this is the Carey's book that I loved less, but it's not a bad reading! This one is a retelling of The Tempest (I haven't read it yet... I know,I know... dishonor on me and dishonor on my cow!) and I think is the firt retelling by Carey. I think it's not her best work, but it's good and it's really accurate. The language is the most beautiful think, because it's really different from her other books, and it's the right choise for this story and this setting.
Another thing that I really loved was Caliban. He's sooooo sweet! And I loved his chapters. Also, Caliban's language is something in wich the author put a lot of tought, we read as he learn (or learn again) how to speak and we can follow his development. His speech is alway based on onomatopoeia, and I loved it, and it really suits him. Another character that I liked a lot was Ariel. He's a complex one, that's for sure, and it's an ambivalent character.
Miranda was not bad, but I wasn't in love with her, even if I feel sorry for her really often.

The book is slow paced, and maybe that's why I liked this book less than the other. Because it's not bad to read a slow paced book but I was in need of something more captivating, more fast paced than this one at this moment. But I enjoy the reading nonetheless. But even if it's slow paced the author captures the reader's attention because from the start Miranda makes us wonder about a lot of things, and so we have to know the why and the what, and we have to go on with the reading. I was quite unsure for the first chapters, because I wasn't really in to it, but then I read the first of Caliban's chapters and I knew that I simply have to go on with the reading, because the savage lad was one of a kind. And I was right!

Obviously now I have to read ASAP Shakespeare's Tempest. And I am really glad to have read this one. I found Miranda sometimes too much naive, but it's not out of character, she's right jus as she is, but I would have preferred a little less of naivety. And the book is beautiful, a tale of magic and wonder that it's really a work well done.

Jacqueline Carey’s MIRANDA AND CALIBAN is a beautifully written, heartbreaking story that is two parts prequel to and one part retelling of Shakespeare’s The Tempest. While this book may not appeal to all readers, I was completely swept away and read it in one sitting. And have no fear: you don’t need to be a fan of the play to enjoy this!

Miranda is only six years old when her Papa first summons the wild boy to the ruined palace they call home. Completely isolated on a desert island with only her Papa for company, Miranda is overjoyed to finally have a friend…but Papa has put dark plans into motion, and Caliban is a part of them. Papa (AKA Prospero) uses his magics to bind Caliban, controlling him and Miranda both through amulets that afflict unbearable pain on their targets. Despite the circumstances of his time with them, Caliban develops a deep affection for the younger girl and she for him; as Miranda teaches the formerly mute Caliban English, the two forge a friendship that may doom them both.

If you’ve read the source material, you probably won’t find many surprises within the pages of MIRANDA AND CALIBAN, at least as far as the plot’s concerned. Carey sticks quite close to the original story, choosing to add her own interpretation of events that take place prior to those chronicled in The Tempest. I found it incredibly gripping to read about the daily lives of Miranda, Caliban, Ariel, and Prospero, and the many scenes of daily life on the island reminded me of the first part of Juliet Marillier’s Daughter of the Forest: gorgeously wrought portrayals of everyday, slightly magical activities. But if you’re looking for something with pulse-pounding action scenes or a twisty plot then you may want to steer clear!

What really propels MIRANDA AND CALIBAN forward is the creeping sense of doom that infuses the story, and the knowledge that whatever magic Prospero’s working on in his laboratorium is sure to have dire consequences for Miranda and Caliban. Adding to the tension is the fact that neither Caliban nor Miranda are ignorant of this fact, but they themselves cannot yet guess what precisely Prospero’s working on…and why it is that any of them are on this island in the first place.

Jacqueline Carey is an author I’ve been hoping to read for some time now, especially since many consider her “Kushiel’s Dart” series one of the greats of fantasy fiction; suffice it to say that her work does not disappoint. She slowly but surely puts her own twist on classic characters, using Miranda and Caliban’s POV chapters to fill in the gaps of their respective histories and personalities. Carey’s version of Caliban possesses a sweet gentleness and curiosity, while her Miranda is imbued with intelligence and a love for painting, which helped me picture them as more than just the characters from a favourite play that I studied in university. Reading Miranda’s narrative chapters grated on my nerves at times, since we see from all angles that Prospero abuses and manipulates her and yet she continues to obey and love him. In reality, that’s all perfectly in line with an abused child, but it’s difficult to take for 400 pages.

