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The King of Infinite Space
In this lush, magical, queer, and feminist take on Hamlet in modern-day New York City, a neuro-atypical philosopher, along with his best friend Horatio and artist ex-fiancé Lia, are caught up in the otherworldly events surrounding the death of his father.Meet Ben brilliant, devastating, devoted, honest to a fault (truly, a fault). His Broadway theater baron father is dead--but by purpose or accident? The question rips him apart.Unable to face alone his mother's ghastly remarriage to his uncle, Ben turns to his dearest friend, Horatio Patel, whom he hasn't seen since their relationship changed forever from platonic to something...other. Loyal to a fault (truly, a fault), Horatio is on the first flight to NYC when he finds himself next to a sly tailor who portends inevitable disaster. And who seems ominously like an architect of mayhem himself.Meanwhile, Ben's ex-fiancé Lia, sundered her from her loved ones thanks to her addiction recovery and torn from her art, has been drawn into the fold of three florists from New Orleans--seemingly ageless sisters who teach her the language of flowers, and whose magical bouquets hold both curses and cures. For a price. On one explosive night these kinetic forces will collide, and the only possible outcome is death. But in the masterful hands of Lyndsay Faye, the story we all know has abundant surprises in store. Impish, captivating, and achingly romantic, this is Hamlet as you've never seen it before.
381 pages, Kindle Edition
First published August 10, 2021
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 341 reviews
August 18, 2021
I don't even know how to begin reviewing this book, but let me start with this: The King of Infinite Space is my favourite book of the year, and, I'm quite certain, a new all time favourite book.
The King of Infinite Space is, first and foremost, a book that is STEEPED in love. It's a novel that pretty much immediately won me over because it just has so much heart, and you can feel it radiating on every page. We follow three main characters, each inspired by a character from Hamlet: Ben (Hamlet), Horatio (this one is obvious), and Lia (Ophelia)--and I ADORED them all. More and more, I find myself craving books that are just about people trying to be good, to themselves and to others, and The King of Infinite Space is exactly that kind of book. Its characters feel keenly, love wholeheartedly, and they are so good--not flawless, but always trying to be decent, to be good to those they care about, even if they also inevitably hurt them. And something about characters who are just good gets to me, and god, this book GOT TO ME. I could cry just thinking about it.
Also: Lynday Faye's writing is just gorgeous, brimming with personality and pitch-perfect dialogue. She absolutely sticks the landing with the big moments, but she also has such a deft hand with the little moments. Even scenes that aren't that important in the grand scheme of the novel manage to be moving, because there are always little lines that just stop you in your tracks, moments where the characters' vulnerabilities peek out, when they feel so much more starkly human. And more than just affecting, Faye's prose is also experimental, which I loved. This is front and center in Ben's chapters, where paragraphs break off into verse lines in different fonts and font sizes. In a different author's hands it might've come off as tacky, maybe, but in Faye's it just amplifies Ben's emotions that much more, as though prose isn't enough to convey the sheer depth of his feelings.
As for plot, there is, of course, the Shakespearean element: this is primarily a Hamlet retelling, but it also includes other Shakespeare-inspired elements and characters. But more than just repeating the Hamlet plot with a bit of variation, Faye takes its themes and ideas and breathes new life into them. Hamlet's obsession with death and existence becomes Ben's fascination with--and graduate degree in--the philosophy of physics. Hamlet's soliloquies become musings on time and supernovas and entropy, and beautiful musings at that. And Ben's interest in science is not just some flimsy quirk of his; it fundamentally informs the way he thinks about and approaches the world. And it's also why he's one of the most compelling and captivating characters I've read about all year.
More than anything, though, The King of Infinite Space is a love story through and through; love that, as Newton would have it, cannot be created or destroyed, but love that only changes forms, because it is "everywhere and everywhen," in Ben's words; these characters will always care about each other, their love for each other runs that deep.
Anyway, I fucking adored this book, and I can't wait to reread it over and over again.
The King of Infinite Space is, first and foremost, a book that is STEEPED in love. It's a novel that pretty much immediately won me over because it just has so much heart, and you can feel it radiating on every page. We follow three main characters, each inspired by a character from Hamlet: Ben (Hamlet), Horatio (this one is obvious), and Lia (Ophelia)--and I ADORED them all. More and more, I find myself craving books that are just about people trying to be good, to themselves and to others, and The King of Infinite Space is exactly that kind of book. Its characters feel keenly, love wholeheartedly, and they are so good--not flawless, but always trying to be decent, to be good to those they care about, even if they also inevitably hurt them. And something about characters who are just good gets to me, and god, this book GOT TO ME. I could cry just thinking about it.
Also: Lynday Faye's writing is just gorgeous, brimming with personality and pitch-perfect dialogue. She absolutely sticks the landing with the big moments, but she also has such a deft hand with the little moments. Even scenes that aren't that important in the grand scheme of the novel manage to be moving, because there are always little lines that just stop you in your tracks, moments where the characters' vulnerabilities peek out, when they feel so much more starkly human. And more than just affecting, Faye's prose is also experimental, which I loved. This is front and center in Ben's chapters, where paragraphs break off into verse lines in different fonts and font sizes. In a different author's hands it might've come off as tacky, maybe, but in Faye's it just amplifies Ben's emotions that much more, as though prose isn't enough to convey the sheer depth of his feelings.
As for plot, there is, of course, the Shakespearean element: this is primarily a Hamlet retelling, but it also includes other Shakespeare-inspired elements and characters. But more than just repeating the Hamlet plot with a bit of variation, Faye takes its themes and ideas and breathes new life into them. Hamlet's obsession with death and existence becomes Ben's fascination with--and graduate degree in--the philosophy of physics. Hamlet's soliloquies become musings on time and supernovas and entropy, and beautiful musings at that. And Ben's interest in science is not just some flimsy quirk of his; it fundamentally informs the way he thinks about and approaches the world. And it's also why he's one of the most compelling and captivating characters I've read about all year.
More than anything, though, The King of Infinite Space is a love story through and through; love that, as Newton would have it, cannot be created or destroyed, but love that only changes forms, because it is "everywhere and everywhen," in Ben's words; these characters will always care about each other, their love for each other runs that deep.
Anyway, I fucking adored this book, and I can't wait to reread it over and over again.
December 15, 2022
i want to mcfrickin die
number of shakespearean retellings i have read: 3
number of times i have made it out in one piece without begging for the sweet release of death like a banshee at 1am: 0
ben dane’s father is dead. was it on purpose or accident? the question is ripping ben apart so he turns to horatio for help. they were friends, still are friends, but they haven’t seen each other in a year ever since what was platonic become something else, perhaps something more. across the city, ben’s ex-fiancée, lia, is creating magical bouquets and learning the language of flowers with three peculiar sisters.
it takes a certain skill to take a story that we’re so familiar with and spin it into something new yet familiar, with characters we think we know but now painting them in a slightly different light, slightly off-kilter, and make it queer as a treat!
at its core, the king of infinite space is a retelling of the tragedy of hamlet. you’ve heard this song before, but it’s still different, still manages to take your breath away and leave you gasping for breath and reeling on the floor. it lulls you into a false sense of comfort and then goes “haha bitch you thought !!”
it may feel odd to call a book a work of art but it is. figuratively - the sublime prose and gorgeous emotional insight to all these characters feels like magic. the way you’re plunged into a dreamscape from the very first page, juggling light and darkness, chaos and peace. it’s raw and delicious.
and literally - the king of infinite space is art. an experimental piece that not many can pull off, but lyndsay faye does it and what a gripping ride. in particular, she breathes life into ben, using stylistic fonts (even comic sans baby!) as a way for you to enter /his/ world, his scattered and unhinged thoughts. fonts flowing upwards downwards around hurryhurrynotimetobreathe - pure genius.
at the end of the day, this is a story you think you know, steeped in love. a love persevering everywhere, everywhen, every universe all at once. all the time. and you’ll think to yourself “maybe this time, we won’t go down in flames”.
content warning: addiction, alcoholism, bullying, death, substance use, gun and knife violence, infidelity, suicide attempt and ideation
“you're a line of music….i could transpose your melody into any key, hum at any tempo, and still know you.”
number of shakespearean retellings i have read: 3
number of times i have made it out in one piece without begging for the sweet release of death like a banshee at 1am: 0
ben dane’s father is dead. was it on purpose or accident? the question is ripping ben apart so he turns to horatio for help. they were friends, still are friends, but they haven’t seen each other in a year ever since what was platonic become something else, perhaps something more. across the city, ben’s ex-fiancée, lia, is creating magical bouquets and learning the language of flowers with three peculiar sisters.
it takes a certain skill to take a story that we’re so familiar with and spin it into something new yet familiar, with characters we think we know but now painting them in a slightly different light, slightly off-kilter, and make it queer as a treat!
at its core, the king of infinite space is a retelling of the tragedy of hamlet. you’ve heard this song before, but it’s still different, still manages to take your breath away and leave you gasping for breath and reeling on the floor. it lulls you into a false sense of comfort and then goes “haha bitch you thought !!”
it may feel odd to call a book a work of art but it is. figuratively - the sublime prose and gorgeous emotional insight to all these characters feels like magic. the way you’re plunged into a dreamscape from the very first page, juggling light and darkness, chaos and peace. it’s raw and delicious.
and literally - the king of infinite space is art. an experimental piece that not many can pull off, but lyndsay faye does it and what a gripping ride. in particular, she breathes life into ben, using stylistic fonts (even comic sans baby!) as a way for you to enter /his/ world, his scattered and unhinged thoughts. fonts flowing upwards downwards around hurryhurrynotimetobreathe - pure genius.
at the end of the day, this is a story you think you know, steeped in love. a love persevering everywhere, everywhen, every universe all at once. all the time. and you’ll think to yourself “maybe this time, we won’t go down in flames”.
content warning: addiction, alcoholism, bullying, death, substance use, gun and knife violence, infidelity, suicide attempt and ideation
December 15, 2022
Suffering
something terrible is happening in new york city. ben dane’s father is dead and his mother has married his uncle. he’s enlisted the help of his best friend horatio to help investigate the death, but he and horatio haven’t even seen each other in a year. somewhere else in the city, his ex-fiancée, lia, is creating magical bouquets under the guidance of three mysterious women.
