Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead
by Tom Stoppard

My rating: 4 / 5
Genre: Classic farce, play

I remember enjoying this when I read it in high school, assigned by our English teacher on the heels of reading, analyzing, and discussing Hamlet. I haven’t read Hamlet since then, but still enjoyed the re-read of this farcical play. A few times I wished I’d better remembered some of the details of what it is set around, but it didn’t detract from my reading too much.

These two bit characters who were sent to spy on Hamlet are now the focal point, while Hamlet, the king, queen, and others of that ilk merely intrude upon Rosencrantz & Guildenstern’s musings. The quick wit, back and forth, and the foreshadowing of the event that the very title lends knowledge to, make this a fun, snappy read. It’s also very meta from time to time, and doesn’t take itself too seriously. I’m sure some of it went over my head, and if I’d read Hamlet more recently, I may have gotten more out of it. But I am still glad I read it again and refreshed my memory of why I think of this book fondly.

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