Beatrice and Benedick

October 1, 2015
Beatrice and Benedick begin their "merry war" in this impressive prequel to Shakespeare's Much Ado About Nothing. One year before the Bard's comedy begins, Beatrice first meets Benedick at her uncle Leonato's court in Sicily, where Benedick is delivering the young count Claudio to the boy's father. When Beatrice calls Benedick a glorified "nursemaid," Benedick resolves to prove her wrong. Thus begins a battle of the sexes, complete with Beatrice engaging Benedick in proper Italian combat while dressed as a man. Fiorato (The Venetian Bargain, 2014, etc.) re-creates Shakespeare's Renaissance as if she's embellishing one of his scripts with copious stage directions and footnotes, from the setting to the props. Staring at his dinner plate one night, Benedick observes, "The Sicilians seemed fond of marrying foods together that should never even have met. I was served a cheese with a lime inside, pasta littered with raisins, and anchovies stirred with oranges." Much of the conflict, though, is based on professor Martino Iuvara's (Shakespeare era Italiano, 2002) theory that the mysterious English playwright was, in fact, Sicilian. Tragic moments from Romeo and Juliet and Othello juxtapose Beatrice and Benedick's comedic mishaps, illuminating issues of racial tension and women's rights and suggesting that "no one knows if they play in a comedy or a tragedy until the final curtain. The ending is the thing." It's worth revisiting the original plays to catch all the references, but the plot stands well on its own as Benedick meets disaster on the Spanish Armada and Beatrice, now stuck in Verona, resists an engagement to a familiar Shakespearean face. It's a lively origin story in which all the world's a stage, but especially Italy, and the suspense is high as the lovers walk a tightrope between truth and trope.

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October 15, 2015

In this prequel to the popular Shakespearean comedy Much Ado About Nothing. Shakespeare scholar and author (The Glassblower of Murano) Fiorato a takes readers back to the beginning of Beatrice and Benedick's famously volatile relationship, their "merry war," to quote the play. She also gives us a peek into the lives of other main and supporting characters. We experience Hero and Claudio's first flirtation, see the beginning of Don Pedro's friendly and manipulative ways, and learn more about Friar Francis. Additionally, the author weaves many historical events (the Spanish Armada, for example) of the period into her narrative. Set in Renaissance Italy, the novel gives more reasons to root for Beatrice and Benedick and provides several inside jokes for those familiar with the play. VERDICT A good choice for fans of the Bard, most historical fiction readers, and some romance lovers. It should be noted that many romance fans will find this too long and detailed for their tastes and historical fiction readers may shy away if they don't take to Shakespeare. [See Prepub Alert, 6/29/15.]--Elizabeth McArthur, Texas Lutheran Univ. Lib., Seguin

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Starred review from December 1, 2015
Beatrice and Benedick, the bantering pair in Shakespeare's beloved Much Ado about Nothing, have been rendered in countless restagings of the play, critically acclaimed movies, and a Broadway musical. Their story is well known, though not many casual readers realize that Shakespeare's script hints at an earlier meeting between the two razor-tongued suitors. Fiorato expands Shakespeare's world to place Beatrice and Benedick in Sicily before the events of Much Ado about Nothing, meeting at the estate of Leonato Leonatus in the summer of 1588. Beatrice has been acting as a nursemaid and governess for her niece, Hero, and Benedick has accompanied his charge, Claudio, on a month-long stay at the estate. Alternately using Beatrice and Benedick's perspectives to narrate chapters, Fiorato lays out their first meeting, an unwanted betrothal, a soldier's heartbreak, and their eventual reuniting. Fiorato is a clever, attentive author, weaving Shakespearean phrases and clues to the Bard's other works into her highly detailed and imaginative world. Fans of historical fiction, Gregory Maguire's retellings of classic tales, and Geraldine Brooks' March (2005) will appreciate Fiorato's devotion to one of classic literature's feistiest and most enjoyable couples. Full of passion, intrigue, and wit, Beatrice and Benedick is a delight.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2015, American Library Association.)