(to quote taylor swift: i think i’ve seen this film before. and i didn’t like the ending.)
the king of infinite space is a retelling of shakespeare’s tragedy of hamlet. but in the way you may have dreamed about while you read it in your high school english classes—let’s give the women actual agency, and make it canonically queer.
i studied hamlet in school, and i would consider it my favorite shakespeare play (although i don’t know it as well as i used to). i loved being able to read this and make connections. to put pieces together, and feel like a scholar. to hear lines that sounded just slightly familiar, and felt like a knowing look shared between friends across a room.
but for the familiarity of the story of hamlet, here i was still absolutely blown away by every choice made by faye. moments left me saying “no, she wouldn’t.” and screaming and crying over interpretative choices made.
it has easily become a new favorite. a book that left me in full sobs. a story of grief—for love lost and love just out of reach. for your parents and for your children. for the life you could have had, and the life you thought you did. a story of magic. a story of fate and time and the multiverse. a story that makes you think—maybe this time.
i talk a lot about rereading books. i love the familiarity of it. but sometimes i reread books because they beg to be reread. they have big reveals that change everything. reveals that say: look back. you should have seen this coming all along. how could you have not seen it?
before even this, i knew early on listening to king of infinite space on audiobook that this would be a book I would want to return to because of the magnetic and gorgeous prose. my fingers itch to highlight words i remember hearing. and in ben’s pov, there are stylistic fonts that show his thought processes. while i listened to the audio, i would often times open the book to flip through just to see how it was written. sometime soon i will give king of infinite space the full reread it deserves.
(and then—maybe this time.)
cw: death, suicide attempt and ideation, drug use and abuse, alcoholism, knife and gun violence, arson
“time. time will fuck with you endlessly until you’re compost. you can’t hide from it. there’s no hiding from anything, and especially not endings.”
something terrible is happening in new york city. ben dane’s father is dead and his mother has married his uncle. he’s enlisted the help of his best friend horatio to help investigate the death, but he and horatio haven’t even seen each other in a year. somewhere else in the city, his ex-fiancée, lia, is creating magical bouquets under the guidance of three mysterious women.
(to quote taylor swift: i think i’ve seen this film before. and i didn’t like the ending.)
the king of infinite space is a retelling of shakespeare’s tragedy of hamlet. but in the way you may have dreamed about while you read it in your high school english classes—let’s give the women actual agency, and make it canonically queer.
i studied hamlet in school, and i would consider it my favorite shakespeare play (although i don’t know it as well as i used to). i loved being able to read this and make connections. to put pieces together, and feel like a scholar. to hear lines that sounded just slightly familiar, and felt like a knowing look shared between friends across a room.
but for the familiarity of the story of hamlet, here i was still absolutely blown away by every choice made by faye. moments left me saying “no, she wouldn’t.” and screaming and crying over interpretative choices made.
it has easily become a new favorite. a book that left me in full sobs. a story of grief—for love lost and love just out of reach. for your parents and for your children. for the life you could have had, and the life you thought you did. a story of magic. a story of fate and time and the multiverse. a story that makes you think—maybe this time.
i talk a lot about rereading books. i love the familiarity of it. but sometimes i reread books because they beg to be reread. they have big reveals that change everything. reveals that say: look back. you should have seen this coming all along. how could you have not seen it?
before even this, i knew early on listening to king of infinite space on audiobook that this would be a book I would want to return to because of the magnetic and gorgeous prose. my fingers itch to highlight words i remember hearing. and in ben’s pov, there are stylistic fonts that show his thought processes. while i listened to the audio, i would often times open the book to flip through just to see how it was written. sometime soon i will give king of infinite space the full reread it deserves.
(and then—maybe this time.)
cw: death, suicide attempt and ideation, drug use and abuse, alcoholism, knife and gun violence, arson
September 4, 2021
Rating: 2.75, rounded up
I have thoroughly enjoyed all of Lindsay Faye's previous books, but this one just did not work for me. It's billed as a "lush, magical, queer and feminist retake on Hamlet in modern-day New York," and features "neurotypical philosopher" Ben Dane, his best friend and lover Horatio, and his former fiance Lia as he investigates mysterious circumstances surround his father's death. The Macbeth witches also make an appearance as three mystical florists from New Orleans. It's been at least 50 years since I read Hamlet, so I'm sure many of the parallels were lost on me. Still, I was able to pick up the plot line and chronology of the story, mostly. But the weird blend of philosophy, quantum mechanics, physics, and math spouted by the characters (mostly Ben), the underlying stream of mysticism and magic surrounding the witches, and the constant playing with fonts and type weight and poetic interruptions left me irritated, confused and bored rather than drawing me in. I found them intrusive rather than creative. I sloughed through the whole thing because I have enjoyed this writer so much in the past; in retrospect, I should have quit early on.
I have thoroughly enjoyed all of Lindsay Faye's previous books, but this one just did not work for me. It's billed as a "lush, magical, queer and feminist retake on Hamlet in modern-day New York," and features "neurotypical philosopher" Ben Dane, his best friend and lover Horatio, and his former fiance Lia as he investigates mysterious circumstances surround his father's death. The Macbeth witches also make an appearance as three mystical florists from New Orleans. It's been at least 50 years since I read Hamlet, so I'm sure many of the parallels were lost on me. Still, I was able to pick up the plot line and chronology of the story, mostly. But the weird blend of philosophy, quantum mechanics, physics, and math spouted by the characters (mostly Ben), the underlying stream of mysticism and magic surrounding the witches, and the constant playing with fonts and type weight and poetic interruptions left me irritated, confused and bored rather than drawing me in. I found them intrusive rather than creative. I sloughed through the whole thing because I have enjoyed this writer so much in the past; in retrospect, I should have quit early on.
March 9, 2021
Cerebral (what else would we expect any riff on Hamlet to be?!) but takes a brisk pace that keeps you trucking right along. Faye pulls off a great feat in that she manages to deliver plot twists that are genuinely surprising, despite this being classed a "retelling." Recommend: For hardcore academic lit lovers and page-turner-y mystery lovers alike.
September 29, 2021
Take it from one who is much more familiar with Macbeth, one needn't know their Hamlet frontwards and back in order to enjoy this.
"I'll tell myself that everything that ever has happened still exists if you look at Time from outside of Time. And so that day you wanted to watch the sun set from the fire escape, and after we undressed each other we left rusty handprints everyplace, that slice of time is always happening. Just somewhere we could only visit the once."
"I'll tell myself that everything that ever has happened still exists if you look at Time from outside of Time. And so that day you wanted to watch the sun set from the fire escape, and after we undressed each other we left rusty handprints everyplace, that slice of time is always happening. Just somewhere we could only visit the once."
April 15, 2021
A modern retelling of Hamlet, set in the New York City theatre scene, with witchcraft and ethnic and sexual diversity? As someone with a B.A. in English (with an emphasis in Shakespearean Literature) and a Master's in Creative Writing from Oxford, I'd say I am the bullseye of the target demographic for this book, and it did not disappoint. Faye is a brilliant writer, playing with form and combining prose and poetry, weaving in original Shakespearean quotes and borrowing from other authors to provide a commentary at the start of each chapter. It would be so tempting to get lost in the existential meanderings of good old Hamlet, aka Benjamin Dane-- whose "brain operates as part philosopher, part scientist, and part torture device. But Faye balances his masturbatory intellectualism by splitting the narrative into three points of view: that of Benjamin, (Ophe)Lia, and Horatio, who is reimagined as the strapping, equally intellectual, but more personable lover of our hero. Like his literary predecessor, Benjamin is adrift after losing his father, searching for meaning amongst life's slings and arrows. He frequently waxes on larger themes, including time, religion ("God is chaos before it reaches uniformity"), family, loyalty, and death. Like most millennials, no one truly 'gets' Benjamin, or at least he feels as if that's the case, aside from his friend Horatio and his former fiancé, Lia, who is conspicuously absent from his life.
Usually, I struggle to connect with stories that are primarily focused on men, but here, that was not an issue. In fact, I found the weakest part of the novel to be the storyline with Lia, the three weird sisters, and Robin. Interestingly, this is all the stuff that was made up outside of Hamlet (slash brought in from other Shakespearean works), so perhaps that explains why it feels tacked on and mostly irrelevant, or at least unnecessary, here.
This is my first foray into Lyndsay Faye's works, and I will most definitely be looking to read more of her work in the future.
