Dahlia Adler’s introduction serves a great way to set the scene for the magical menageries of tales that are to follow. It reminds us of Shakespeare’s enduring influence and in our everyday language, but also acknowledges how the canon only represents certain groups, therefore through reimaginings, we can open our stories to be more diverse and inclusive. The timelessness of Shakespeare’s themes should be reflected in every reader being able to see themselves in his vast range of characters.

Kicking off the anthology is Severe Weather Warning by Emily Wibberley and Austin Siegemund-Broka, which is inspired by The Tempest. This was a cute, romantic tale with believable tensions and subplots worthy of Shakespeare’s romantic comedies. It’s such a human tale of miscommunication and squandered opportunities. Shipwrecked by Mark Oshiro then follows on and it’s inspired by Twelfth Night. I really loved the representation in this story and how Oshiro deftly wove the different narrators together. Yet again, the wish for communication and romantic entanglements were pulled off so well. This is a really funny, sweet and casually queer story. Next up was Taming of the Soul Mate by K. Ancrum, which was inspired by Taming of the Shrew. Ancrum had such a strong concept and unique way of reimagining the story. You’re left feeling like this is just the beginning of a new tale that would be amazing to see fully expanded in its own books someday.

Continuing this extremely strong anthology was King of the Fairies by Anna-Marie McLemore, which was inspired by A Midsummer Night’s Dream. As ever, their writing is just so gorgeous and ethereal. The discussion around colonialism, racism, and finding your own community was so impactful too. When the anthology was first announced, I was intrigued to see how The Merchant of Venice would be reinterpreted and I Bleed by Dahlia Adler is such a well-written reclamation of a tale that has roots in strong anti-Semitic ideology and Adler flips the tale on its head, allowing for more three-dimensional and nuanced Jewish representation. We Have Seen Better Days by Lily Anderson (inspired by As You Like It) was an interesting, entertaining, and moving coming-of-age story, while Some Other Metal by Amy Rose Capetta and Cori McCarthy (inspired by Much Ado About Nothing) was both brilliantly cosmic and hopelessly human at the same time. Both perfectly captured the essence of the original story.

Brittany Cavallaro took a different approach with His Invention, which was inspired by Sonnet 147. This was a truly dark and disturbing story, reminiscent of an encased gem attempting to escape from the narrative. Kiersten White’s use of multimedia to convey her retelling of Romeo and Juliet, with an inspired title of Partying is Such Sweet Sorrow, was so interesting and really brought a modern feel to a timeless tale of forbidden love. Personally, Dreaming of the Dark by Lindsay Smith (inspired by Julius Caesar) was a blood-drenched, enthralling ,and dark story that left an indelible mark on my heart. It delved into death, magic, and vengeance in really unexpected and twisted ways.

The Tragedy of Cory Lanez: An Oral History by Tochi Onyebuchi, which was inspired by Coriolanus, was a powerful, timely story that sadly we’ve heard echoed over and over again in the media. The way we saw fragments of Cory through the narratives of others was thought-provoking and left the reader responsible for piecing it together.

Out of the Storm by Joy McCullough, inspired by King Lear, changes the entire narrative of the play from pitting women against each other to slowly exposing Lear as the abusive and controlling tyrant he was. There’s this bond of sisterhood that emerges slowly and cautiously, but it is undeniably there. From there, we dived into Hamlet in Elsinore by Patrice Caldwell, which was an epic, Gothic and empowering tale, complete with supernatural touches and even some vampiric creatures. Continuing the dark theme was We Fail by Samantha Mabry, inspired by Macbeth, which added a completely new dynamic to a story you know so well. Finally, Lost Girl by Melissa Bashardoust, inspired by The Winter’s Tale, was just a gorgeously written story that was beautiful in every way.

Overall, That Way Madness Lies exemplifies the brilliance of modern reimaginings of classic stories. Each tale is a gem in the glittering crown of this anthology, which is one of the best anthologies I’ve read.

That Way Madness Lies is available from Amazon, Book Depository, and other good book retailers, like your local bookstore.

Will you be picking up That Way Madness Lies? Tell us in the comments below!

Synopsis | Goodreads

Fifteen acclaimed YA writers put their modern spin on William Shakespeare’s celebrated classics!

West Side Story. 10 Things I Hate About You. Kiss Me, Kate. Contemporary audiences have always craved reimaginings of Shakespeare’s most beloved works. Now, some of today’s best writers for teens take on the Bard in these 15 whip-smart and original retellings!

