The Critical Librarian

Hamlet as you have never imagined before, The King of Infinite Space by Lyndsay Faye is a modern retelling of Shakephere’s classic with a plethora of modern twists and turns. Centered around three lovers and friends: Ben, Lia, and Horatio as they confront their changing relationships, addictions, and illnesses all the while working to solve the mystery sounding the death of Ben’s father.

The King of Infinite Space, is like no other Shakephere reboot that you have read or watched before. All of Faye’s characters are so rich and dynamic with mysterious backstories, it leaves the reader yearning to keep turning the page. Each chapter of Faye’s work is so uniquely formatted that I provides a dynamic view into the mental state and development of the star cast. Each chapter centers around a singular characters plot line and hints about their future plot collisions.

Faye’s writing style is engaging and dynamic. Each chapter is uniquely written to allow the reader to become better acquainted with each of the characters mental state, conflicts, and plot lines. Every reference to Hamlet is a pleasant little tidbit to be enjoyed by any Shakespeare fan ( previous reading of Shakespeare is not a requirement for enjoying Faye’s work). The King of Infinite Space keeps even the most well read Shakespeare fan on their toes and repeating, “just one more chapter…”

Mary Roach’s most recent book, Fuzz: When Nature Breaks the Law describes the ever tenuous relationship between man and nature. Roach draws uses man created laws and ordinances to create a better understanding of our relationship with the wild animals we may encounter in our every day lives, (like breaking and entering bears, theiving sea gulls, or jaywalking deer).

Each chapter Roach journey’s with a biologist, conservationist, or activist to take the reader on a journey to different animal “crime scenes” across the globe to learn how animals are responding to our presence and influence. From bears taking advantage of unlocked trash cans to birds bringing down aircraft mid-flight, Roach breaks down each alleged, “crime,” as a failure on humanities part to create a co-existing enviroment.

I found Roach’s conversational writing style to be an interesting and accessible approach to what is typically a very tedious and overly academic topic. Fuzz: When Nature Breaks the Law, doesn’t provide a significant amount of data or scientific jargon but presents an engaging narrative for its audience. While I would have preferred a stronger stance on conservation and accountability, Roach weaves a relatable story for an audience who may not have considered how simple changes in their habits can preserve and improve the quality of life of wild life across the globe.