Usually, I struggle to connect with stories that are primarily focused on men, but here, that was not an issue. In fact, I found the weakest part of the novel to be the storyline with Lia, the three weird sisters, and Robin. Interestingly, this is all the stuff that was made up outside of Hamlet (slash brought in from other Shakespearean works), so perhaps that explains why it feels tacked on and mostly irrelevant, or at least unnecessary, here.
This is my first foray into Lyndsay Faye's works, and I will most definitely be looking to read more of her work in the future.
September 18, 2022
review update (21/02) 💭
“no, you aren’t. you’re here. you’re solid matter. you might be the only solid thing in the multiverse, horatio.” - benjamin dane
scene: it’s june 2023, a hot summer’s day. i’m walking the streets of a busy city, minding my business in the hustle of strangers. and then a thought hits. i smell it in my nose first, like petrichor. and then the memory crashes into me like a wave. the ending of this book. i fall to my knees outside a starbucks while a group of teenagers look at me in detached amusement. fin.
this book is one of my thirteen reasons. that ending absolutely gutted me. i felt emotionally delicate for 3-5 working days after i finished the damn thing. shakespeare retellings can please leave me ALONE. my reading taste has drastically changed so much over the last year, to the point where if it’s a shakespeare retelling or merely inspired by the bard’s tragedies, it seems like i’ll give it five big ass stars out of five. and it WILL hurt me, no matter what.
i went into ‘the king of infinite space’ knowing only three things: it’s a hamlet retelling, it’s queer, and it’s feminist. and to say this led to a rollercoaster ride of extreme proportions would be an understatement. i was crying within the first 30 pages and i can’t even properly explain why? the way things were being told made me inherently emotional for the rest of this book, it never went away.
the way lyndsay faye gives us emotional insights into her characters is masterful, past events are given to us in little crumbs, letting us relish in the longing, yearning, friendship, love, depression, dread, and the promise of tragedy.
i especially love what she did with the mercurial benjamin dane, the love of my life, the apple of my eye, a new all time favourite character. his neurotypical thoughts are scattered and chaotic and this is shown to us on paper well — his thoughts are put in different fonts, different sizes on the page, cascading from left to right, up and down sometimes.
another reason why i find myself drawn to this book, and ben in particular, is that i relate to his feelings so damn much. so much so that it was a raw experience. learning about his mental state managed to hit a nerve several times. we deal with ben's often nihilistic existentialism, which i probably relate to the most. there's a lot of nihilistic conversations about how/why we exist in the universe. this book talks about depression, self harm and suicide a lot, so be careful and gentle with yourself if you decide to tackle this book. the way lyndsay faye handles it is, imo, wonderful though, and definitely respectful.
horatio is also a brilliant character. he's headstrong and incredibly caring. (in fact, all these characters are so damn genuine and selfless, and it's so refreshing considering the amount of unlikable characters i've read about lately). i love the way this book makes you believe horatio's love for benjamin immediately. the yearning is gloriously painful. lia's story is a bit vague at first, seemingly disconnected from the overarching plot - but how it all comes together left me speechless. also, it was nice to see bits and pieces, cameos, pulled from other shakespeare plays pop up in her chapters.
there are so many things i wanna say about this book but i always have incredible amounts of trouble trying to organise my thoughts and feelings. this is fighting if we we were villains for a top spot in my favourite books of all time list
“no, you aren’t. you’re here. you’re solid matter. you might be the only solid thing in the multiverse, horatio.” - benjamin dane
scene: it’s june 2023, a hot summer’s day. i’m walking the streets of a busy city, minding my business in the hustle of strangers. and then a thought hits. i smell it in my nose first, like petrichor. and then the memory crashes into me like a wave. the ending of this book. i fall to my knees outside a starbucks while a group of teenagers look at me in detached amusement. fin.
this book is one of my thirteen reasons. that ending absolutely gutted me. i felt emotionally delicate for 3-5 working days after i finished the damn thing. shakespeare retellings can please leave me ALONE. my reading taste has drastically changed so much over the last year, to the point where if it’s a shakespeare retelling or merely inspired by the bard’s tragedies, it seems like i’ll give it five big ass stars out of five. and it WILL hurt me, no matter what.
i went into ‘the king of infinite space’ knowing only three things: it’s a hamlet retelling, it’s queer, and it’s feminist. and to say this led to a rollercoaster ride of extreme proportions would be an understatement. i was crying within the first 30 pages and i can’t even properly explain why? the way things were being told made me inherently emotional for the rest of this book, it never went away.
the way lyndsay faye gives us emotional insights into her characters is masterful, past events are given to us in little crumbs, letting us relish in the longing, yearning, friendship, love, depression, dread, and the promise of tragedy.
i especially love what she did with the mercurial benjamin dane, the love of my life, the apple of my eye, a new all time favourite character. his neurotypical thoughts are scattered and chaotic and this is shown to us on paper well — his thoughts are put in different fonts, different sizes on the page, cascading from left to right, up and down sometimes.
another reason why i find myself drawn to this book, and ben in particular, is that i relate to his feelings so damn much. so much so that it was a raw experience. learning about his mental state managed to hit a nerve several times. we deal with ben's often nihilistic existentialism, which i probably relate to the most. there's a lot of nihilistic conversations about how/why we exist in the universe. this book talks about depression, self harm and suicide a lot, so be careful and gentle with yourself if you decide to tackle this book. the way lyndsay faye handles it is, imo, wonderful though, and definitely respectful.
horatio is also a brilliant character. he's headstrong and incredibly caring. (in fact, all these characters are so damn genuine and selfless, and it's so refreshing considering the amount of unlikable characters i've read about lately). i love the way this book makes you believe horatio's love for benjamin immediately. the yearning is gloriously painful. lia's story is a bit vague at first, seemingly disconnected from the overarching plot - but how it all comes together left me speechless. also, it was nice to see bits and pieces, cameos, pulled from other shakespeare plays pop up in her chapters.
there are so many things i wanna say about this book but i always have incredible amounts of trouble trying to organise my thoughts and feelings. this is fighting if we we were villains for a top spot in my favourite books of all time list
October 12, 2022
what the fuck!
April 12, 2022
ouch !
“Time. Time will fuck with you endlessly until you’re compost. You can’t hide from it. There’s no hiding from anything, and especially not endings.”
“You're a line of music....I could transpose your melody into any key, hum at any tempo, and still know you.”
Ben Dane's Broadway theatre baron father is dead—but by purpose or accident? The question rips him apart. Unable to face alone his mother’s remarriage to his uncle, Ben turns to his dearest friend, Horatio, whom he hasn’t seen since their relationship changed forever from platonic to something other. Meanwhile, Ben’s ex-fiancé Lia, sundered her from her loved ones thanks to her addiction recovery and torn from her art, has been drawn into the fold of three florists —seemingly ageless sisters who teach her the language of flowers, and whose magical bouquets hold both curses and cures.
I don't know why but every time I read a Shakespeare tragedy retelling, I think it's going to end differently and that it's not going to hurt me, but every time I'm so wrong 🤡
From everyone's reviews of this one, I had a feeling I was going to love it, and I wasn't wrong!!! This book just checks so many of my boxes. It has my fave trope (is it a trope?) of friends who are kind of toxic to each other, but are desperately in love with one another and would commit crimes for one another (it joins the Summer Sons/These Violent Delights/If We Were Villains/The Wicker King club 😌).
The writing is beautiful. While reading, I would get lost in Lyndsay Faye's magnetic and gorgeous prose, to the point that I would forget that this book is a Hamlet retelling, that I knew the direction the story was going to go.
While I loved all of the characters, Ben was my favorite. I loved reading all of his scattered and chaotic thoughts, and I'm so in awe of how his thoughts appear on the page. Faye writes parts of his narration using stylistic fonts, with fonts flowing upwards downwards around the paragraphs.
This is one of those books that you finish, and you immediately know that you have to reread it. The twists and turns of the story change everything you thought you knew. I can't wait to reread this and notice the little clues that were left along the way.
CWs: addiction, alcoholism, bullying, death, substance use, gun and knife violence, infidelity, suicide attempt and ideation
“Time. Time will fuck with you endlessly until you’re compost. You can’t hide from it. There’s no hiding from anything, and especially not endings.”
“You're a line of music....I could transpose your melody into any key, hum at any tempo, and still know you.”
Ben Dane's Broadway theatre baron father is dead—but by purpose or accident? The question rips him apart. Unable to face alone his mother’s remarriage to his uncle, Ben turns to his dearest friend, Horatio, whom he hasn’t seen since their relationship changed forever from platonic to something other. Meanwhile, Ben’s ex-fiancé Lia, sundered her from her loved ones thanks to her addiction recovery and torn from her art, has been drawn into the fold of three florists —seemingly ageless sisters who teach her the language of flowers, and whose magical bouquets hold both curses and cures.
I don't know why but every time I read a Shakespeare tragedy retelling, I think it's going to end differently and that it's not going to hurt me, but every time I'm so wrong 🤡
From everyone's reviews of this one, I had a feeling I was going to love it, and I wasn't wrong!!! This book just checks so many of my boxes. It has my fave trope (is it a trope?) of friends who are kind of toxic to each other, but are desperately in love with one another and would commit crimes for one another (it joins the Summer Sons/These Violent Delights/If We Were Villains/The Wicker King club 😌).
The writing is beautiful. While reading, I would get lost in Lyndsay Faye's magnetic and gorgeous prose, to the point that I would forget that this book is a Hamlet retelling, that I knew the direction the story was going to go.
