Killing Shakespeare

Three teens from Scarborough, Ontario, get the chance to time travel when they are given a device by a time-traveler at the party mentioned in the excerpt above. All three agree that going back to Shakespeare’s era would appeal to them, although each has a different reason for this choice. The device works, more or less, and the trio find themselves in Elizabethan England in 1592. They lose the device and so are trapped in this environment without any idea when or even if they will return to the present day.

Each teen pursues something which fits in with their personality, and, although they all make different choices, they also manage to keep in touch. Isabel, a fan of literature and the arts, ends up working for and with William Shakespeare as he is writing what will become A Midsummer Night’s Dream. Suresh’s interest lies in the field of science, and he stays at the home of Dr. John Dee – alchemist, astronomer to Elizabeth I, and the first person to coin the phrase “The British Empire”. Lastly, there is Nathan, the football star and athlete who is physical and tough and often confrontational. His path takes him to meet the likes of William Raleigh, statesman, soldier and colonizer of North America, and Francis Drake, world explorer and pirate extraordinaire.

Author Koom Kankesan has done his research well as readers meet real-life historical figures who come alive on the pages of the novel. Readers also have a first-hand seat for events involving the Spanish Armada, the River Thames, the city of London and the infamous Tower. Readers see the harsh side of life both on a personal level of having food, clothing and shelter, as well as on the societal level of battles and spies, tortures and hangings. Kankesan’s attention to detail makes the sights, sounds and smells of Elizabethan England a reality for his readers.

Killing Shakespeare has an entertaining and exciting plot whose action picks up as the book goes along. Readers see each of the three teens in their own environment but also can see the interactions within this friendship triangle as their relationships become more and more complicated. Kankesan also touches on important themes within this time travel adventure. Suresh, of Tamil background, focuses on the ideas of colonization and racism and the beginnings of what will become known as the British Empire. Many of Isabel’s comments reflect the lives of women at the time, whether ordinary wives and mothers like Jane Dee, nobility like the Queen and her courtiers, or the female characters portrayed in Shakespeare’s plays.

Other questions posed by the author include what importance literature has in our day-to-day lives. While the book focuses on Shakespeare, Isabel is quick to mention many other authors and their lasting influence on readers and on the English language. And finally, within the discussion questions at the end of the book, there is a philosophical question which asks about the nature of time itself. Does it actually exist or is it purely some sort of psychological phenomenon?

Killing Shakespeare has something for everyone. On the surface, it will appeal to those who like historical fiction, those who enjoy literature and Shakespeare, readers whose favourite genre is science-fiction/time travel and those who are attracted by the drama of human relationships. On a deeper level, the book presents a variety of questions which have no simple answers but are certainly well worth discussing.