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Now, I have to confess, "King Lear" is my favorite of all Shakespeare plays. After all, families at one time or another go through this type of drama. I have not seen Kurosawa's "Ran" but would like to, but, having read some reworkings of 'Lear,' I still maintain Jane Smiley's "A Thousand Acres" is the best.
"We That Are Young" is an interesting tile. It is sprawling, even at 480 pages, meticulously detailed about Indian customs and the changing climate in the country, particularly women, and works into the fabric the King Lear trajectory--older man done in by his two monstrous daughters. her called Gargi and Radja. Sita, the youngest, is the Cordelia of the piece, and while she saves the day, she is not quite the virtuous little mouse Shakespeare's Cordelia is. Hers is the best reinvention of the character I have come across, surpassing even Jane Smiley, where Caroline, a lawyer, was a cipher in the novel, and a sullen thing in the film, as played by Jennifer Jason Leigh.
There is even a homosexual character in the book, called Jeet, who becomes one of story's more engaging components. And the title brings up an interesting social indictment of the Millenial generation!!!!!!!!! Everything comes together as it should, justice is served, and yet.., and yet. I expected, and wanted, so much more from this novel. I hoped it would qualify for my ten best list.
Alas, I can only recommend it to "King Lear" devotees. Not being such, there is really no other reason to read it.
In one year, I have read two Lear reworkings. The other, and inferior one, being "Dunbar," by Edward St. Aubyn.
Can we stop with the 'Lear' re-dos already??????????????
Enough!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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