While I loved all of the characters, Ben was my favorite. I loved reading all of his scattered and chaotic thoughts, and I'm so in awe of how his thoughts appear on the page. Faye writes parts of his narration using stylistic fonts, with fonts flowing upwards downwards around the paragraphs.
This is one of those books that you finish, and you immediately know that you have to reread it. The twists and turns of the story change everything you thought you knew. I can't wait to reread this and notice the little clues that were left along the way.
CWs: addiction, alcoholism, bullying, death, substance use, gun and knife violence, infidelity, suicide attempt and ideation
September 28, 2021
After a bit of a slow start I flew through this audiobook! i kept trying to see the parallels and influence of Hamlet and I was not disappointed. They were readily evident and quite clever! I absolutely loved Lia's sections and the three witchy sisters were just delightful. There was a big twist that I should have seen coming since I am very familiar with Hamlet but somehow it surprised me. We all know the sad carnage at the end of Hamlet so I was expecting a similar bleak ending but this story was a bit of a different view. Despite being strongly based on the well known play this story held more than a few surprises and managed to make a depressing story almost fun. It is still a tragedy of course but was unique enough that it didn't feel predictable. I listened to the audio version and all of the narrators were excellent. I highly recommend the audio format for this one!
November 3, 2021
4 Stars
Review:
When a character is messy and struggling but they have someone in their life who is just utterly and hopelessly in love with them (and the love is mutual) 🥺
To be honest, I struggled with this book in the beginning and considered giving up. I’m not sure if it was because of my issues with the audio (more on that below) or the book itself. But by the end, this was a firmly 4-star book and one that I was eager to keep listening to. Perhaps it’s one of those books that picks up speed and tension as it goes.
I think I kind of disliked the characters at the start, or at least, really didn’t get them and couldn’t find anything to grasp onto to relate to them or endear them to me. But somewhere along the way, they grew on me, and I started to care about them.
The publisher’s description calls this book “achingly romantic,” and I have to agree. The romance was kind of a partial focus, the other focus being on figuring out Ben’s father’s murder. I wouldn’t call this a romance book. But the relationship between Ben and Horatio was what stood out to me the most and what really got me hooked. Especially experiencing it through Horatio’s POV. That man was so hopelessly in love. He fell and has ever since been so flat on the ground you would need a spatula to scrape him up.
Horatio’s chapters also had some gorgeous writing in them. His was the POV I kept noticing for its beauty, so either it was coincidence, or the author did a great job of giving each POV its own unique style to match the characters. I suspect the latter.
To be fair, the love that had been between Ben and Lia was also beautiful. That letter he wrote, oof. Especially rereading it after finishing the book—right through the heart.
As far as the Hamlet retelling aspect goes, I don’t remember a damn thing about Hamlet, so everything that happened in this book was a surprise to me. I couldn’t tell you how closely this book does or doesn’t follow the original. I can only say I enjoyed this for what it was as its own story.
This book also had some diversity. Ben was neurodivergent, I believe had ADHD, but I can’t 100% promise that. Lia was a recovering alcoholic. Horatio was Indian. There was a m/m romance. I believe Horatio was gay, but Ben was I think mostly into women but just not overly concerned about the fact that he had slept with and was in love with a man.
My only real complaints are about the audiobook narration. Ben was narrated by Michael Crouch, Horatio by Raj Ghatak, and Lia by Imani Jade Powers. Michael and Imani were fine. It was Raj I had issue with. In what I assume was his natural English accent, he was fine. Lovely voice and narration. But all the American characters had this exaggerated, loud, grating, cartoony voice and way of speaking. And the completely different way that Michael Crouch sounded as Ben and Raj Ghatak sounded as Ben, it was like two different characters, the whole vibe and demeanor was different, and that made it so hard to get a grasp on his character. There was also Imani Jade Powers’s Ben voice, which was unassuming enough to not be a huge problem, but it was also kind of a different vibe, which just added another bit of kindling to the fire that was this voice debacle. So it’s not that the audiobook or the narrators were bad, it was more that the way these three worked together was jarring. I got more used to it as the book went on, but I do think it’s possible this contributed to my trouble getting into the book at first.
Anyway, I ended up very much enjoying this book and feeling quite a lot for these characters, their mysteries, their struggles, their feelings, and their bittersweet story.
*Rating: 4 Stars // Read Date: 2021 // Format: Audiobook*
Recommended For:
Anyone who likes messy characters, hopelessly in love characters, love in general, Shakespeare retellings, neurodiversity, and pretty writing.
Original Review @ Metaphors and Moonlight
Review:
When a character is messy and struggling but they have someone in their life who is just utterly and hopelessly in love with them (and the love is mutual) 🥺
To be honest, I struggled with this book in the beginning and considered giving up. I’m not sure if it was because of my issues with the audio (more on that below) or the book itself. But by the end, this was a firmly 4-star book and one that I was eager to keep listening to. Perhaps it’s one of those books that picks up speed and tension as it goes.
I think I kind of disliked the characters at the start, or at least, really didn’t get them and couldn’t find anything to grasp onto to relate to them or endear them to me. But somewhere along the way, they grew on me, and I started to care about them.
The publisher’s description calls this book “achingly romantic,” and I have to agree. The romance was kind of a partial focus, the other focus being on figuring out Ben’s father’s murder. I wouldn’t call this a romance book. But the relationship between Ben and Horatio was what stood out to me the most and what really got me hooked. Especially experiencing it through Horatio’s POV. That man was so hopelessly in love. He fell and has ever since been so flat on the ground you would need a spatula to scrape him up.
Horatio’s chapters also had some gorgeous writing in them. His was the POV I kept noticing for its beauty, so either it was coincidence, or the author did a great job of giving each POV its own unique style to match the characters. I suspect the latter.
It’s astonishing, in a way, how a man who is clearly running on fumes, drugged to the tits, obsessed with his ex, and investigating his father’s alleged murder still has the generosity to foresee that Horatio would not be merely addled with worry, but hungry as well. And to deposit himself exactly where Horatio could walk (or run) in a straight line to find him.
It’s actually very easy to love the man. Even if he’s never believed that.
To be fair, the love that had been between Ben and Lia was also beautiful. That letter he wrote, oof. Especially rereading it after finishing the book—right through the heart.
As far as the Hamlet retelling aspect goes, I don’t remember a damn thing about Hamlet, so everything that happened in this book was a surprise to me. I couldn’t tell you how closely this book does or doesn’t follow the original. I can only say I enjoyed this for what it was as its own story.
This book also had some diversity. Ben was neurodivergent, I believe had ADHD, but I can’t 100% promise that. Lia was a recovering alcoholic. Horatio was Indian. There was a m/m romance. I believe Horatio was gay, but Ben was I think mostly into women but just not overly concerned about the fact that he had slept with and was in love with a man.
My only real complaints are about the audiobook narration. Ben was narrated by Michael Crouch, Horatio by Raj Ghatak, and Lia by Imani Jade Powers. Michael and Imani were fine. It was Raj I had issue with. In what I assume was his natural English accent, he was fine. Lovely voice and narration. But all the American characters had this exaggerated, loud, grating, cartoony voice and way of speaking. And the completely different way that Michael Crouch sounded as Ben and Raj Ghatak sounded as Ben, it was like two different characters, the whole vibe and demeanor was different, and that made it so hard to get a grasp on his character. There was also Imani Jade Powers’s Ben voice, which was unassuming enough to not be a huge problem, but it was also kind of a different vibe, which just added another bit of kindling to the fire that was this voice debacle. So it’s not that the audiobook or the narrators were bad, it was more that the way these three worked together was jarring. I got more used to it as the book went on, but I do think it’s possible this contributed to my trouble getting into the book at first.
Anyway, I ended up very much enjoying this book and feeling quite a lot for these characters, their mysteries, their struggles, their feelings, and their bittersweet story.
*Rating: 4 Stars // Read Date: 2021 // Format: Audiobook*
Recommended For:
Anyone who likes messy characters, hopelessly in love characters, love in general, Shakespeare retellings, neurodiversity, and pretty writing.
Original Review @ Metaphors and Moonlight
August 14, 2021
Lyndsay Faye is one of the most intelligent and versatile writers working today and never before have her immense talents been on display than in the artsy, colorful, and brilliant THE KING OF INFINITE SPACE. This novel, for those not in the know, is a modern-day retelling of William Shakespeare’s HAMLET and the references or ‘Easter eggs’ that allude to that masterwork are scattered throughout the pages providing the reader with a scavenger hunt of the tallest order.
Do you need to be fluent in Shakespeare’s HAMLET to enjoy THE KING OF INFINITE SPACE? No, but it would definitely help because Lyndsay Faye most certainly is, and she has so many juicy tidbits to share with those who are aware of them. What sets this novel apart, and also makes it more efficient to absorb, is the Dramatis Personae list at the onset which you will continually flip back and forth to as you encounter all the many colorful characters within these pages.
Speaking of characters, each chapter is told from the perspective of a different person and there are several who we get to enjoy time with. The first person we meet is Lia, the ex-girlfriend of our protagonist Ben Dane. I love the opening set of lines from this novel, as extracted from the mind of Lia: “Lia never knows when she’ll appear in one of Benjamin’s nightmares. But since it’s started happening, they tend to meet in the charred shell of the original World’s Stage Theatre, the smoke hanging as solid as proscenium curtains.” Terrific imagery there as well as the double-entendre shout-out to Shakespeare with both his famous “all the world’s a stage” quote as well as reference to the Globe Theatre in London where his plays were originally performed.
