Fool isn't a replacement for King Lear, and maybe I'm just being too idealistic here, but I hope it'll stir up more interest in Shakespeare, who could be every bit as bawdy as Christopher Moore. Not only is Fool fun and easy to read, but it makes Shakespeare accessible to people who might otherwise never find time for the Bard-I'm looking at you, vapid Twilight-enslaved teenage populace. I laughed out loud at several parts of the book, something I very rarely do, and was ready to grant the book five stars when I was less than halfway through (contingent on the book remaining awesome, which it did). Take Fool with a grain of salt and suspend your disbelief and you'll be rewarded with a funny and entertaining story. I'm not suggesting that a happy ending is better for King Lear-I'm looking at you, Nathan Tate-but it's better for the King Lear reimagining that is Fool.

Christopher Moore draws on inspiration and quotations from several of Shakespeare's plays 'largely to throw off reviewers, who will be reluctant to cite and criticize passages of my writing, lest they were penned by the Bard hisownself.' It's King Lear sprinkled with Macbeth and Hamlet and a happy ending.

King Lear is my favourite of Shakespeare's plays however, even if it isn't your favourite, or even if you've never read it, you'll still enjoy Fool (just maybe not as much as I did). So it's more homage than heresy to reinterpret the Bard's own work. And we all know that Shakespeare, although a master wordsmith, was far from original-almost all of his plays are based on earlier works anyway. After all, I'm sure good ol' Will wasn't looking to become the most lauded British playwright-he just wanted to make some money and have a good time. It's all well and good to call the Bard one of the greatest writers of the English language, but I've never agreed with scholars who treat Shakespeare's writing as sacred. I love any sort of irreverent Shakespearean fun. Not for the faint of heart, Fool puts the reader through a whirlwind tour of Shakespearean clichés mixed with a healthy dose of anachronisms and sexual innuendo.

I had to add a new shelf for this book: 'deliciously quotable.' That admirably summarizes Fool, a bawdy comedic interpretation of Shakespeare's King Lear.

Fool book christopher moore