Shakespeare retold: Under a Dancing Star
Recently, a lot of the most popular books tend to be action packed and fast paced - often involving murder or set in a fantasy world. I am one of the huge group of people who love these books but I also realise that sometimes it is nice to have a change of pace, something a bit slower, calmer, and more relaxed.
Under a Dancing Star by Laura Wood is the perfect book if you are looking for something more relaxing that will still keep you entertained. It is set in the 1930s and the main character, Bea, is a lively 17 year old and budding natural scientist. Her parents wish to marry off to a wealthy man in order to keep the crumbling family estate alive. Bea, however, has other ideas and longs for adventure. When she is sent away to Italy to stay with her uncle, she is delighted to be free from the pressures of home.
This summer unfolds itself to be absolutely dreamy, when she meets infuriating but dazzling Ben, an artist with a caring heart. Sparks fly between the pair, until one night, a challenge is created. Is it possible to have the perfect summer romance and can Bea learn more about relationships along the way? Bea is only there for the summer, so they must do anything but actually fall in love.
Ben and Bea's is full of a mixture of love, friendship and coming of age, all twisted up into a beautiful retelling of 'Much Ado About Nothing'. Yes, you read correctly. This sweet summer romance is actually a re-imagining of the classic Shakespeare play. The characters' names are very similar and the same concept is used of characters falling in love based on a challenge or a trick. It's amazing and inspiring to think that a book that I enjoyed so much could be based on a play written over 400 years ago, that was loved both then and now.
Overall, I think the book is really great, and the characters are so easy to fall in love with, that you find them being in the back of your mind even after you have put the book down. I would really recommend the book, especially as the colder months draw near, to transport you to an Italian summer, surrounded by artists, and slowly falling in love with a man you find annoying but infuriatingly beautiful.
Eleanor Walters, Y8
Under a Dancing Star by Laura Wood is the perfect book if you are looking for something more relaxing that will still keep you entertained. It is set in the 1930s and the main character, Bea, is a lively 17 year old and budding natural scientist. Her parents wish to marry off to a wealthy man in order to keep the crumbling family estate alive. Bea, however, has other ideas and longs for adventure. When she is sent away to Italy to stay with her uncle, she is delighted to be free from the pressures of home.
This summer unfolds itself to be absolutely dreamy, when she meets infuriating but dazzling Ben, an artist with a caring heart. Sparks fly between the pair, until one night, a challenge is created. Is it possible to have the perfect summer romance and can Bea learn more about relationships along the way? Bea is only there for the summer, so they must do anything but actually fall in love.
Ben and Bea's is full of a mixture of love, friendship and coming of age, all twisted up into a beautiful retelling of 'Much Ado About Nothing'. Yes, you read correctly. This sweet summer romance is actually a re-imagining of the classic Shakespeare play. The characters' names are very similar and the same concept is used of characters falling in love based on a challenge or a trick. It's amazing and inspiring to think that a book that I enjoyed so much could be based on a play written over 400 years ago, that was loved both then and now.
Overall, I think the book is really great, and the characters are so easy to fall in love with, that you find them being in the back of your mind even after you have put the book down. I would really recommend the book, especially as the colder months draw near, to transport you to an Italian summer, surrounded by artists, and slowly falling in love with a man you find annoying but infuriatingly beautiful.
Eleanor Walters, Y8