Ben Dane’s life has changed since the death of his Broadway theatre baron father and the destruction of the World’s Stage Theatre --- but he has learned to carry on. Carrying on, however, will include getting revenge and seeking answers to questions like --- was his father murdered? Assisting him in this endeavor is his best friend/lover, Horatio Patel, who has returned from the U.K. to support his friend who is not only grieving the loss of his father but also questioning the new union of his mother, Trudy, who has shockingly married Ben’s Uncle --- his father’s brother --- Claude.
Inertia doesn’t stand a chance against Ben’s resolve, and he will get to the bottom of his recent family upheaval. Ben harasses Detective Fortuna to re-open his father’s case to prove that it was not suicide but homicide that took him away. The chapter’s belonging to Lia are a refreshing break as we get to see her working at the floral boutique run by the extremely weird trio of sisters: Mam’zelle, Moma, and Maw-Maw --- extra points to those who recognize the reference to the three witches from Shakespeare. These chapters also continually refer to various types of flowers and a definition of what they represent. There is enough symbolism here to keep your mind spinning for hours.
Other bits of symbolic reference include the two annoying Marlowe twins who Ben went to Columbia University with. Many people may not be aware of the old rumors that Shakespeare was not actually responsible for writing any of his own work and that it was the product of one of his contemporaries --- Christopher Marlowe. Touché, Ms. Faye! Another character that Ben and Horatio interact with is the wormy little Robin Goodfellow --- named appropriately for the narrator/protagonist of William Shakespeare’s A MIDSUMMER NIGHT’S DREAM.
The story is full of plot twists, and one is major and will shock you. What I enjoyed most is, as the narrative moves forward, the creative liberties Faye takes in putting each chapter together gets more and more colorful with fonts, style, and the physical appearance of the story stretching the boundaries we usually expect from a typical novel and keeps things fun and quirky throughout. Will Ben Dane get all his questions answered? The quick and dirty answer is it doesn’t really matter. I believe Lyndsay Faye’s intention here was for enjoyment of the journey rather than the destination and the result is a novel that is as much fun to read as it is to fully immerse yourself in. Bravo, Ms. Faye!
Reviewed by Ray Palen for Book Reporter
Do you need to be fluent in Shakespeare’s HAMLET to enjoy THE KING OF INFINITE SPACE? No, but it would definitely help because Lyndsay Faye most certainly is, and she has so many juicy tidbits to share with those who are aware of them. What sets this novel apart, and also makes it more efficient to absorb, is the Dramatis Personae list at the onset which you will continually flip back and forth to as you encounter all the many colorful characters within these pages.
Speaking of characters, each chapter is told from the perspective of a different person and there are several who we get to enjoy time with. The first person we meet is Lia, the ex-girlfriend of our protagonist Ben Dane. I love the opening set of lines from this novel, as extracted from the mind of Lia: “Lia never knows when she’ll appear in one of Benjamin’s nightmares. But since it’s started happening, they tend to meet in the charred shell of the original World’s Stage Theatre, the smoke hanging as solid as proscenium curtains.” Terrific imagery there as well as the double-entendre shout-out to Shakespeare with both his famous “all the world’s a stage” quote as well as reference to the Globe Theatre in London where his plays were originally performed.
Ben Dane’s life has changed since the death of his Broadway theatre baron father and the destruction of the World’s Stage Theatre --- but he has learned to carry on. Carrying on, however, will include getting revenge and seeking answers to questions like --- was his father murdered? Assisting him in this endeavor is his best friend/lover, Horatio Patel, who has returned from the U.K. to support his friend who is not only grieving the loss of his father but also questioning the new union of his mother, Trudy, who has shockingly married Ben’s Uncle --- his father’s brother --- Claude.
Inertia doesn’t stand a chance against Ben’s resolve, and he will get to the bottom of his recent family upheaval. Ben harasses Detective Fortuna to re-open his father’s case to prove that it was not suicide but homicide that took him away. The chapter’s belonging to Lia are a refreshing break as we get to see her working at the floral boutique run by the extremely weird trio of sisters: Mam’zelle, Moma, and Maw-Maw --- extra points to those who recognize the reference to the three witches from Shakespeare. These chapters also continually refer to various types of flowers and a definition of what they represent. There is enough symbolism here to keep your mind spinning for hours.
Other bits of symbolic reference include the two annoying Marlowe twins who Ben went to Columbia University with. Many people may not be aware of the old rumors that Shakespeare was not actually responsible for writing any of his own work and that it was the product of one of his contemporaries --- Christopher Marlowe. Touché, Ms. Faye! Another character that Ben and Horatio interact with is the wormy little Robin Goodfellow --- named appropriately for the narrator/protagonist of William Shakespeare’s A MIDSUMMER NIGHT’S DREAM.
The story is full of plot twists, and one is major and will shock you. What I enjoyed most is, as the narrative moves forward, the creative liberties Faye takes in putting each chapter together gets more and more colorful with fonts, style, and the physical appearance of the story stretching the boundaries we usually expect from a typical novel and keeps things fun and quirky throughout. Will Ben Dane get all his questions answered? The quick and dirty answer is it doesn’t really matter. I believe Lyndsay Faye’s intention here was for enjoyment of the journey rather than the destination and the result is a novel that is as much fun to read as it is to fully immerse yourself in. Bravo, Ms. Faye!
Reviewed by Ray Palen for Book Reporter
July 21, 2022
Oh my gosh, how I wish I had not lived the magic fever dream of this book today, because if I hadn't I still would have it to experience for the first time all over again.
Multiverses and Shakespeare** and The Everywhen (THE EVERYWHEN!!!! FOR THE SECOND TIME THIS YEAR, IN BOOKS BY DIFFERENT AUTHORS!). Dancing in the faerie kingdom until the blood puddles in shoes. Flowers & New Orleans, the very best kind of roots magic voodoo. Goodness I need to get back down to the Atchafalaya soon.
Physics physics physics, maths maths maths, England England England. I'm looking at you, my brother!! (But not you, so much, Mama. Just Brett. Oh, and Anita and Kenna. And Schafe & Melissa. And Dan & Virginia.)
PS
I don't know why it is, but I seem to be rendered very nearly wordless when a book transports me like The King of Infinite Space does. Reckon that's more of its magic?
PPS
Fixin' to put everything by Linday Faye on my To Read list.
PPPS
I absolutely need to get a reporter's notebook out, a la Master of the Revels. SO many things I had to look up, either to learn anew/confirm (French phrases and lots of maths stuff amongst the latter).
**
Christopher Marlowe totally fucking wrote Hamlet. And he is a vampire from outer space. Fight me on this.
Multiverses and Shakespeare** and The Everywhen (THE EVERYWHEN!!!! FOR THE SECOND TIME THIS YEAR, IN BOOKS BY DIFFERENT AUTHORS!). Dancing in the faerie kingdom until the blood puddles in shoes. Flowers & New Orleans, the very best kind of roots magic voodoo. Goodness I need to get back down to the Atchafalaya soon.
Physics physics physics, maths maths maths, England England England. I'm looking at you, my brother!! (But not you, so much, Mama. Just Brett. Oh, and Anita and Kenna. And Schafe & Melissa. And Dan & Virginia.)
PS
I don't know why it is, but I seem to be rendered very nearly wordless when a book transports me like The King of Infinite Space does. Reckon that's more of its magic?
PPS
Fixin' to put everything by Linday Faye on my To Read list.
PPPS
I absolutely need to get a reporter's notebook out, a la Master of the Revels. SO many things I had to look up, either to learn anew/confirm (French phrases and lots of maths stuff amongst the latter).
**
Christopher Marlowe totally fucking wrote Hamlet. And he is a vampire from outer space. Fight me on this.
September 7, 2021
Rocking a strong first line: “Lia never knows when she’ll appear in one of Benjamin’s nightmares.” And there you are, dropped straight into the burnedout husk of a dreamscape and a vividly magical world. We meet Lia while she is caught in someone else’s dream, in someone else’s mind and arguing “Benjamin, change topics, or I swear I’m going to walk away and keep walking till I—I have no idea. Fall out of your ear.” And you know this isn’t going to be a straightforward story, and you know that you’ll have to question what’s real, but you get dropped off the deep end quick and you’ll need to find your suspension of disbelief quickly or you’ll drown.
“And we might weave half the tapestry, Robin the other half. But ain’t no weaver alive as knows exactly what it’ll look like hanging on the wall. No matter how many times they’ve settled themselves down at a loom. Endings have a mind of their own.”
This is an amazingly strong adaptation of Hamlet, strong enough to work well as a stand-alone and clever enough that I suspect it will hold up well to multiple re-readings. About a third of the way in, the bad English major in me (the one who repeatedly only pretended to read Hamlet when it was assigned for a class; I think maybe 3 times, at least), actually got inspired to dig out my neglected copy of the Shakespeare play and finally give it a proper read-through (I may not have ever fully read it, but you don’t get through multiple college Shakespeare courses without knowing the plot or the famous lines, but do you really *know* it that way?). And then I went a step further and devoured Tom Stoppard’s Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead, for good measure (another prior casualty of my too busy undergrad schedule). I was in the Hamlet ZONE, ready and primed to continue enjoying the adaptation in this book.
But then, I suffered a loss.
