I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

What if the famous female characters of Shakespeare's plays existed outside of their stage performances? And what if they weren't happy with the way their stories were told? Enter the Body poses those questions in a fun remix of those classic female characters taking back their trauma and creating narratives where they had rights and agency. Told through the perspectives of Juliet, Cornelia, and Ophelia, Shakespeare's treatment of women in scrutinized in between performances under the trapdoor where all of his female characters exist. Their mistreatment is apparent from the beginning as none can interact with the others, too absorbed in their own trauma to realize they are in a limbo state. The younger girls, however, find each other and tell their stories, working through the pain together. Lavinia is also present, but her tragic state leaves her unable to convey her tale, much to the dismay of her peers. The stories are told in such a way that the reader does not need to have read Shakespeare before.

While previous knowledge may enhance the reading, the characters share their lives in a way that recontextualizes them. The work is packed with emotion and is beautifully structured. The use of meter and rhyme pay homage to their original works, and reveal the characters' mental blocks. The retellings can get a little repetitive, but the characters call them out. This would be both fun and challenging as a read-aloud or as a book group choice. In the vein of the musical Six or Hamilton, this is a retelling that will make the reader critically think about the importance of storytelling, the validity of "classics" and the power of communal healing.

What a unique, clever, heartbreaking look at Shakespeare's leading ladies. I loved the passion, heartache, and overall theater vibe that this held and how the women all came together. It really puts in perspective what each of them went through and how much they had in common. I've never read anything quite like this before, and not sure I ever will again. I highly recommend it if you're a fan of the Bard, retellings, and strong female leads.

This was great. I really love everything I've read from Joy McCullough, and this was no exception. Cordelia's story especially I loved and found the most powerful for me personally. But I think the beauty of this book is so many people will be able to see themselves in these girls.

First 5-star read of 2023!!

I will read absolutely anything Joy McCullough writes! Every book I've read by her has left me in awe, not just at her way with words and telling a story, but the messages that come across as well. Though I will say, I was a bit hesitant about Enter the Body, mostly because I have read four of Shakespeare's plays and only really remember Romeo and Juliet, so I was a bit worried I was going to be lost this entire book, but it's written in such a way that you can go in knowing very little and leave knowing pretty much everything you'd need to know without having to read the actual plays. Which...if you're not a fan of Shakespeare to begin with, is kind of nice.

This book follows four of Shakespeare's female characters: Lavinia, Juliet, Ophelia, and Cordelia. I was only familiar with Juliet and despite having read Hamlet, I barely remembered Ophelia being a character in that play. Which honestly goes to show how Shakespeare uses female characters to further the plot for his male characters. But this book is all about taking back the narrative, on speaking out against family members who would rather use their wives and daughters for their own uses, and the injustices and abuse women have faced throughout the years in silence.

Each of the girls gets to share their story in verse (as we know it), and then gets the opportunity to take back the narrative and give themselves an ending they are proud of. Lavinia, with her missing hands and tongue, is unable to share in this storytelling, but we're told how not all stories have to be shared because they're difficult stories not just for the person sharing, but for others to hear. And that there are many ways to share a story if you can't speak or write the words. I think this was beautifully done, and the ending was a perfect closing act to this book.

I really hope one day this can be required reading in English classes everywhere. Sure, we can still read Shakespeare, but I think books like this one show these plays in a new light and highlight some of the problematic aspects that need to be discussed more.

Please please please add this one to your tbrs!

I posted on TikTok already but it's a great companion piece to use when teaching Shakespeare, but is also a good exemplar for wriring creatively in different structures.

Sadly, I ended up DNFing this one, so I will be giving it 1 star. The concept was interesting but the execution was lacking.

This book was an absolute masterpiece of a novel and I am truly honored to have been blessed with an ARC of. I have always been a fan of Shakespeare so I was very excited to read yet another retelling of his works/characters. ENTER THE BODY was a very unique way of adapting his characters and righting the wrongs that a lot of his women characters have faced.
While reading this book, I was entranced reading each of the main characters, Juliet, Cordelia, and Ophelia, tell their own stories. Even Lavina, who never speaks out loud but who's story is just as important and I think told very well through a lot of subtleties throughout.
I just don't think I can find the words for how beautiful this novel was. I need everyone to read this so I can talk about how amazing this book was.

When I first heard about Joy McCullough’s Enter the Body (through her twitter account, I believe) and saw that it was a retelling of Romeo and Juliet, King Lear, and Hamlet that focuses on the young women in these stories and gives them the voices they’ve been denied of for four hundred years, I knew that I had to read it.

I could not be more thankful that I got to read this story before its publication so that I can scream to the world just how badly this story needs to be read. As McCullough says in her authors note, Shakespeare “had an extraordinary gift for taking familiar stories and transforming them into works of art that would resonate with not only the audiences of his day, but for decades and centuries to come. And obviously an astonishing gift for language.” All of this is true, but I think we all know that there are many of his characters that get the short end of the stick, namely, the young girls and women of his works. Whether this is through total and complete fault of his own, or just a result of the time these stories were written in, the women do not have the endings that they deserve. McCullough attempts to right some of these wrongs through Enter the Body, and I firmly believe that she has done so.

I believe that this is a must read for any and all Shakespeare fans.

I was looking forward to reading this book because the synopsis was intriging and I love reading screenplays but unfortunately the writing style just wasn't for me.