of the Bard, the original master of rebooted IP). Her protagonist, the charming and mercurial Benjamin, is a compelling and complex version of Hamlet...Most believable and winning — and farthest from its source — is the romance between the two men ... It’s also very funny ... Inserting considerable jest into the novel while staying true to the spirit of the play is quite a feat ... Faye’s descriptive language evokes — and has fun with — the theatricality of Shakespeare ... There are times when a reader may wish Faye had taken more liberties with the dramatic arc, if only to make the conclusion less predictable ... both a fleet-footed delight and a true tragedy in the classical tradition of its source. It is a tragicomedy, a hybrid of past and present, a pastiche and an original yarn, a verily fun and achingly melancholy novel. All this, Faye can truly deliver.
Faye further showcases her versatility with this enthralling riff on Hamlet ... Shakespeare devotees will be impressed at the variations Faye introduces to the play’s plotline, and Faye’s considerable descriptive gifts are on ample display ... Fans and newcomers alike will delight in Faye’s remarkable achievement.
Benjamin’s philosophical ramblings, unfortunately, make it obvious that contemporary prose rarely has the savor of Shakespeare’s verse, but Bardolators will enjoy the clever changes Faye rings on his storylines and characters. Readers attracted to the book by Faye’s stellar track record with historical mysteries will find she’s got the same knack for wicked surprises that she demonstrated in her terrific trilogy about 19th-century NYC 'copper star' Timothy Wilde. She dishes out two fabulous plot twists: one very much in keeping with the original Hamlet, one that reveals Machiavellian hidden depths in a bloviating minor character. The ending is just as bloody as Shakespeare’s and nearly as poignant ... Smart and suspenseful; top-notch popular fiction.