Prospero is perhaps one of the most unsettling characters I’ve read about in the last few years, not because he does anything especially evil but because his abuses and trespasses against others are so easily done. He never bats an eyelash and doesn’t appear to feel any real remorse, even when he injures Miranda so badly that she almost dies. The story of MIRANDA AND CALIBAN is a tragedy, and one of the hardest hitting realities of the story is that often times evil people are not punished, and good people are labelled evil for their differences.

Gorgeous and utterly heart wrenching, MIRANDA AND CALIBAN is a must-read for fans of fantasy and classic literature alike.

Retellings of Shakespeare plays are all the rage these days, so it’s not surprising to see a fantasy author tackle the magic rich world of The Tempest. Carey’s take widens the play from a tale of Prospero’s grand revenge scheme into a story of two children growing up supported by each other while in the power of a man whose care and interest is only for his own ends.

Jacqueline Carey is a lyrical writer who breathes new life and depth into the familiar characters of The Tempest. The novel takes the former Duke and mage Prospero, his daughter Miranda, his ‘monstrous’ slave Caliban, and the wind spirit Ariel and gives them all engaging back stories. This Prospero is a self involved man brimming with casual cruelty towards his daughter and his servant, more interested in his magics and revenge than in their well being. Carey sets the scene far before the opening of the play, rewinding the clock to when both Miranda and Caliban are children. Miranda at six knows only the small world of her father’s will and studies, and the isolated island they live on. Caliban at ten has long been surviving on his own, a child gone feral after the death of his mother. When Miranda’s father decides to lure and trap Caliban in order to ‘civilize’ him and use him to free the trapped spirit Ariel, it sets the two on a path to true friendship and ultimately, heartbreak. Their relationship is built over years and is firmly rooted in the kindness and loyalty they show each other. While often described as a romance, this story is more about friendship while living under the control of an abuser.

In the pages of Miranda and Caliban Carey once again demonstrates her mastery over world building. Her island brims with elementals who are bent to Prospero’s will and powerful spirits who can be brought to heal. The glimpses of a celestial based magic in this novel would make for a fascinating series. Here they add grounding to Prospero’s grand schemes from the play while also helping to explain the characters’ survival in exile for so long.

Having said that, there is a major flaw in this novel. Many educated critiques have been written about The Tempest and colonialism. The original play is rife with references to it and it’s a critical component of understanding the play. Not only does Miranda and Caliban refuse to engage with that element of the play, it actively avoids confronting it. Caliban is not a slave, but a servant. He is to call Prospero ‘Master’ but his rage at being confined and chained by Prospero’s class expectations and magic are downplayed over and over again. It’s framed as a lack of class and a lack of civilization which allows Prospero to claim dominion over Caliban, but those claims are never challenged head on. The question of why Prospero feels justified in owning and controlling Caliban is never raised. Instead it is written off as Prospero’s magical strength being superior to Caliban’s will.

Similarly, Caliban’s ‘monstrousness’ in the play is firmly rooted in colonialism. The play describes Caliban as savage and vile, a lying slave and an attempted rapist, who is referred to as a monster by men who have just seen him. Instead of acknowledging these as commonly used descriptors for non-Europeans throughout the many ages of English colonialism, Carey instead presents a Caliban that is deformed and hunched in addition to being dark skinned. The Caliban of the play has certainly been presented this way before and Carey is by no means the first to refuse to engage in the colonialist subtext. However, this was a confusing decision for an author to make in an expansive retelling of this play for modern audiences.

Miranda and Caliban is an engaging well written read, but the choices the writer made were often on the confusing side. Knowledge of The Tempest certainly isn’t a prerequisite for enjoying this book, but knowing what had changed from the play was enlightening. Those with a high tolerance for descriptions of periods who are looking for an interesting and quick read should give this one a try. The tenderness with which the author writes of Miranda and Caliban alone makes this worth the read.

