Hogarth Press, May 11, 2017.
Five Stars
New Boy is the latest offering in Hogarth’s Shakespeare series – it is
historical novelist Chevalier’s version of Othello.
It takes place over the course of one day in a suburban schoolyard in Washington
in the 1970s, channeling all the emotional upheavals that eleven-year-olds can
experience in the hours between recess and late afternoon.
Osei Kokote is the son of a Ghanaian diplomat, and
this is his fifth first day of school in as many years. He is accustomed to
starting over, making allies and enemies amidst the immediacy and high drama of
middle school. He is also used to the attention that comes with being the only
black boy at his suburban school – and to the casual and outright racism that begins
with teachers and parents, and is quickly imitated by the children.
Dee, like Desdemonda in Othello, is the most popular girl at school – and she is tasked with
showing Osei around for the day. She is intrigued by the new boy, admiring his
differences but also aware of their similarities. They quickly fall into the intense
sort of relationship that can only take place between recess and kickball, and
their happiness inspires jealousy in those around them. Ian (Iago) is the bully
who decides to destroy the budding friendship just to flex his ego and
schoolyard power. He manipulates the situation in shockingly devious and adult
ways, resulting in tragedy – by the end of the day, none of the children will
ever be the same.
Chevalier is known for writing historical fiction,
such as The Girl with the Pearl Earring,
but she does an impressive job with this near-contemporary retelling of a much
older story. Although technically the story is set fifty years in the past, it
could easily take place in a schoolyard today, because so little has changed.
The complex dynamics of middle school accentuate the inherent racism of
suburban America, as these children become their future selves in the shadow of
the judgmental adults who are meant to be teaching them openness and
acceptance.
The novel is set in five acts, divided by two recesses
and a lunch break. It is a microcosmic world where a day can seem like an
eternity just because you’re eleven – the children’s adult-like concerns are
punctuated by jump rope and kickball. The tight constraints of this narrative
are effective, emphasizing the heartbreaking tragedy of Othello by compressing the intense emotions into a few short hours.
Ian’s vindictive, petty schemes result in a tragedy that will be inevitable
until boys like Ian stop imitating men like Iago. Despite its 1970s setting, I found
this to be the most relevant and current novel in the Hogarth Shakespeare
series so far, and I look forward to more like it.
I received this book from Hogarth Press and NetGalley
in exchange for an honest review.
No comments:
Post a Comment