Review: Bright Ruined Things

Bright Ruined Things

Written by: Samantha Cohoe

Wednesday Books

2022

A twist on Shakespeare’s The Tempest, Bright Ruined Things takes one night and turns into a fight for survival against magic and schemes.

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I didn’t know what to expect when I started Bright Ruined Things, but I was impressed by the end.

Storytelling

Sometimes, when people hear, “Oh, it’s a spin/retelling of Shakespeare,” they want nothing to do with the book. I’ve learned that saying that isn’t exactly a huge selling point. That’s partly because we imagine Shakespeare as stuffy literature and associate it with schoolwork.

So, it’s understandable.

It’s funny; for me, it’s the opposite. The Tempest was the first work of Shakespeare I read back in 7th grade. My mom bought me one of those books, classics for kids, and this was the story I gravitated towards.

It has been a while since I read Shakespearean The Tempest, so I read the sparks notes (more like skimmed) for a quick refresher.

I’m going to be honest, I think that’s what everyone should do. It made me love Bright Ruined Things even more because Cohoe did a fantastic job of taking the elements of The Tempest and spinning out her unique story.

We follow Mae, who wants nothing more than to be magic, to be able to hold the magic of the island that has been her home, and to carve out a place with the Prosper family.

But she soon discovers nothing is as it seems. Taking place in a single day, Mae discovers so much more than she bargained for, especially with spirits suddenly dying.

The story keeps the reader guessing, but we get to see Mae grow more than that. She goes from a meek “mouse,” as they call her, always eager to please, to a woman who stands up, fights, and puts people in their places.

I loved that about her, how her story unfolded, how she grew into herself and literally flipped the islands on its head. I love how she puts people in their places and finally stands up for herself! It was refreshing, and it made me grin just reading it.

Final Thoughts

Bright Ruined Things starts off slow, making Mae a bit of a stiff character. However, the plot develops in a way that keeps the reader on their toes and keeps them guessing while allowing for some fantastic character growth.

Cynthia Ayala

Cynthia Ayala-Bujnicki majored in Writing and Publishing from Emerson College. Editor-in-chief of Cyn's Workshop, she loves to read and write while tending to her pepper plants. She currently lives in South Florida with her husband, two kids Dante and Selene and two furbabies Mr. J the Kitten who Thinks He's Batman (yes, that is his full name) and Nyx.