New boy tracy chevalier

In new boy, tracy chevalier takes othello to school. The novel was commissioned by hogarth press as part of its. From the new york times bestselling author of girl with a pearl earring comes the fifth installment in the hogarth shakespeare series, a modern retelling of othello set in a suburban schoolyard. New boy by tracy chevalier penguin random house audio. New boy is a very tightly wound, compact retelling of othello, that retains the originals exploration of love and betrayal, racism, strength and weakness, but transforms the situation to an elementary school and setting the conflict between adolescents, which heightens the tension and pathos for the reader. Chevalier takes what is possibly the most emotionally charged of shakespeares plays and transplants it in time and place. The hogarth shakespeare series continues to strike me as an endeavour excellent in theory, but almost invariably doomed in practice. Tracy chevalier brings shakespeares othelloa harrowing drama of jealousy and revengeto a 1970s era elementary school playground. This retelling of othello sheds new light on the story and sends important messages about racism. She has a ba in english from oberlin college, ohio and an ma in creative writing from the university of east anglia, norwich, england.

Tracy chevalier brings shakespeare s othello a harrowing drama of jealousy and revengeto a 1970s era elementary school playground. Two years ago i was asked by hogarth press to take part in their shakespeare project, in which writers are invited to write a novel inspired by a shakespeare play. Tracy chevalier s retelling of othello is the latest in the shakespeare series from the hogarth press. The new boy of the title is osei kokote, the ghanaian son of a diplomat, who joins the sixth grade late in the school year. Author tracy chevalier on her novel new boy a retelling of othello set in 1970s washington dc, with a cast of 11 year olds. Tracy chevalier s powerful drama of friends torn apart by jealousy, bullying and betrayal will leave you reeling mumsnet new boy is in the tradition of movies such as 10 things i hate about you or west side story, or toni morrisons play desdemona. Part of the hogarth press shakespeare retellings series, chevalier s new boy is a retelling of othello, featuring a class of grade 6 children at a school in washington in the 1970s.

But seeing the schools only black boy woo a white girl is too much for ian, a schoolyard bully, and he hatches a. The story takes place in 1970s washington, on the grounds of an elementary school. Tracy chevalier is the new york times bestselling author of eight previous novels, including girl with a pearl earring, which has been translated into 39 languages and made into an oscarnominated film. Arriving at his fifth school in as many years, diplomats son osei kokote knows he needs an ally if he is to survive his first day so hes lucky to hit it off with dee, the most popular girl in school. Tracy chevalier was born in washington, dc but has lived in england all her adult life. New boy is a very tightly wound, compact retelling of othello, that retains the originals exploration of love and betrayal, racism, strength and weakness, but. Tracy chevaliers new boy retells the story of shakespeares othello and is the latest book in the hogarth shakespeare series, in which chevalier joins authors like anne tyler and margaret atwood in writing modernday reimaginings of shakespeare plays. Tracy chevalier brings shakespeare s othello a harrowing drama of jealousy and revenge to a 1970s era elementary school playground. Othello has always been, for me, the least satisfactory of the four major tragedies despite the gorgeousness of shakespeares language. About new boy tracy chevalier brings shakespeares othello a harrowing drama of jealousy and revengeto a 1970s era elementary school playground. Tracy chevalier brings shakespeares othello a harrowing drama of jealousy and revengeto a 1970s era elementary school playground.

Tracy chevalier reads and discusses her novel new boy at the folger shakespeare library. Arriving at his fifth school in as many years, diplomats son osei kokote knows he needs an ally if he is to survive his first dayso hes lucky to hit it off with dee, the most popular girl in school. I knew it was going to be a hit with me, i love shakespeare, so i even made it a pick for the stacks book club. New boy by tracy chevalier arriving at his fifth school in as many years, a diplomats son, osei kokote, knows he needs an ally if he is to survive his first day so hes lucky to hit it off with dee, the most popular girl in school. I would probably have given it 3 stars, if it had been written by a lesser author, but coming from tracy chevalier, i expected better. Chevalier possesses a great talent for invoking a sense of time and place in her novels, and this one is no exception.

Tracy chevalier does a fine job turning the classic, passionate tragedy into a. Chevaliers story is in a novel form, not a play script, which made it easier to read. Im a great admirer of chevalier and her concept is clever to set the story. Tracy chevalier on her novel new boy, a modern retelling. Tracy chevalier brings shakespeares harrowing drama of jealousy and revenge to a 1970s era elementary school playground. Tracy chevalier, author of girl with a pearl earring, takes on the tragedy of othello in her latest novel, new boy, part of the hogarth shakespeare series. Tracy chevalier is the author of at the edge of the orchard, the last runaway, and, most famously, girl with a pearl earring.

