Em X. Liu’s The Death I Gave Him is an interesting beast. Mostly, it’s an exceedingly clever and faithful retelling of Shakespeare’s Hamlet. Put simply, if you’re at all familiar with Hamlet, then you’ve got a pretty good idea of what’s going on here. Liu takes the guts of that familiar story and works into something that’s both original and familiar.

Transforming the story into a sci-fi locked-room mystery of sorts adds an extra layer of tension, even if you immediately know who did it. That lack of suspense doesn’t really matter as Liu adds enough other intrigue through all of the added sci-fi elements. The Death I Gave Him is less of a whodunnit and more of a whydunnit and what-is-going-to-be-done-about-it. There’s an overwhelming sense of inevitability to the story, too. One that comes from being familiar with the source material, to be sure. But one that also comes from this dark, overpowering sense of melancholy that permeates the entire story. Don’t come for the mystery, but do stick around for the character-driven revenge.

The Death I Gave Him is an absolutely thrilling read for the vast majority of its page count. It’s less of a murder mystery and more of a character-driven tale of revenge. Jumping back and forth between the perspectives of Elsinore Labs’ AI, Horatio, Hayden (the Hamlet character), and Felicia (the Ophelia character), Liu breathes life into characters that didn’t really get a chance to shine in the original text. And that’s by far this book’s greatest aspect – especially when it comes to Felicia/Ophelia. It’s nice seeing her given a much larger role in the story, full of agency and decision. In many ways, she’s a co-protagonist alongside Hayden/Hamlet. The same can be said for Horatio, who feels alive in such a unique way here. And it’s Horatio, perhaps, who you sympathize with the most.

But these tweaks and changes are also kind of where the book stumbles. Up until its climax, The Death I Gave Him sticks pretty closely to its source material. But then somewhere around the climax, it takes a hard left into uncharted territory. And I’m just not sure it works. Narratively, it makes sense. But it also feels a bit too easy on the characters. It’s tragic, but not in the same way. To get into any real specifics would be far too spoilery for a review, but I’m conflicted. It’s not that the book needed to be a slave to its source material, it’s just that I’m not sure where it ultimately goes works anywhere near as well as the climax the rest of the book initially appeared to be setting up.

Still, The Death I Gave Him is a Shakespearean adaptation unlike many others. Startlingly original, daringly bold, and wholly engrossing. Sure, the ending may prove a bit controversial. And the book doesn’t always nail all of its ideas. But when it works, it works oh-so-well. And the vast majority of the book is just so delightfully clever, filled with twists and turns and plenty of callbacks. It’s a heavy read, to be sure. One dripping in darkness and melancholy. But it’s also a thrilling, emotional, and haunting read. Something you’re unlikely to forget quickly. 

3.5 out of 5 wands

The Death I Gave Him is available now in hardcover, ebook, and audiobook formats.

Disclaimer: A review copy was provided by the publisher and Edelweiss. All thoughts are my own.