Macbeth: William Shakespeare's Macbeth Retold: A Novel
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Macbeth: William Shakespeare's Macbeth Retold: A Novel Audible Audiobook – Unabridged

Euan Morton (Narrator), Jo Nesbø (Author), Random House Audio (Publisher)
3.5 3.5 out of 5 stars 4,563 ratings
Editors' pick Best Mystery, Thriller & Suspense
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A New York Times Notable Book of 2018

Shakespeare’s dark and tragic play retold in a heart-pounding New York Times best-selling thriller from the author of The Snowman and The Thirst.

Set in the 1970s in a run-down, rainy, industrial town, Jo Nesbo's Macbeth centers around a police force struggling to shed an incessant drug problem. Duncan, chief of police, is idealistic and visionary, a dream to the townspeople but a nightmare for criminals. The drug trade is ruled by two drug lords, one of whom - a master of manipulation named Hecate - has connections with the highest in power and plans to use them to get his way.

Hecate’s plot hinges on steadily, insidiously manipulating Inspector Macbeth: the head of SWAT and a man already susceptible to violent and paranoid tendencies. What follows is an unputdownable story of love and guilt, political ambition, and greed for more, exploring the darkest corners of human nature and the aspirations of the criminal mind.

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  1. Listening Length
    17 hours and 27 minutes
  2. Author
    Jo Nesbø
  3. Narrator
    Euan Morton
  4. Audible release date
    April 10, 2018
  5. Language
    English
  6. Publisher
    Random House Audio
  7. ASIN
    B075GZQD74
  8. Version
    Unabridged
  9. Program Type
    Audiobook
  10. See all details
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Product details

Listening Length 17 hours and 27 minutes
Author Jo Nesbø
Narrator Euan Morton
Whispersync for Voice Ready
Audible.com Release Date April 10, 2018
Publisher Random House Audio
Program Type Audiobook
Version Unabridged
Language English
ASIN B075GZQD74
Best Sellers Rank #125,534 in Audible Books & Originals (See Top 100 in Audible Books & Originals)
#2,712 in Psychological Thrillers (Audible Books & Originals)
#2,928 in Crime Thrillers (Audible Books & Originals)
#4,600 in Literary Fiction (Audible Books & Originals)

Customer reviews

3.5 out of 5 stars
3.5 out of 5
4,563 global ratings

Top reviews from the United States

Amazon Customer
5.0 out of 5 stars Not Perfect, But Great
Reviewed in the United States on December 1, 2019
Verified Purchase
I have a few minor bones to pick, but mostly this book is a delight. Jo Nesbo is a fine writer, and I believe he's worthy of being included among the best of his generation.
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Ambrose Rankin
4.0 out of 5 stars Clever Adaptation
Reviewed in the United States on June 23, 2018
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Exceptionally clever adaptation of Macbeth in 1970s Glasgow. All the characters are here - reimagined but essentially the same, and the plot moves through the same familiar story line to the inevitable end. Four stars not five because I thought in the end that the story was just too farfetched - it is not hard to imagine warlords assassinating each other for power - but a 1970s police detective killing his superiors for promotion?
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MsP
3.0 out of 5 stars flawed but compelling interpretation of Shakespeare's story
Reviewed in the United States on September 8, 2018
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Like many other readers, I struggled a bit with the density of darkness in this adaptation of Shakespeare's Macbeth play. But, I think the author stayed true to the concepts introduced in the original and did well at expanding upon the depth of corruption in that story -- on the other hand, that same expansion makes for very difficult reading because there really are no redeemable characters in this new version (at least McDuff was pretty much a 'good guy' in the original, but here, even he's tainted) -- It was a good effort, and you cannot deny Nesbo's talent, that's for sure -- but it's a dark and cruel slog through politics, police, criminals, family and love. All of which are worthy elements and certainly included in Shakespeare's meditation on that sort of complex machinery -- it's just a bit over wrought perhaps. Still readable and worthy, if you are into the Hogarth Shakespeare Series -- I'm glad he undertook it!
4 people found this helpful
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H. Karaca Kestelli
2.0 out of 5 stars Not your typical Nesbo
Reviewed in the United States on July 15, 2018
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I am an enthusiastic Nesbo fan. Having read all of his Harry Hole books, recent The Son and also Headhunters, I was ready to read... no scratch that, I was ready to savor this new book of his. Unfortunately the fairy tale ends here. I started the book. I tried to first love it. It didn't happen. So I tried to like. Failed miserably again. This time I settled to merely finish the book. Alas, I did it. But no positive feeling came after.

The story takes place in an undetermined gloomy city, in an undetermined time. Characters are not deep, not likable, not reasonable. They were fictitious without a sense of reality. Also the plot was not realistic.