I have spent every week since November of 2020 at the veterinarian, trying desperately to save my little dog’s life. On July 19th, cancer got the best of him. Emotionally, it got the best of me too. Oh he was a dog and not a parent, but he was my family all the same. I needed a little space to grieve, and at that moment this book was too much for me. You can’t have Hamlet in any form without musings on mortality, and you’ll get that here for sure – as Ben observes, “sometimes processing grief is a bullet train going in a circle to no place” I needed a bit of time to race around in circles for a bit while I tried to figure out what I do next—how do you move forward from a loss you spent so much effort to avoid? I lived in that parking lot at the veterinary oncology center for hours every week, for months on end, and now I find myself launched into movement again but with no direction anymore. No goal. No destination.
It took me a few weeks to pick this book back up again.
I’m glad I did. This book held my attention and in a way it seemed to hold my hand as I worked my way through my own grief. My eBook is practically littered with highlights—nearly every page offers some clever remark or poignant insight into family or love or loss. This book is special.
“Maybe time really is a flat circle. He’s on a merry-go-round in a hell he doesn’t even believe in.”
“And we might weave half the tapestry, Robin the other half. But ain’t no weaver alive as knows exactly what it’ll look like hanging on the wall. No matter how many times they’ve settled themselves down at a loom. Endings have a mind of their own.”
This is an amazingly strong adaptation of Hamlet, strong enough to work well as a stand-alone and clever enough that I suspect it will hold up well to multiple re-readings. About a third of the way in, the bad English major in me (the one who repeatedly only pretended to read Hamlet when it was assigned for a class; I think maybe 3 times, at least), actually got inspired to dig out my neglected copy of the Shakespeare play and finally give it a proper read-through (I may not have ever fully read it, but you don’t get through multiple college Shakespeare courses without knowing the plot or the famous lines, but do you really *know* it that way?). And then I went a step further and devoured Tom Stoppard’s Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead, for good measure (another prior casualty of my too busy undergrad schedule). I was in the Hamlet ZONE, ready and primed to continue enjoying the adaptation in this book.
But then, I suffered a loss.
I have spent every week since November of 2020 at the veterinarian, trying desperately to save my little dog’s life. On July 19th, cancer got the best of him. Emotionally, it got the best of me too. Oh he was a dog and not a parent, but he was my family all the same. I needed a little space to grieve, and at that moment this book was too much for me. You can’t have Hamlet in any form without musings on mortality, and you’ll get that here for sure – as Ben observes, “sometimes processing grief is a bullet train going in a circle to no place” I needed a bit of time to race around in circles for a bit while I tried to figure out what I do next—how do you move forward from a loss you spent so much effort to avoid? I lived in that parking lot at the veterinary oncology center for hours every week, for months on end, and now I find myself launched into movement again but with no direction anymore. No goal. No destination.
It took me a few weeks to pick this book back up again.
I’m glad I did. This book held my attention and in a way it seemed to hold my hand as I worked my way through my own grief. My eBook is practically littered with highlights—nearly every page offers some clever remark or poignant insight into family or love or loss. This book is special.
“Maybe time really is a flat circle. He’s on a merry-go-round in a hell he doesn’t even believe in.”
April 29, 2022
It's hard to know where to begin reviewing a book that I enjoyed so much. I should start by saying, this book is a modern interpretation of Hamlet. Having never read or seen Hamlet, for me it was just a mystical, queer, philosophical murder mystery. For folx who know Hamlet, I bet there are deeper layers of brilliance that went over my head. There is so much to love here: a mysterious burning of a Broadway theater, New Orleanian sisters who play with fate through bouquet arrangements, gay love, cryptic dreams, villains, antiheroes, and a climatic New York socialite gala. I hope to read this book again (and again).
April 7, 2022
I loved this so much...it hurts. Funny thing too, because it started out "just ok."I was reading along thinking this will probably be 3 stars. I really like this author so I knew I would finish no matter what.
WHOA....I did not see this coming. There aren't even that many reviews on GR. I wanted to read it based solely on the author's other books...plus, I've read a couple Shakespeare re-tellings and find I enjoy the Bard in this way. I'll admit I read a brief summary of Hamlet before starting. There are several other characters from other plays that show up. I'm sure if one immediately recognizes them, it would add to the experience, but I didn't and it did not detract. I did a little research afterwards.
I started out reading the book. I decided to get the audio to listen to while driving to work. I highly recommend both. The book is very visual with changes in font and bolded words and paragraphs while the audio really brings out the personalities of the main characters.
In the beginning, I wasn't crazy about Lia but by the end I loved all 3 main characters especially Ben and Horatio. This story had it all for me. It touched my heart. I don't like to rehash plots and I'm not great at it. I'd like to share what someone else wrote about this book....
"Faye’s knowledge of Shakespeare extends well past Hamlet, as The King of Infinite Space name-checks characters from several of the Bard’s plays, from Ariel, the all-knowing doorman at the New World; to the meddling event coordinator Robin Goodfellow; to the three weird sisters who manage the flower shop where Lia is employed and who specialize in bouquets that heal, cure and maybe even alter the future.
Lush and magical, thoughtful and provocative, The King of Infinite Space is a remarkable achievement, staying true to Shakespeare’s tragic play in ways that will surprise and delight while reveling in neurodivergence, queer attraction and quantum physics. Though the buildup is slow and Benjamin’s philosophical meanderings occasionally digressive, this is a novel to stick with for its rewards of a surprising plot and Faye’s delightful storytelling."
A favorite quote~“He can no longer imagine the warm weight in his palm of an unshattered heart. It was never in his chest, not really. It lived in his hand. It might have been cracked, but he was always offering it to his friend. Every day, in countless fashions. Here. It’s yours for the taking. Do you want it? I don’t know whether you do, but your wanting it would be the greatest gift of my life.”
WHOA....I did not see this coming. There aren't even that many reviews on GR. I wanted to read it based solely on the author's other books...plus, I've read a couple Shakespeare re-tellings and find I enjoy the Bard in this way. I'll admit I read a brief summary of Hamlet before starting. There are several other characters from other plays that show up. I'm sure if one immediately recognizes them, it would add to the experience, but I didn't and it did not detract. I did a little research afterwards.
I started out reading the book. I decided to get the audio to listen to while driving to work. I highly recommend both. The book is very visual with changes in font and bolded words and paragraphs while the audio really brings out the personalities of the main characters.
In the beginning, I wasn't crazy about Lia but by the end I loved all 3 main characters especially Ben and Horatio. This story had it all for me. It touched my heart. I don't like to rehash plots and I'm not great at it. I'd like to share what someone else wrote about this book....
"Faye’s knowledge of Shakespeare extends well past Hamlet, as The King of Infinite Space name-checks characters from several of the Bard’s plays, from Ariel, the all-knowing doorman at the New World; to the meddling event coordinator Robin Goodfellow; to the three weird sisters who manage the flower shop where Lia is employed and who specialize in bouquets that heal, cure and maybe even alter the future.
Lush and magical, thoughtful and provocative, The King of Infinite Space is a remarkable achievement, staying true to Shakespeare’s tragic play in ways that will surprise and delight while reveling in neurodivergence, queer attraction and quantum physics. Though the buildup is slow and Benjamin’s philosophical meanderings occasionally digressive, this is a novel to stick with for its rewards of a surprising plot and Faye’s delightful storytelling."
A favorite quote~“He can no longer imagine the warm weight in his palm of an unshattered heart. It was never in his chest, not really. It lived in his hand. It might have been cracked, but he was always offering it to his friend. Every day, in countless fashions. Here. It’s yours for the taking. Do you want it? I don’t know whether you do, but your wanting it would be the greatest gift of my life.”
September 27, 2021
First, I have to say, this just wasn't my thing. Someone else might love it. But it is one of those books in which people who are mentally or psychologically unstable are viewed as being charismatic and attractive. Also, other people's obsessions really aren't that interesting to other people. Horatio is obsessed with Ben. Ben is obsessed with his father's death. I felt as if I were immersed in everyone else's naval gazing. The book is structured as a re-telling of Hamlet with nods to other Shakespearean plays. Perhaps by default this makes personal events seem to take on cosmic meaning that, for me, they really couldn't support. My favorite parts of the book were the whimsical and fey maneuvers of the mythic characters the weird sisters and Robin Goodfellow and their interactions with Lia, Ben's former fiance, for whom I did have sympathy. The book is well written and, I guess, well constructed, but I just didn't care about these people and all the troubles they brought down upon themselves. A strand of plot about a serial murdering janitor seemed to go not much of anywhere.
January 4, 2025
edit 1/25: i think after reading it the second time, i still have a bit of mixed feelings about some parts, but i also appreciate it much more—it’s really a great retelling and i love the characters faye brings to life and the way they mirror their counterparts. it also broke me again even though the ending’s been written literally over four centuries ago, and that’s an accomplishment in itself, to write a story that’s so touching despite being so well known
____
8/24:
i had very mixed feelings about this, i guess i still do, but oh, oh boy the way i feel right now, it definitely deserves five stars
or maybe i just love hamlet too much in every possible version, but especially the queer ones
____
8/24:
i had very mixed feelings about this, i guess i still do, but oh, oh boy the way i feel right now, it definitely deserves five stars
or maybe i just love hamlet too much in every possible version, but especially the queer ones
January 16, 2025
actual review to come but oh my god. this made me want to fold glass into cardboard and eat it like a quesadilla.
