The Year Shakespeare Ruined My Life by Dani Jansen
- Publisher: Second Story Press, September 22nd 2020
- Genre: Young Adult, LGBTQ+
- Format: Paperback (eARC)
- Page Count: 314 pages
- My Rating: ⭐⭐⭐ (3/5)
Alison Green was partly tricked into producing a Shakespeare school play. Desperate to be valedictorian, she wanted everything to be in her control. But alas, mistakes happen and soon she found herself in the midst of a failing play, ruined friendships, strained romance, and much more.
I am glad I have read A Midsummer Night’s Dream before reading this book. Otherwise, it would have been incredibly confusing.
Perhaps, I had my hopes too high. When I heard it was a queer story with a Shakespeare play going on, I had to read it. Though slightly disappointed by the fact that a lot of things happened yet it felt like nothing had, The Year Shakespeare Ruined My Life was fun to read. It was certainly an entertaining book on the chaotic, awkward, and messy high school years we all worked so hard to forget about. And I am really happy with the inclusion of an androgynous-presenting pansexual girl.
Our protagonist Alison Green had made a lot of questionable decisions and ended up lying to many people. She had to mend her friendships with Jack and Becca, make up with her sister Annie, reconcile with Charlotte, etc. Through the process, I think she understood that pretending nothing was wrong by making up lies was never be okay.
The Year Shakespeare Ruined My Life was about coming out of a mess stronger than before. Shakespeare probably ruined Alison’s life for the better. [17 May 2020]
I received an e-ARC from Second Story Press via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