Tracy chevalier s new boy is a powerful, disquieting retelling of othello that falls squarely in the hits column. From the flowered legs of bellbottom jeans to the smack of doubledutch ropes on the playground, new boy captures the spirit of not only the era, with its casual racism, but the essence of a 70s childhood as well. A novel hogarth shakespeare series by tracy chevalier. Two years ago i was asked by hogarth press to take part in their shakespeare project, in which writers are invited to. Her new boy is an often inspired riff on adolescence and. I have read all of tracy chevalier s novels and enjoyed and appreciated them all until i read new boy.

Her mother died in 1970, when chevalier was eight years old. The hogarth shakespeare series continues to strike me as an. Fundamentally, what you can do and want to do in a play is different from the scope and focus allowed you by a novel. Tracy chevalier on new boy, her retelling of shakespeare.

A conversation with tracy chevalier what was it about othello that compelled you to select this particular play, over shake. Tracy chevalier is a brilliant writer and storyteller. This study guide consists of approximately 44 pages of chapter summaries, quotes, character analysis, themes, and more everything you need to sharpen your knowledge of new boy. The tragedy of othello is transposed to a 1970s suburban washington schoolyard in tracy chevaliers powerful drama of friends torn apart. New boy by tracy chevalier, is a modern retelling of the play othello. Information and news about tracy chevalier, author of seven novels including girl with a pearl earring. New boy by tracy chevalier overdrive rakuten overdrive. Othellos counterpart in chevalier s short tale is 11 year old osei kokote, son of a diplomat, born in accra, ghana, and attending his fourth. Chevalier transposes shakespeares tale of racism, jealousy and power into a 1970s suburban elementary school, and seeing the story play out amongst 11 year old children gives a whole new resonance to its themes.

Following on from the quirky, inoffensive vinegar girl retelling the taming of the shrew is new boy, tracey chevalier s reworking of othello. New boy by tracy chevalier, 9781784700249, available at book depository with free delivery worldwide. I do not know if the author was given a free hand or whether some fault lies with the editors. Tracy chevalier was born on october 19, 1962, in washington, d. New boy features a full cast of characters of different races, genders, and ages. In the fifth of the hogarth press shakespeare series, new boy, tracy chevalier transplants her version of shakespeares othello from 16th century venice and cyprus to a 1970s washington d. Hardcover published in 2017, 0553447637 hardcover published in 2017, 0553447653 paperback published in 2018, kindle edition. Chevalier s retelling takes place over the course of a single day on a predominantly white elementary school playground, in which ian, the playground bully, schemes to break up. Her latest book, new boy, is part of the hogarth shakespeare series, published by random house in 2017.

Iago is the only really interesting character and a plum role for an actor. Well, thats how i felt about new boy by tracy chevalier, a modern adaptation of shakespeares othello. The hierarchies of boys the fast changing relationships of girls. Librarything is a cataloging and social networking site for booklovers. Knowing othello is a tragedy, readers begin the novel with dread, aware that at. Click to read more about new boy by tracy chevalier. On saturday i read a book recommended by jos book blog, and i absolutely loved it. The new boy of the title is osei kokote, the ghanaian son of a. Tracy chevalier, author of girl with a pearl earring, takes on the tragedy of othello in her latest novel, part of the hogarth shakespeare series. It is part of the hogarth shakespeare project, a group of novels written based on shakespeare plays. The tragedy of othello is transposed to a 1970s suburban washington schoolyard, where kids fall in and out of love with each other before lunchtime. New boy by tracy chevalier intellectus speculativus. As her contribution to the hogarth shakespeare series of contemporary retellings of the bards works, chevalier at the edge of the orchard, 2016, etc. Buy new boy by tracy chevalier from waterstones today.

The following version of this book was used to create this study guide. Theres no risk of it overshadowing shakespeares othello the way othello has completely eclipsed cinthios a moorish captain. Also by tracy chevalier the virgin blue girl with a pearl earring falling angels the lady and the unicorn burning bright remarkable creatures the last runaway at the edge of the orchard reader, i married him editor new boy is a work of fiction. I havent picked one up for years and now there are two at once. Chevalier is following margaret atwood the tempest, howard jacobson the merchant of venice and jeanette winterson the winters tale. Listen to an interview with her on the shakespeare unlimited podcast. Chevalier isnt wrong that these were the attitudes of the period but, since this is literally the only time queerness appears in new boy, a half page of reported homophobia feels, to say the least, excessive.