Contributors include Dahlia Adler (reimagining The Merchant of Venice), Kayla Ancrum (The Taming of the Shrew), Lily Anderson (As You Like It), Patrice Caldwell (Hamlet), Melissa Bashardoust (A Winter’s Tale), Amy Rose Capetta and Cori McCarthy (Much Ado About Nothing), Brittany Cavallaro (Sonnet 147), Joy McCullough (King Lear), Anna-Marie McLemore (A Midsummer Night’s Dream), Samantha Mabry (Macbeth), Tochi Onyebuchi (Coriolanus), Mark Oshiro (Twelfth Night), Lindsay Smith (Julius Caesar), Kiersten White (Romeo and Juliet), and Emily Wibberley and Austin Siegemund-Broka (The Tempest).

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After the death of the eldest Torres sister, Ana, the remaining sisters struggle to continue their lives in their stifling home. Jessica is working at a local pharmacy and dreams of leaving town once she can ensure her father and sisters are taken care of. Iridian spends all day in her family’s home, dreaming of writing and wrestling with trauma. Rosa is waiting for a sign, and though she is the youngest, she is the wisest of all the sisters. Before Ana’s death, the four Torres sisters longed to escape their San Antonio neighbourhood together, but now Jessica, Iridian, and Rosa are caught in a trap of grief. Then strange things start happening in their home and the sisters are left to wonder if Ana is truly haunting them and what she might be trying to tell them.

Mabry’s writing in Tigers, Not Daughters is somehow both stark and lyrical. She draws out deep emotions in her prose and not a single word feels wasted. While reading, you can feel the hot San Antonio air and the stifling environment of living in a small town and a broken home. Mabry expertly builds the normal world around the sisters and then slowly begins to break it down. The balance of routine life and the sudden paranormal events that begin to occur around the sisters lends just the right feel to an unnerving story.

Through the eyes of the three remaining Torres sisters and one seemingly small side character, we witness the slow unfurling of the sister’s secrets, dreams, and wishes. The story is told in a nonlinear way, that could be confusing at first, but enforces the broken feeling that each of the sisters experience. Grief is not always experienced in a linear way and Mabry’s choice to write the novel in this fashion shows an understanding of how differently people can process grief.

Each character in the story is achingly real, though it is the sisters that truly stand out. Rosa is wistful and innocent, with a hidden ferocity. Iridian’s whole character brings to mind someone silently screaming in pain without knowing how to stop. Jessica is full of broken glass and rage and so much hurt. And though Ana is dead, she slowly comes to life through the memories of each sister as a headstrong girl, trying to live her own life while taking care of her younger sisters their mother’s absence.

And while all the characters are well written, they are not always the best of people. One thing that stands out in this novel is that Mabry doesn’t absolve any characters of their wrong doings or poor behaviour, but acknowledges that this is how people are. We are messy and broken and do not always make the best decisions, especially when we are grieving. Some may argue that this is a young adult book and there are bad examples being set for youths, but writing books that feature nothing but altruistic, “good” characters is more damaging than writing characters that are true to human nature. Normalising the notion that we aren’t always our best selves and that’s okay is something that young adult novels should be doing more. If not, we ostracise those who may already be feeling alone in their grief or rage or depression.

Tigers, Not Daughters is a powerful story, filled with impactful characters and realistic depictions of grief and depression. Paired with its eerie paranormal elements, Tigers, Not Daughters will haunt your thoughts long after you’ve finished reading.

Tigers, Not Daughters is available from Amazon, Book Depository, and other good book retailers as of March 24th 2020.

Will you be picking up Tigers, Not Daughters? Tell us in the comments below!

Synopsis | Goodreads

The Torres sisters dream of escape. Escape from their needy and despotic widowed father, and from their San Antonio neighborhood, full of old San Antonio families and all the traditions and expectations that go along with them. In the summer after her senior year of high school, Ana, the oldest sister, falls to her death from her bedroom window. A year later, her three younger sisters, Jessica, Iridian, and Rosa, are still consumed by grief and haunted by their sister’s memory. Their dream of leaving Southtown now seems out of reach. But then strange things start happening around the house: mysterious laughter, mysterious shadows, mysterious writing on the walls. The sisters begin to wonder if Ana really is haunting them, trying to send them a message—and what exactly she’s trying to say.

In a stunning follow-up to her National Book Award–longlisted novel All the Wind in the World, Samantha Mabry weaves an aching, magical novel that is one part family drama, one part ghost story, and one part love story.

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