Disclosure: This review is based on an ebook galley provided by Tor Books via Netgalley.

RATING: ★★★☆☆ 3 STARS

4 stars

“Thou art the shoals on which Caliban wilt dash his heart to pieces.”

I will admit, it’s been a while since I read ‘The Tempest’, though I think you could probably never have read it and quite happily enjoy this book. ‘Miranda and Caliban’ is a retelling focusing on the younger years of the two protagonists, only entering the events of the play at the very end.

It was a beautifully crafted book, delicately written as Carey’s work always is, meandering through lush prose and rich fantasy. ‘The Tempest’ has often been lambasted for its dearth of female characters and this story seeks to address that, giving an important voice to a character who is used mainly as a tool in the original text. Likewise, in ‘The Tempest’ I always felt slightly uncomfortable that Caliban, an Algerian man, was written in a way that seemed to suggest he both abhorred and adored his own subjugation. In this retelling both Miranda and Caliban are shown as prisoners of Prospero, prisoners of societal prejudices even on an island cast out into the sea.

I can say straight out that this book will not be for everyone. It’s a cruel, hard book. Miranda and Caliban are kept under her father’s finger through physical punishment and emotional manipulation. She is both revered by her father and treated like dirt, on one hand taught the basics of his complicated magical arts, on the other forced to do menial tasks in kitchen work and cleaning. Prospero’s misogyny throughout the book left me with such a bad taste in my mouth, which I suppose shows the book is doing exactly what it intended to. Likewise, Caliban is subjected to horrific cruelty and unrelenting racism throughout. He adores Miranda, sees her as the sun in his otherwise grey, caged life, but he knows that he will never be allowed to be with her. It becomes so ingrained in him that, by the end, even he believes he is not good enough. Unfortunately, as this is a retelling, neither of our young protagonists gain their hearts desires.

This is a beautiful, lyrical book, filled with strange magic. I adored how Carey writes the capricious air spirit, Ariel, truly a creature of nature, beholden to no one other than themselves. I, personally, loved the heady, rich way that she writes, as if every paragraph is laden with heavy buds. I know that it won’t be to everyone’s taste. I can imagine that for some readers this book would be their idea of their worst nightmare, meandering, maudlin and unrelenting, but, for me, it was like being taken on an out of body experience.

So, if you enjoy reading a book for the feelings, for the journey and development as opposed to the plot, this is definitely a book for you. Even though it was sad, sometimes making me feel a little numb inside, it was so rich and immersive that I couldn’t blame it. It’s a book that makes you feel a lot of things, though not all of these sensations are so easy to pin down.

Many thanks to Macmillan-Tor/Forge for a copy in return for an honest review.

The beautiful cover is by Tran Nguyen.

An excellent and compelling story! I was swept up from the first page. Carey does a wonderful job bringing the relationship between Miranda and Caliban to life and making them such vivid and sympathetic characters. Seeing the story of The Tempest from the point of view of these characters made the play new to me. I highly recommend this book to any Shakespeare or fantasy lover.