UPDATE 16/01/2025 (4 years later lmao): I honestly think the only thing I can say about this book is that I can literally never read any other Hamlet retelling because I won't like them as much as The King of Infinite Space.
UPDATE 16/01/2025 (4 years later lmao): I honestly think the only thing I can say about this book is that I can literally never read any other Hamlet retelling because I won't like them as much as The King of Infinite Space.
February 7, 2022
“It’s actually very easy to love the man. Even if he’s never believed that.”
It really was very easy to love Benjamin Dane. From the moment his character entered the story he was light and darkness, chaos and peace, joy and sorrow.
The King of Infinite Space is a queer, modern take on Hamlet following Benjamin, his best friend Horatio, and his ex fiancé Lia as Ben tries to solve the puzzle of whether or not his father was murdered. The writing style was beautiful. The author did a great job getting you to truly feel what it was like to be in Benjamins mind. The fonts change, some words were italicized, others were bold. It was just an experience and helped me to connect with what his character was going through so much more. There are also POV’s for both Horatio and Lia. The way all three of them saw the world so differently was such a beautiful contrast.
For a book to make me cry within the first 30 pages says a lot because usually that is when I am still trying to get myself introduced to the characters. I was connected to all three of them by then. There have been few other times in which I immediately find a connection with a character. Some are:
- Misaki in The Sword of Kaigen
- Julian in These Violent Delights
- Angrboda in The Witch’s Heart
- Andrew in The Foxhole Court
But Ben, he felt like the sun. Pulling in everyone around him, and while some loved to be warmed by his light, other’s wanted nothing more than for night to come.
I know I am not saying much of the story itself, but in the simplest terms, it is a death/murder mystery. The rest is purely character driven. Each of them is raw and passionate. The way all of the elements in this story come together in the end was something beautiful to witness and something that I am still recovering from. The longing between Horatio and Ben was perfection. The history between Ben and Lia was beautiful and heartbreaking.
I know I am not doing this review right, and maybe I should have waited a couple of days to gather my thoughts better but here I am. Lost in thought over a strawberry scarf.
“You’re here. You’re solid matter. You might be the only solid thing in the multiverse, Horatio.”
It really was very easy to love Benjamin Dane. From the moment his character entered the story he was light and darkness, chaos and peace, joy and sorrow.
The King of Infinite Space is a queer, modern take on Hamlet following Benjamin, his best friend Horatio, and his ex fiancé Lia as Ben tries to solve the puzzle of whether or not his father was murdered. The writing style was beautiful. The author did a great job getting you to truly feel what it was like to be in Benjamins mind. The fonts change, some words were italicized, others were bold. It was just an experience and helped me to connect with what his character was going through so much more. There are also POV’s for both Horatio and Lia. The way all three of them saw the world so differently was such a beautiful contrast.
For a book to make me cry within the first 30 pages says a lot because usually that is when I am still trying to get myself introduced to the characters. I was connected to all three of them by then. There have been few other times in which I immediately find a connection with a character. Some are:
- Misaki in The Sword of Kaigen
- Julian in These Violent Delights
- Angrboda in The Witch’s Heart
- Andrew in The Foxhole Court
But Ben, he felt like the sun. Pulling in everyone around him, and while some loved to be warmed by his light, other’s wanted nothing more than for night to come.
I know I am not saying much of the story itself, but in the simplest terms, it is a death/murder mystery. The rest is purely character driven. Each of them is raw and passionate. The way all of the elements in this story come together in the end was something beautiful to witness and something that I am still recovering from. The longing between Horatio and Ben was perfection. The history between Ben and Lia was beautiful and heartbreaking.
I know I am not doing this review right, and maybe I should have waited a couple of days to gather my thoughts better but here I am. Lost in thought over a strawberry scarf.
“You’re here. You’re solid matter. You might be the only solid thing in the multiverse, Horatio.”
August 24, 2021
There are certain stories I love reading or watching over and over again in different versions:
• Medea (the folktale of La Llorona has a similar plot with a different context, but familiar results https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/La_Llorona ) (there's also the hilarious queer take on La Llorona by Monica Palacios https://www.academia.edu/897332/La_Ll... )
• Faust (David Mamet's play Faustus is my fave https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Faustus... );
• Frankenstein (the National Theatre's 2011 production, which one can still find in movie theatres and and via National Theatre at Home, is remarkable https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DmkQH.... )
I feel the same way about a number of Shakespeare's plays
• Macbeth
• King Lear
• Richard III
And, not surprisingly,
• Hamlet
I just love that upbeat material...
So when I realized Lindsay Faye—a very fine writer, indeed—had her own take on the story of Hamlet, I couldn't wait to read it.
Let me tell you, The King of Infinite Space is a remarkable book. Faye plays in productive ways with the original. Horatio is in love with Ben (Faye's version of Hamlet); Lia (Faye's Ophelia) is an avant-garde artist doing installations using horticulture. Faye also ropes in her version of other characters from Shakespeare's plays, including the three weird sisters (Macbeth, anyone?) and Robin Goodfellow (Faye's Puck).
The mix of "variations on" and completely new elements is delightful. Anyone who loves Hamlet is going to love The King of Infinite Space. Enough of the novel's action follows Shakespeare's script that it has the comfort of familiarity, but there are lots of unexpected surprises along the way—"Toto, I have a feeling we're not in Kansas anymore" type surprises. The language is pin-sharp. Faye really nails and shares the inner lives of these characters. There's enough menace, absurdness, and humor to make The King of Infinite Space an enjoyable read for those who have never picked up any of Shakespeare's plays. This is a title you don't want to to miss!
I received a free electronic review copy of this title from the publisher via Edelweiss; the opinions are my own.
• Medea (the folktale of La Llorona has a similar plot with a different context, but familiar results https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/La_Llorona ) (there's also the hilarious queer take on La Llorona by Monica Palacios https://www.academia.edu/897332/La_Ll... )
• Faust (David Mamet's play Faustus is my fave https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Faustus... );
• Frankenstein (the National Theatre's 2011 production, which one can still find in movie theatres and and via National Theatre at Home, is remarkable https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DmkQH.... )
I feel the same way about a number of Shakespeare's plays
• Macbeth
• King Lear
• Richard III
And, not surprisingly,
• Hamlet
I just love that upbeat material...
So when I realized Lindsay Faye—a very fine writer, indeed—had her own take on the story of Hamlet, I couldn't wait to read it.
Let me tell you, The King of Infinite Space is a remarkable book. Faye plays in productive ways with the original. Horatio is in love with Ben (Faye's version of Hamlet); Lia (Faye's Ophelia) is an avant-garde artist doing installations using horticulture. Faye also ropes in her version of other characters from Shakespeare's plays, including the three weird sisters (Macbeth, anyone?) and Robin Goodfellow (Faye's Puck).
The mix of "variations on" and completely new elements is delightful. Anyone who loves Hamlet is going to love The King of Infinite Space. Enough of the novel's action follows Shakespeare's script that it has the comfort of familiarity, but there are lots of unexpected surprises along the way—"Toto, I have a feeling we're not in Kansas anymore" type surprises. The language is pin-sharp. Faye really nails and shares the inner lives of these characters. There's enough menace, absurdness, and humor to make The King of Infinite Space an enjoyable read for those who have never picked up any of Shakespeare's plays. This is a title you don't want to to miss!
I received a free electronic review copy of this title from the publisher via Edelweiss; the opinions are my own.
January 22, 2022
I didn't dislike this book. The author has talent, and (all too few) emotional notes are struck (for all too brief) a period of time. Points for a few small curves once in a while.
But on the whole, I did expect, and hope to enjoy this more.
It's not possible to pretend one hasn't read Hamlet if one has. The comparisons, good, bad or indifferent are going to be there when you read this novel, even if you try to come at it stone cold.
That, in the end, is probably not a good thing, as I theorize The King of Infinite Space might have worked better as a stand alone, unrelated literary family drama. Even then, though, I suspect it would have been middle of the road for me. In fact, without the Hamlet framework, I don't think I'd have ever tried this. That might be the problem.
No, it's not intended to be an exact parallel. There are significant, (not to say wise or interesting) divergences from the source material in terms of plot and characters. Yet if we are not supposed to think of Hamlet when we read this, why all the Easter eggs and nods toward that classic play? (Some cute, some absolutely ham fisted.)
More than anything else, this is a gay love story narrative waiting to happen. It doesn't officially become so until far too late in the proceedings, but the Love Horatio has for Ben, (and the wait for if Ben ever felt the same) takes up most of the oxygen in the book.
Love, is maybe the wrong word. Obsession is more like it. Which is why I generally found the love story at the heart of this novel tedious much of the time. If Ben had farted loudly and wafted the stench in Horatio's direction, we'd spend a page hearing about how the act set both Horatio's heart and nose on fire, and spawn a three page memory of the last time he remembered Ben farting with such charm back at Colombia when they were all so young and gassy and wonderful.
And what has Ben done to deserve this throbbing lust and unworldly devotion? In real time, nothing; the romance flounders because the novel builds it forever on matchsticks. The love isn't earned. In the world of the book though? It's because Ben can spout off about quantum mechanics and Nietzsche for 30 minutes when asks what he wants for breakfast. EVERY SINGLE TIME.
This dabbles in neurodivergence as fetish. Though "Autistic" is not explicitly stated as far as I recall, that is what we are supposed to *wink* know Ben is. As an Autistic adult myself, I am not sure how I feel about the characterization. ASD manifests differently for each person, but this books leans pretty heavily into the Sheldon Cooper-Obnoxious stereotype of Autism. (I realize that character is not officially pronounced Autistic either, but again...)
