Minnie's Fiction Addiction

This week’s theme is all about the Bard—but with a twist. Shakespeare’s plays have inspired countless retellings, from contemporary YA romances to chilling dark academia thrillers. If you love his themes but struggle with the Elizabethan language, these adaptations are the perfect way to enjoy the drama, tragedy, and wit in a fresh way.

Here are some retellings to add to your TBR:

🗡 Hag-Seed by Margaret Atwood

Part of the Hogarth Shakespeare project, Atwood reimagines The Tempest in a world of theatre, prisons, and grudges that won’t die. Felix, a disgraced artistic director, stages a production of The Tempest with inmates as his cast, weaving his own revenge into the play. Atwood balances sly humour with sharp commentary on power, forgiveness, and art’s ability to reshape lives.

💔 If We Were Villains by M.L. Rio

More a Shakespearean mood than a strict retelling, this novel follows seven acting students at an elite conservatory. Their lives revolve around Shakespeare’s tragedies—until one role begins to blur dangerously with reality, leading to obsession, betrayal, and a death that leaves the group forever scarred. It’s part dark academia, part murder mystery, and dripping in Shakespearean references that fans will adore.

🧪 Vinegar Girl by Anne Tyler

A modern, witty spin on The Taming of the Shrew. Kate, a socially awkward preschool assistant, is suddenly asked to marry her father’s brilliant but hapless research assistant—mainly to keep him from being deported. Tyler’s retelling is light, quirky, and pokes fun at outdated gender politics while still delivering a charming romantic comedy.

🔮 These Violent Delights by Chloe Gong

Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet gets a blood-soaked makeover in 1920s Shanghai. Juliette Cai, heir to the Scarlet Gang, and Roma Montagov, heir to the White Flowers, must set aside their blood feud to face an even greater threat: a monster lurking in the river and madness spreading through the city. It’s lush, fast-paced, and blends gang rivalry with supernatural horror and swoon-worthy romance.

👑 Hamnet by Maggie O’Farrell

Not a retelling of a single play, but a reimagining of the life and death of Shakespeare’s young son, Hamnet, and how that grief may have inspired Hamlet. O’Farrell paints a vivid picture of family life in Elizabethan England, especially focusing on Agnes (Shakespeare’s wife), her mysticism, and her raw grief. It’s lyrical, heart-breaking, and feels like stepping directly into the emotional core of Shakespeare’s tragedies.

Why Read Shakespeare Retellings?

They breathe new life into stories we think we know. By shifting the setting, perspective, or even genre, retellings make Shakespeare’s timeless themes—love, power, betrayal, ambition—feel instantly fresh and relevant.

So whether you’re in the mood for star-crossed lovers, political intrigue, or a touch of magic, there’s a Shakespeare-inspired book out there for you.

✨ That’s it for this week’s What to Read Wednesday! Have you read a Shakespeare retelling you loved?