The rise of the bad guy from a relatively likable policeman to corrupt police/politician almost happens overnight. Somehow all the town is in love with this new dude. He can do no wrong. He can make raids, kill people and explain all with a few sentences. That is until on of his old friends suspects of him...

Page after page, I was in agony reading this superfluous story by Nesbo.
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Barry I.
1.0 out of 5 stars Bungled concept, wooden characterization, disastrous translation
Reviewed in the United States on June 6, 2018
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This book is an absolute disaster. I'm reluctant to write a damning review but the hardcover is nearly $20 on Amazon, so beware. There is layer upon layer of misjudgment here, involving, but certainly not limited to, a horribly cloth-eared, unidiomatic English translation which only highlights the novel's complete dislocation from its own setting. Nesbo's "Macbeth", like Shakespeare's, is set in Scotland but I very much doubt that the author has been there or done any research on the location, its social world or the criminal and law-enforcement cultures that exist within the -- utterly implausible -- docklands town in which the action is set. By far the most charitable assumption here is that Nesbo is attempting to create a kind of timeless dystopia but he does not deserve the benefit of the doubt. The awkward dialogue, inert characters, graceless genre affect and misconceived use of location are all exacerbated by the clumsiest translation of a novel I have ever struggled through. This is lazy and mediocre.
Avoid at all costs.
48 people found this helpful
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Claude
5.0 out of 5 stars Brilliant!
Reviewed in the United States on June 22, 2018
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Jo Nesbø is the master of North European noir mystery novels. He conjures up the harsh climate with its occasional luminous crystal days, the sounds and the smells of the cities in a poetically evocative way. His adaptation/commentary of Macbeth is a brilliant tour de force. It stands on its own, fascinating and compelling. One does not have to be a Shakespearian scholar (and I certainly am not) to enjoy this book. That being said, Jo Nesbø ties all the threads so clearly and beautifully that he neglects the two clichés, “show don’t tell” and “less is more”. Shakespeare showed it all in less than 2,500 lines, but Nesbø is only a master, Shakespeare was a genius. A fabulous read.
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emmerwood
4.0 out of 5 stars Not the Macbeth You Know in High School
Reviewed in the United States on February 26, 2019
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Any retelling of a classic piece of literature will always suffer in comparison to the original, particularly if the original is a genuine great classic as is Macbeth. Such is this case with Jo Nesbo's Macbeth. You as the reader will need to put aside any preconceptions about this story, for Nesbo is not trying to emulate the Bard nor out duel him.

I've read all of Jo Nesbo's adult works and suspected going into Macbeth what kind of aura and personal hell I was going to find in the characterization of the hero. Admittedly, some of the story telling wears leaden boots but who knows if that's due to the translation or the low points of this roller coaster ride. Macbeth is not Harry Hole but suffers against his own personal demons in his downward spiral to the cover-your-eyes ending.

No this is not Nesbo's best work, but his worst still stands far and away better than a lot of what passes for popular literature polluting the NYT and other best seller lists.
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M. Emrich
3.0 out of 5 stars American-English translation, please!
Reviewed in the United States on April 15, 2018
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I will revise this review once I've fully finished the book. It was really hard for me to get going on this novel, for two reasons. First, the thing reads like a screenplay, like Nesbo wrote it while imagining how it'd look on film: lots of scene-setting and little dialog. Second, the translation has been done in British English. I'm not sure why this throws me off but it's like trying to read a Jack Reacher novel with the voice of James Bond in my head; it just doesn't fit. I'm guessing the majority of Nesbo's foreign readers (those who read it in English, anyway) are Americans; it just stands to reason, since we have such a large population. Also, Nesbo has referenced many American stories and characters in his Harry Hole novels; surely he's trying to appeal to an American audience?
Just my two cents.
3 people found this helpful
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Top reviews from other countries

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Brian
5.0 out of 5 stars Typical Jo Nesbo excellence!
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on April 7, 2024
Verified Purchase
Having read all his previous novels, picked this hardback up at a bargain price in really good condition. Am looking forward to reading it. Postage was okay and arrived well packaged and within a couple of days! Really pleased.
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Chardin Audrey
5.0 out of 5 stars Bonne lecture
Reviewed in France on November 12, 2022
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Pas déçu
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Cliente Amazon
5.0 out of 5 stars Muy bueno
Reviewed in Spain on December 12, 2021
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El producto llegó a tiempo y en perfecto estado.
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Running for Fun
5.0 out of 5 stars Jo Nesbo and a classic
Reviewed in Canada on November 30, 2018
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Such an enjoyable and interesting read. The Bard would be proud! Nesbo can do no wrong. I can hardly wait for the next...
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Chandu
5.0 out of 5 stars Jo Nesbo at his best
Reviewed in India on June 17, 2018
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This is Jo Nesbo’s best book to date... or is is Shakespeare’s? It’s simply terrific and a page turner. We’ve heard the story before and the book brings it all back in another context. Long live the bard.
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