Miranda and Caliban Kindle Edition
by Jacqueline Carey
I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
No one does Shakespeare like Shakespeare, right? I'm going to commit to cardinal sin of all English majors – yes, some \one does. Jacqueline Carey not only does Shakespeare, in a way she outdoes the master in this hypnotic, stunning retelling of The Tempest, from the viewpoint of Miranda and Caliban. Singularly talented with first person POV, she bring the world of the Tempest to life. This reminds me od MZB's Firebrand and the way it brought ancient Greece and the Illiad into a woman's view. Ms. Carey has always used first person POV, often rotating between two characters, to give us insights on the internal and external.
This book would be awesome as “read along with” Shakespeare's Tempest, to fill blanks into.
The scenery is so tactility described, so full for the five senses of the reader, I could virtually taste the sweetness of the figs, hear the clucking of the hens, even feel the rough fur between the ears of the milking goat. The smell of wet dust, not something every writer would think of fills our noses as we travel the dark, dilapidated Moorish.
The story begins far before the Tempest itself, because of this we watch the way Miranda goes and the capture and forced civilizing of Caliban. It clear, even on first site for either for the of the opposite gender of their size.
Because of his maleness, and fo Prospero's anger and madness, Miranda and Caliban walk a fine line of friend and teacher and student. As will all creatures, the human animal, particularly the female, mature, and when Miranda does, the mostly peaceful castle goes insane.
At time watching to new adolescents figure out how the pieces fit is funny, often it is sad as neither believes they are enough to other. Which is not helped by the villainous Prospero, Miranda's own father who sees her as means to the end of his vengeance against those he believes wronged him. His character, the cold, hard man set on a singular path is very well established, with only a few glimpses of the man he might have been.
Near the end, with a grown Caliban in love Miranda and a grown Miranda is torn between her father demands, her love of Caliban and the sheer nuttiness of her father's overarching plan. Things come to a head when the bound spirit Ariel creates a seawreck.
This of course where Shakespeare picks up and the action begins
Ms. Carey has a unique, unparalleled gift with language. She is able to set time, place and character in a matter of sentences. Her research is beyond reproach, thank goodness for the Kindle internal dictionary as some of the words have long since passed from the lexicon.
Yet with her spectacular and singular ability with words, you fly when the scenes are happy and the words themselves weep off the page.
Unfortunately, this story ends on a cliffhanger, making us beg for book 2 as soon as possible.
This receives a perfect score in every way. Again a 5 out of a 5 in some cases just doesn't seem right, but it is all I have. Thank you, Ms. Carey for yet another thoughtful, emotionally compelling book, where you outdo the source material.

https://www.amazon.com/Miranda-Caliban-Jacqueline-Carey-ebook/dp/B01F20E7VA/

Few things get me more excited than a new book from Jacqueline Carey, and on the list of my must-read authors, her name definitely sits way up near the top. I also owe so much of my love for fantasy to amazing and talented woman. Her novel Kushiel’s Dart was among the handful of gateway books that first sparked my interest in the genre, and to this day I have not encountered anything else quite like it. But while Carey may have branched out into other areas like Young Adult and Urban Fantasy in recent years, I’ve continued to enjoy her work because I just love the way she writes, no matter what style or topic she decides to tackle. And with the growing trend in Shakespeare retellings these days, I suppose I wasn’t too surprised when I initially discovered that she was working on a retelling of The Tempest.

That project ultimately became Miranda and Caliban. As the book’s blurb states, many of us are already aware of how the original story goes, with Prospero and his quest for revenge against his usurping brother as well as the complicit king. But in her version of this classic tale, Carey has chosen instead to shine the light on Prospero’s gentle and kindhearted daughter Miranda, reimagining her in a coming-of-age romance with the other titular character Caliban, who was actually the monstrous antagonist of The Tempest. In this book, however, Caliban is the misunderstood feral boy who opens up to Miranda after being enslaved by her father, with the bond between them increasing in strength over the years as the two grow up together on the lonely island under Prospero’s overbearing tutelage.

Miranda and Caliban also presents a scenario to fill in what happened in the twelve years that Prospero and his daughter are stranded on the island after their exile. The book begins eight or so years before the great storm, when Miranda is just a six-year-old helping her father in a ritual to capture the wild boy they’ve seen lurking around the woods. After the boy is caught, Prospero attempts to civilize him by using harsh methods, but it is Miranda who succeeds in drawing him out of his shell by showing him kindness and compassion, convincing him to reveal that his name is Caliban. Seeing how his daughter has made such progress, Prospero decides to use the children’s friendship to his advantage, compelling Miranda to also ask Caliban about the spirit Ariel that the boy’s mother imprisoned in a tree.

Despite some of its close ties to the original play, you really don’t need to know a lot about The Tempest to enjoy this book. Case in point, I am in no way an expert on anything Shakespeare and yet I was still utterly enchanted by Miranda and Caliban. This is a love story, one that begins with the two eponymous characters meeting as children. With no knowledge or understanding into anything pertaining to the birds and the bees (Prospero may be a master sorcerer, but he was a complete failure of a sex ed teacher), awkward physical changes and confusing emotions eventually arise as both of them experience puberty and wind up falling in love.