Which is why the romance is DOA. Despite some microscopic sweet moments sparely sprinkled throughout, there is no depth of chemistry to these two. In the end, it felt to me like Ben "became" in love with Horatio because that is what he figured was the fairest thing to do. It's not the queer angle, it's the give-me-a-break angle that bugged me.
The other love of Ben's bisexual life is Lia, the Ophelia stand in. This novel has been hailed a feminist take on Hamlet, but I don't see why. Her whole subplot with the Sisters (borrowed from Macbeth) and Robin (borrowed, and changed into the Devil, from Midsummer Night's Dream) was a slog for me. The Cajun-French patois the former spoke dabbled in stereotype, and the unanswered cruelty of the latter before we know who or what he is just grates.
And to cap that with one of the most trodden tropes of the last 30 years: she was dead all along and didn't know it? Squealing brakes.
The Yorick stand in, seen only in flashback and latter to be revealed as a serial killer of children feels like a subplot of a hundred pages the editors forced the author to cut; it goes nowhere and ultimately just vanishes. Same with the Detective Norway bit. (Please.) Makes it feel like she will be important, but she never is. Again, if you know Hamlet, you are led to believe "Norway" will matter a great deal eventually.
And the symbolism. This author's metaphors have metaphors each wrapped in a simile stuck inside a Hallmark card. A handful are thought provoking and poetic. Most just paint an already very purple peacock.
And the unconventional fonts and formatting just distracts.
The rest of the supporting characters are out of central casting, or the first tier above cardboard.
And the ending didn't make much sense, to be honest. What did Ben get from Lia? Why is Horatio epilogues as some writer of biographies, and how's that bring anything to a resolution? Odd.
In the end, it feel like this was a book that was in fact its own thing at first, until agent, editor, author, author's beta reader or green grocer or whoever said, "hey, try to make it a modern Hamlet!" And when that happened, the shoehorning began. Then to pull in other Shakespeare plays was just an odd gravy to make the meat go down easier.
More for fans of queer romance, and coffee table philosophy than those of character studies and Shakespeare adaptations.
But on the whole, I did expect, and hope to enjoy this more.
It's not possible to pretend one hasn't read Hamlet if one has. The comparisons, good, bad or indifferent are going to be there when you read this novel, even if you try to come at it stone cold.
That, in the end, is probably not a good thing, as I theorize The King of Infinite Space might have worked better as a stand alone, unrelated literary family drama. Even then, though, I suspect it would have been middle of the road for me. In fact, without the Hamlet framework, I don't think I'd have ever tried this. That might be the problem.
No, it's not intended to be an exact parallel. There are significant, (not to say wise or interesting) divergences from the source material in terms of plot and characters. Yet if we are not supposed to think of Hamlet when we read this, why all the Easter eggs and nods toward that classic play? (Some cute, some absolutely ham fisted.)
More than anything else, this is a gay love story narrative waiting to happen. It doesn't officially become so until far too late in the proceedings, but the Love Horatio has for Ben, (and the wait for if Ben ever felt the same) takes up most of the oxygen in the book.
Love, is maybe the wrong word. Obsession is more like it. Which is why I generally found the love story at the heart of this novel tedious much of the time. If Ben had farted loudly and wafted the stench in Horatio's direction, we'd spend a page hearing about how the act set both Horatio's heart and nose on fire, and spawn a three page memory of the last time he remembered Ben farting with such charm back at Colombia when they were all so young and gassy and wonderful.
And what has Ben done to deserve this throbbing lust and unworldly devotion? In real time, nothing; the romance flounders because the novel builds it forever on matchsticks. The love isn't earned. In the world of the book though? It's because Ben can spout off about quantum mechanics and Nietzsche for 30 minutes when asks what he wants for breakfast. EVERY SINGLE TIME.
This dabbles in neurodivergence as fetish. Though "Autistic" is not explicitly stated as far as I recall, that is what we are supposed to *wink* know Ben is. As an Autistic adult myself, I am not sure how I feel about the characterization. ASD manifests differently for each person, but this books leans pretty heavily into the Sheldon Cooper-Obnoxious stereotype of Autism. (I realize that character is not officially pronounced Autistic either, but again...)
Which is why the romance is DOA. Despite some microscopic sweet moments sparely sprinkled throughout, there is no depth of chemistry to these two. In the end, it felt to me like Ben "became" in love with Horatio because that is what he figured was the fairest thing to do. It's not the queer angle, it's the give-me-a-break angle that bugged me.
The other love of Ben's bisexual life is Lia, the Ophelia stand in. This novel has been hailed a feminist take on Hamlet, but I don't see why. Her whole subplot with the Sisters (borrowed from Macbeth) and Robin (borrowed, and changed into the Devil, from Midsummer Night's Dream) was a slog for me. The Cajun-French patois the former spoke dabbled in stereotype, and the unanswered cruelty of the latter before we know who or what he is just grates.
And to cap that with one of the most trodden tropes of the last 30 years: she was dead all along and didn't know it? Squealing brakes.
The Yorick stand in, seen only in flashback and latter to be revealed as a serial killer of children feels like a subplot of a hundred pages the editors forced the author to cut; it goes nowhere and ultimately just vanishes. Same with the Detective Norway bit. (Please.) Makes it feel like she will be important, but she never is. Again, if you know Hamlet, you are led to believe "Norway" will matter a great deal eventually.
And the symbolism. This author's metaphors have metaphors each wrapped in a simile stuck inside a Hallmark card. A handful are thought provoking and poetic. Most just paint an already very purple peacock.
And the unconventional fonts and formatting just distracts.
The rest of the supporting characters are out of central casting, or the first tier above cardboard.
And the ending didn't make much sense, to be honest. What did Ben get from Lia? Why is Horatio epilogues as some writer of biographies, and how's that bring anything to a resolution? Odd.
In the end, it feel like this was a book that was in fact its own thing at first, until agent, editor, author, author's beta reader or green grocer or whoever said, "hey, try to make it a modern Hamlet!" And when that happened, the shoehorning began. Then to pull in other Shakespeare plays was just an odd gravy to make the meat go down easier.
More for fans of queer romance, and coffee table philosophy than those of character studies and Shakespeare adaptations.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
dnf
September 14, 2023i tried so hard to get into this but it was hella boring
May 27, 2024
never thought i would bawl my eyes out over quantum mechanics and a strawberry scarf but here i am
March 28, 2021
UMMMMM a queer, feminist retelling of Hamlet set in modern day New York with some depictions of magical realism? SIGN ME DAFUK UP.
In my excitement, I forgot the biggest red flag going into this: inspired by HAMLET.
NOTHING GOOD EVER COMES OUT OF HAMLET.
YOU KNOW WHAT COMES OUT OF IT?
DEATH.
ALL THE DEATH.
I should have KNOWN better. I blatantly ignored the 'Hamlet-inspired' part in the hopes that this book would take a different turn lmaoooo - jokes on me.
Faye slayed this re-imaging of Hamlet from the characters to the writing style. She truly managed to maintain the essence of Hamlet - even in modern day time. The only reason I didn't rate it a full five stars was because I personally found Lia's chapters to be a bit isolated from the main storyline and not as engaging as Ben's and Horatio's. I found myself rushing through her segments and not really caring about The Sisters she was with. It just felt a little... too eccentric at times? Idk. I was also indifferent toward Robin's character.
Oh, and the pacing wasn't consistent. It very much changed depending on the POV you were reading and I'm still unsure as to whether or not I enjoyed that narrative decision from a writer's standpoint.
Lovers of story-retellings and Hamlet alike would get a kick out of this book! But again, it's HAMLET so you know there's death. Please have tissues nearby if you're a crier.
Thank you, NetGalley for providing me with an ebook version of this story. Yet another awesome read urging me forth to purchase the actual physical copy.
July 8, 2024
I’ve never liked Hamlet, and yet, I find that I really like retellings of the play. Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead made me laugh and sparked a love of metafiction. I adore the first season of Slings and Arrows. But none of these Hamlets has left me as emotionally devastated as Lindsay Faye’s The King of Infinite Space. This astonishingly beautifully and wittily written version of the story, which transplants the story to modern New York City, softens Hamlet’s pretensions by giving him a better sense of humor while keeping the intellectual depth and complicated relationships. Faye also does utterly brilliant things with minor characters from Hamlet and other plays that had me marveling at her originality. This is one of the best books I can remember reading. I loved every page...
Read the rest of my review at A Bookish Type. I received a free copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley, for review consideration.
Read the rest of my review at A Bookish Type. I received a free copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley, for review consideration.
February 12, 2022
Were you as pure as they say? Or did you ever want something so badly it was killing you, too?Skimmed after a good 2/3. Tries hard to be something, but flounders. I was excited to see some more male bi rep but it took ages for anything slightly meaningful to happen (and I'm sorry to the author if she's actually British but Horatio's dialogue is eerily close to that of characters 15 year olds writing fanfics while having a list of British slang open in another tab might have produced).
The 'cooky' stylistic elements probably wouldn't have bothered me as much if I had a physical copy (though I can't imagine spending money on this one).
For me personally, perfect display of a lot wrong with some of the books published at the moment. Pass.
Want to read
June 14, 2021"Modern retelling of Hamlet". I don't need anything else to press that "want to read" button.
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