Jeanette Winterson's "The Gap of Time" is a incredibly compelling retelling of Shakespeare's "A Winter's Tale."
King Leontes is brilliantly re imagined as Leo, a paranoid businessman, who runs the company "Sicilia" in modern day London. Leo has recently become consumed with the idea that his beautiful and talented wife is having an affair with his best friend, Xeno. Tragedy ensues, and the book picks up years later in "New Bohemia" in the South of the U.S.
"The Gap of Time" does a fantastic job updating Shakespeare's play to modern times. However, it's fitting that the novel's problems stem from the problems in Shakespeare's play. It can be difficult to reconcile the book's somewhat happy ending with the dark and gritty tones of the beginning. However, the book overcomes its tonal unevenness with the strength of its fascinating characters.