But even if you’re not a big romance reader (and I don’t consider myself one either), there’s still plenty to appreciate about this tale. I found Carey’s portrayal of this world and its characters utterly fascinating, as well as the way she has flipped certain elements from The Tempest on its head. Caliban is of course a very sympathetic character here; his POV chapters show him gradually transforming from a wordless feral boy to a well-spoken young man, though he remains self-conscious about his physical appearance. Instead of being the protagonist you root for, Prospero is the menacing shadow that seems to hang over everything. Not that he was the nicest guy to begin with in the original play, but this story further plays up his use of magic to control everyone, including his own daughter, and exposes the hypocrisy of his faith and quest. At times Prospero’s love towards Miranda may seem genuine, but then his true colors will come out and the reader will despise him all over again. In this version, Ariel is also a villainous creature who constantly does things to thwart Miranda and Caliban’s relationship over the years, seeming to take much joy in making them both miserable. Still, it’s interesting to note that being able to arouse such powerful sentiments for even the most obnoxious of characters is one of Carey’s finest talents; you can’t help but connect with the people she writes about because she fleshes them out so well without having to resort to common tricks.

That said, Miranda and Caliban is very different from previous books I’ve read by the author. Much of it probably has to do with the constraints of this book being a Shakespeare retelling, which just goes to show what a versatile writer she is, though there’s also a part of me which feels immensely glad she wrote something like this. Carey’s last three novels were from her urban fantasy series Agent of Hel, and while I had a blast with those casual fun books, they certainly don’t exemplify just how spectacularly she can write. In that domain, they simply can’t compare to Miranda and Caliban, which perfectly showcases the gorgeous, lyrical prose that I love her for. I honestly believe that even if the story doesn’t appeal, one can still surely appreciate this book for the writing.

The Tempest fans will love this beautifully written and richly imagined retelling which approaches the story differently from an interesting and thought-provoking angle, but you also don’t need to be familiar with the original play to enjoy this book. After all, being able to appreciate ideas like the purity of love or the tumultuous emotions of growing up requires no prerequisites. Jacqueline Carey explores these themes and more in Miranda and Caliban, a poignant and heartbreaking novel that infuses a beloved Shakespearean classic with a welcome layer of depth, complexity, and feeling. Highly recommended.

I read some Shakespeare at school but not The Tempest so spotting this by an author whose reputation is phenomenal had me champing at the bit to see how it would all play out. As I knew little, ok nothing about the original story except someone named Prospero featured my eyes were fresh and my expectations high. Perhaps too high? I knew this book was from the point of view of the two lonely children and how they would become entwined and yet I wasn't sure just why others are divided on whether it's a comedy or a tragedy . My thoughts here are I didn't find anything amusing not even the Spirit Ariel who I'm guessing is supposed to be playful. I thought it sadly overlong with a build up that unfortunately became over far too quickly.
This story is character driven with both Miranda and Caliban sharing their points of view and their tumultuous feelings. Both are confused and indeed used by Prospero and it's far from a romance. A coming of age story and it was easy to understand the feelings the pair shared as they are both manipulated so harshly in order for Prospero to finally have what I can only describe as revenge.
Prospero is unlike able. An abusuve and reclusive Mage who sees no harm in using any and all to further his plans. It's impossible for Prospero to succeed in his plans without his daughters wondrous gift for art and indeed he needs far more than that from her! All this meant my heart broke for her time and time again as she was so cruelly let down. Yet there is an awakening that borders on sensual as the children grow that felt real , achingly so but the cruelty meted out just felt so very wrong
My final thoughts are the pace occasionally slowed down and I thought the end seemed so very rushed. I understood why Miranda chose what she did but it seemed so very cruel. All this answers my question of whether it's a tragedy or not and my answer is most definitely not a happy read but a compelling one nevertheless .
A copy of this was provided by Netgalley which I have voluntarily read and these comments are my own honest opinion

3.5 Stars

When I came across this book on NetGalley, I just couldn't resist the chance to read another Jacqueline Carey book. Right away, I was swept into this heartbreaking story. The slow building connection between Miranda and Caliban is intense and captivating. Prospero is horrid, but I can appreciate how well his characters is written. The depth and added events the play are so well done.

