Macbeth (Shakespeare Classics Graphic Novels)

I’ve finally read Macbeth! Well, I read the graphic novel version of the story. I would say that the illustration is boring, but it suited the story more and more as I read. I’m not going to detail this story. I get it. This is like the foundation for every plot twist or surprise that I’ve encountered in books and movies. I realized I knew almost all the details from this story already. It was a weird feeling.
The book is well written but I hated the choice to use type font instead of the normal graphic novel style. It removed me from the reality that was illustrated in each cell. It’s a design choice that makes the pages appear false in light of the era represented. Gareth Hinds wrote an illustrated the book very well. But one show more detail in the art direction spoiled this adventure. I would read more versions of Shakespeare like this and have them available in my classroom. I will give Mr. Hinds another shot.
I still recommend this book because it was the version of Macbeth I finally read. I have to respect the power of using graphic novels to reach everyone, young and old. Well written and illustrated. I liked that he included blood during the sword fights. I also like the way he illustrated the growth in the relationships. Younger children would find issue with the cells that feature kissing and romance. I appreciated both which says something. Young adults need to be catered to just like the adults. show less

I would highly recommend this book if you are teaching "Macbeth" to highschoolers instead of looking at the plain text. Plays are meant to be on the stage, and a graphic novel version of the play is a close second that sometimes encapsulates the tone of the play better than a play could. Filled with strong imagery, stage direction, and symbolism, this book would make reading the play more enjoyable for students.
The illustrations drawn by Gareth Hinds portrays a truly terrifying transition from sanity to insanity that Macbeth goes through. These images, along with the actual text, give important context to the lines, making the play less intimidating for the modern reader. I would highly recommend purchasing a class set of these novels show more if you plan on teaching "Macbeth" for years. show less

This version of the Shakespearean play Macbeth is amazing! I love that it maintains a lot of the original language from the play because it is important that students are exposed to it. The graphics in the novel are quite detailed and add greatly to the understanding of what is actually happening. This is especially important for visual learners. In addition, the graphics make the language less intimidating and the text more approachable. The greatest part of utilizing this graphic novel is that it is full length and keeps the focus and intent of the play intact.

I first became aware of the Usborne Shakespeare graphic adaptation of Macbeth through a post on the Graphic Stories thread. I bought a copy because I was launching a read of Shakespeare's play coupled with a read of Jo Nesbo's novel of the same name, inspired by the play. After reading Usborne's edition, I spotted a graphic version by Gareth Hinds in a library. I signed it out. Comparing the two graphic versions was very interesting.

The Gareth Hinds adaptation is excellent. It benefits from a singular vision. Hinds, who has produced quite a few graphic adaptations of classic literature—[King Lear], [The Odyssey], [Beowulf], [The Merchant of Venice]—is an old hand at such work. His approach is to research his subject, adapt the show more text, storyboard the presentation, and produce the illustrations. He's in charge; no one else to shoulder blame for shortcomings.

Maria Russo, who reviewed the book for the New York Times in 2015, commented on Hinds' text, lauding his effort to maintain Shakespeare's rhythm, a detail that totally evaded me:

Hinds…has condensed the action of “Macbeth” a bit and in many places maneuvered Shakespeare’s iambic pentameter into prose that fits seamlessly into speech bubbles. Little seems to have been lost in that transition. The major soliloquies are intact and include the original line breaks (“Tomorrow, and tomorrow, and tomorrow / Creeps in this petty pace from day to day / To the last syllable of recorded time”), while the lines that serve more expositional functions are sometimes reworked so that they still have an iambic feel, but flow naturally to the modern ear (“Thy letters have transported me beyond this ignorant present, and I feel now the future in an instant”).

I've posted a comparison of this edition with the edition published by Usborne Shakespeare. A substantial selection of visuals from both books is included. Here's the linky: https://www.librarything.com/topic/340224#7796277 show less

This is a very bold and striking adaption of the Shakespearean play, Macbeth. The language in the speech bubbles is easy to understand and the illustrations provide excellent imagery that was previously exclusive to advanced readers.

This would be a great work to use in an adapted English class (Juniors or Seniors) for reluctant readers or visually inclined learners.