Exposure

A surprisingly good reworking of Othello - surprising because I don't like football! Set in South America it tells of Black footballer Otello who falls in love with the beautiful, white, popstar daughter of a right-wing politician. Otello's manager, Diego, manipulates the situation for his own ends, but it is the minor characters who really suffer - the street children who become the victims of a corrupt and vicious system. The ending is weak which is a disappointment as the story has a real punch and relevance, and is utterly believable. Read in a day, this is my first Peet novel and I will read more.

Fantastic adaptation of Othello with O being a David Beckham soccer player and Desmerelda a Posh Spice and Iago is their agent who sets them all up for a terrible fall. Into the mix is our soccer journalist "The Maestro" who has appeared in all the other soccr based books of Peet. He acts as an impartial narrator who sees the crash of this huge star through his coonection to a homeless street child. It is the street child's sister that is found murdered that brings about O downfall as the Iago character plants innocent photos of her together with child porn on O's home computer. Very clever, very apt. Would make a great companion novel to a study of Othello.

5* The sudden and controversial marriage of Otello, South America's most popular soccer star, to Desmerelda, the white pop star daughter of a right wing politician, propels the couple to even greater adoration by the nation. When a young street girl is found murdered, Paul Faustino, South America's top sports journalist witnesses the impact of a trial by media. So powerful is Peet's writing that one feels and smells the stench of life on the streets, the insurmountable social divide between rich and poor and the undeniable corruption that slithers through the fast pulse of life. A great read!

Narrated by Christopher Lane. Otello and Desmerelda are the toast of the media. Otello is a famous South American soccer star and Desmerelda is a pop princess and daughter of a powerful conservative politician. He is black and she white, adding to the controversy and star power of their pairing. Behind the scenes of their glamorous romance however, Otello's agent Diego schemes to undermine his own client. Lane expertly unspools this story with a variety of nuances. He coos as Desmerelda, becomes measured as the scheming Diego, and deliberate during Faustino's thoughtful moments. He's a good reader but I have to say the story started to feel long for me and I never quite understood why Diego undermined his own client in such a dramatic show more way, other than he's just a sadist. show less

Mal Peet's novel is loosely based Othello by Shakespeare. Interestingly it is set in South America with Otello being a soccer player. Normally, I am not one to read sports based novels, but this was one that made me curious as to how Shakespeare would become a contemporary sports work.

There really is not much soccer action in the book, it is more about how a sadistic, racist agent manipulates the tragic downfall of goodhearted, trusting athlete. I am not familiar with South American politics, but the picture painted by Peet is one full of corruption and one which lends itself easily to Otello's downfall.

If you are familiar with Othello, you know that a biracial couple marry and must overcome the racism and jealousy of that time. show more Unfortunately Iago manages to manipulate practically everyone causing Othello to suspect Desdemona of being unfaithful and ultimately kills her.

Mal Peet's version does not have anyone dying but one of the minor characters in Exposure. I wish he had let the heartless manipulator come to the same fate as Iago. Since he did not, Exposure left me with the desire to exact my own revenge on the slimbag. I guess I got into the book. I think that those who enjoy Peet's works will like this one too and will be able to relate to a number of the characters.

The side story of the children and the journalist who helps them as well as befriending Otello is also interesting and makes you care what happens to the kids.

I am familiar with the play and I know the outcome, but I was still hoping Peet would make a different ending since it was "loosely" based on the Shakespeare play but of course he didn't. It is a tragedy for all concerned except for Diego Mendose, the soulless agent. Too bad Emilia couldn't devour him and rid the world of him. show less

An incredibly fast paced novel about a super star soccer player who gets sucked into the world of the paparazzi when he marries famous young woman. Peet's writing is strong, thoughtful and moving. Exposure is an excellent look into the pressures of being a famous athlete, and how someone could get trapped in that world. The end is part sweet and part sad, but in a very good way.

This is a modern spin on the tragedy of Shakespeare’s Othello and set in South America. Otello is a black soccer star recently traded to the country’s racist south. He falls in love and marries quickly Desmerelda, the country’s striking white pop star (and daughter of a powerful and conservative politician). The glare of the paparazzi‘s cameras can be blinding and enemies can appear to be one’s confidantes and friends.

The story is divided into five acts. Knowledge of Shakespeare’s Othello is not a necessity but allows for comparison of the texts and a contemporary examination of the original by younger readers. There is sympathy for Otello and for the life of a celebrity but this is not a celebrity-worship story. There is show more racism, poverty and murder. There is grittiness. There are distinct lines between wealth and poverty in this unnamed South American country and the distinction is a huge divide. Recurring character of Paul Faustino (a sports writer) in two other Peet books. Winner of 2009 Guardian children’s fiction prize and a Junior Library Guild Selection. show less