This easily would have been a four star read for me, but the ending felt rushed and not in sync with the timing of the rest of the story. If you've read The Tempest you know the ending, but this was still an enjoyable and engaging read.

EVERYONE READ THIS BOOK IT IS AMAZING.

This is a YA retelling of Shakespeare's The Tempest, though the events of the play make up only a small section of the book near the end. Instead the focus is on Miranda and Caliban's childhood, and how it was to grow up so isolated from all other humanity, controlled and aided only by a distant, imperious father-figure, taking turns as teacher and student of what little knowledge they manage to glean under such circumstances. And then Prospero's plot comes to fruition, and I don't want to spoil the ending, but oh God my heart. Nothing is changed from the original play, but told from this new perspective everything is changed.

The writing style is very different from Carey's Kushiel books – still a bit florid (though I suppose that's only appropriate for a Shakespeare retelling), but more delicate. The chapters alternate between Miranda and Caliban's POVs, with Caliban's narration slowly growing in vocabulary and complexity throughout the book.

I've always had sympathy for Caliban, maybe more sympathy than really fits the play. He apparently attempted to rape Miranda, he tries to murder Prospero, he's frequently ingratiatingly servile and just kinda dumb – and yet, and yet, and yet. "You taught me language, and my profit on’t / Is, I know how to curse". Somehow all the centuries of racism and slavery and empire that were still to come are entirely summed up in one phrase from 1610. What modern person wouldn't – can't help but – feel sympathy? Carey's interpretation is clearly influenced by such postcolonial critiques, as well as feminist ones regarding Miranda, who is treated like a passive object in the play, manipulated and traded and unconsulted on her future, but here given a voice and desires. Her and Caliban's experiences under the (patriarchal, white supremacist) control of Prospero – very different but both objectifying and dehumanizing – are a major theme of the book.

But don't let me overstate it! This is still basically a YA romance, and it's very much not a polemic. It's simply an excellent retelling, emphasizing certain elements of the original text, expanding upon the background and inner experience of some characters. I absolutely loved it.

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/1907313734

Sad retelling of Shakespeare's The Tempest, where Miranda and Caliban are in love but it's not what Prospero has in mind because he is a dark magician and he wants the son of the count of Milan to fall in love with Miranda thanks to one of his love potions. Miranda doesn't agree till the end, and when she does that, she has her own reasons. I was expecting better things from J.Carey.

Triste rilettura de "La tempesta" di Shakespeare, dove Miranda e Calibano sono innamorati, ma Prospero ha tutte altre intenzione, perché é uno stregone che progetta di usare la figlia per tornare sul trono da cui era stato esiliato.Prospero vuole usare una delle sue pozioni per fare sí che il principe reggente si innamori di Miranda, che peró non é d'accordo, peró acconsente perché ha le sue ragioni. Mi aspettavo qualcosa di meglio da J.Carey.

My Review: It has been years since I studied Shakespeare and I can't even remember when I last read The Tempest but I jumped at the opportunity to read this re-telling. It has been so long since I read the Tempest that I don't remember any details so it was almost like reading a whole brand new story. It is a very slow moving story but it was beautifully written and the pages just keep turning. I absolutely adore Caliban's character and his development throughout the story. I must admit that I really, really disliked Miranda, her weakness and lack of striving for knowledge drove me a little crazy. I did really appreciate Carey's fearless writing though in developing the characters and their relationships but giving a more realistic ending and leaving it open for the readers.


My Rating: Being as I haven't read the Tempest in so long, I didn't remember how it ended, but clearly it is a tragedy. I really enjoyed this one and give it a rating of Three Paws and a Stump Wag.

Miranda and Caliban is based on Shakespeare's play, The Tempest, one of my favorite plays. It takes the figure of the former Duke and sorcerer Prospero, his daughter, Miranda, and the spirit Ariel as well as the "monster" Caliban and explores their time on the island, the years in which Miranda grew up and became (in this version) close friends with Caliban. Prospero captured Caliban to get from him a name Caliban's mother a witch used to imprison Ariel. He holds him by magic and cruelty.

This Prospero is cruel, unlike the Prospero I imagined from the play, and this Miranda is his daughter made desperate by that cruelty. The book is far sadder than the play and lacks the humor found in another recent book based on the same play, Hag-Seed (by Margaret Atwood). I missed the humor but was touched by the pathos in this one, the loving and intense friendship between Miranda and Caliban, haunted by the malevolent spirit of this version of Ariel.

Despite the sadness, the book retains some of the magical feeling of the original play. Miranda is an artist: her painting helps Prospero work his magic. There is a wonder in her work that offsets the sadness of her life. There is little in this book that offsets the pain of Caliban's life.

I was deeply engrossed by the book, although I found the middle section slower than the childhood years or the great denouement of the final portion. It is a lovely book, whether or not you have read the play it is based on (although this book sent me back to read the play again). I strongly recommend it if you are looking for a fantasy of charm and sadness.

I received this book from NetGalley, Tor Books, and Jacqueline Carey (who has written the Kushiel series) in exchange for an honest review.

First of all, I’d like to say that I’m a HUGE fan of Jacqueline Carey’s Terre de Ange series, so I was really excited when I saw Miranda and Caliban on NetGalley. Shakespeare? Plus Carey’s incredible, lyrical writing? I was completely sold.

Miranda and Caliban may not be a fast-paced read, but I admit that I had difficulty putting it down. As ever, Carey’s writing style just sucked me into the beautiful world of Miranda’s sea-swept desert island. The mood in this book is just incredible- the slowly building tension between controlling father Prospero and the wild boy Caliban made me imagine a dark summer storm, ominously rumbling on the horizon.

The three main characters are all engrossingly drawn, giving them far more depth than what you see in the Tempest. Though I knew that Miranda’s story was going to be a tragic one, I have to admit that I was rooting for Caliban from the very beginning. By the end, I was really hoping that this story would diverge from the play, but my hopes were dashed.

I’m not sure it’s fair to be disappointed when I knew what I was getting from the beginning, but I can’t help but feel that the ending let me down. Tragic end to the romance aside, the incredible tension building throughout the book led me to imagine a final sequence that was far more dramatic than what we actually got. I suspect that it’s a symptom of a retelling- while cleaving to Shakespeare’s original story, the author wasn’t entirely free to finish things the way she’d begun.

Still, they say the journey is worthier than the destination. I’d be very happy to recommend Miranda and Caliban to all fans of Shakespeare, maybe even especially the purists. And anyone who is looking for stunning imagery and heartbreaking characters could find a new favorite here.

Thanks to NetGalley for my review copy!

I really liked all the books written by Jacqueline Carey, whether it’s in the fantasy genre with Kushiel or the urban fantasy one with Agent of Hel. The author is indeed able to construct unique worlds that make us discover many surprises. We find her with Miranda and Caliban once again in a new fantasy universe and I confess that I was curious to see what she was going to present us.

We follow four characters in this novel and the narrative is shared between the two main protagonists Miranda and Caliban. We discover them very young, 6 years for Miranda and we watch them evolve little by little. This little girl lives with her father on a desert island that hides many secrets. Indeed, it seems that this severe and strict man has big plans for his daughter and these do not concern Caliban. But he would still like to educate this wild boy to make one of his servants. It is thus that we discover a little more about Caliban in some of the chapters, while he discovers the words and that he adapts to his new environment. Only children, they will grow together although a limit is quickly established between them, well maintained by Miranda’s father, without being able to prevent the feelings of being born.

It is touching to see these two children evolve, discover themselves and finally have a friend to confide in. It is a little sad to see how her father behaves with them, thinking only of what he could gain and not hesitating to bewitch or punish atrociously if he thinks he has the right to do so. Did I forget to mention the last character? Ariel … imprisoned by Caliban’s mother, he is released and enslaved, this powerful spirit that does not hesitate to torment our two young people.

It was an interesting and intriguing reading, although it rather lays the foundations of the story and leads to many questions that I hope will be solved in part in the second volume. I am curious to see where the author will lead us and see what Miranda and Caliban are going to do.

My first thoughts upon receiving this ARC was yay! Jacqueline Carey is back!

Until I started reading and my first thoughts changed to "why does a six year old tell her story like a forty year old?"

I'm going to be an utter heathen here and freely admit that I have never read The Tempest by Shakespeare and I have no intention of doing so either.

The book started off on the right foot, well written with a correct tone of writing and then I actually paid attention to what I was reading and my first thought was once again “why is this six year old telling her story like she’s 40 years old?”

It gave off this vibe of utter wrongness throughout the story telling and the book was completely off-putting; although I like Jacqueline Carey and I’ve read her work before, I was unfortunately disappointed by this book. My opinion isn’t based solely on Jacqueline’s writing as it was very good but rather the topic of choice, The Tempest was probably not the best play to give an erotic twist to, with regards to any Shakespeare play, I don’t feel any of them are suitable to give an erotic twist to. I reached 50% and almost gave up; it was a good retelling, with a standard of writing I’m used to from Jacqueline Carey but it was 100% not for me.

I don’t quite know where to go with this review because I was disappointed with the subject matter and parts of the writing, it wasn’t a bad book, don’t get me wrong, I just don’t think it is wholly for me.

Recommended for Shakespeare fans.

I got this book through NetGalley to review. I am a huge fan of Carey’s Kushiel’s books and also enjoyed her Agent of Hel series. This ended up being a well done retelling of The Tempest. This is a beautiful story that is constantly overshadowed with a feeling of doom. It was well written, easy to read, and I enjoyed it.

Miranda is raised on an island alone with her father Prospero. Her only occasional company is the wild boy that also lives on the island. Her father initially makes it his goal to civilize Caliban but doesn’t take into account how close Miranda and Caliban will become with each other as sole companions.

It’s a beautifully written book with a dark undertone to it. Prospero is very mentally abusive and manipulative of both Miranda and Caliban. As a reader you sense this heavy cloud of doom looming over the entire story...you just know that Prospero has a larger game he is playing and it isn’t going to be good for Miranda or Caliban.

I read the Tempest a long long time ago so I am having trouble drawing comparisons between the two. Despite that I enjoyed this beautifully written and melancholy story. I found it strangely compelling and had trouble putting the book down.

Overall I enjoyed this and would recommend. The book is beautifully written and strangely engaging. It’s not a story that will lift your spirits but it is well done.

Miranda has grown up very lonely, with only her father and their animals to keep her company. Her father is a powerful magus, and says they must live this way to keep her safe. Then, a wild boy shows up, and everything starts to change. Miranda is growing up, and maybe, when she becomes a woman her father will finally tell her who she is and why they are hiding. This book was ok for me. I am a big fan of Jacqueline Carey, but this was not my favorite.

This Tempest retelling is imaginative and unique, portraying the perspectives of Miranda and Caliban, and will make you rethink the play you may have read in school. It is a fabulous story for fans and those who have never read the play alike! Focusing on their perspective, the plot of The Tempest is slowly revealed in an expertly devised way. The world building is great, but the characters are what makes this story so unique.

Caliban’s character is by far my favorite, and the one that made me the most emotional. His learning of language is fascinating and his implicit trust and love for Miranda is touching. At the heart of this novel, is a coming of age story for both protagonists, which can be a challenge. However, it is well written and I was rooting for both of them! While I could definitely empathize with Miranda, I also wanted her to do more, to be more curious, and rebellious. I never really rooted for her or Prospero when I read the play in high school, and this retelling picks up right where I left off. The depths of my feelings for Caliban were intensified and complicated by this story.

The measure of a truly great retelling is when it changes your opinions and views of the original. I have to say that this story definitely does that for me.