University of Minnesota Press, 2020 Paperback: 16.95
Reviewed by Hannah Anderson
Undiscovered Country is a modern re-telling of Hamlet, set in the North Woods of Minnesota. Much of the familiar conventions of the Shakespeare play are present – ghosts, alliances, deception, and betrayal. If you are very, or only vaguely, familiar with Hamlet, this is an enjoyable jaunt. It does not overly concern itself with following Hamlet’s plot points beat for beat, but instead captures the essence of Hamlet. Jesse, its main character, speaks directly to the reader in this book, as Hamlet does in Shakespeare’s play. And, like we are in the case of Hamlet, we are privy to his descent into madness and his journey of exacting revenge against his uncle. While the story is familiar, there are twists and turns and an unexpectedness to the novel that make it a compelling read. It is both familiar and unexpected.
The novel opens on a cold November afternoon when, while hunting together, Jesse finds his father shot dead of a rifle wound. It is ruled as a suicide, but Jesse is certain this is not true. Haunted by his father’s ghost, and the secrets behind it which complicate his relationship with his uncle and Father’s brother, as well as his own mother. While wrestling with these secrets, he struggles to keep his family, himself, and friend Christine together and sane. It is a bitter-sweet tale, which shows what great tragedy can do to the mind of a teenager.
Using Hamlet as a source text is less so a gimmick (though, the book does winkingly refer to it) of this novel, but rather the themes of Hamlet are used to richly explore themes of family, of love, of loyalty. Fans of suspense novels, of mystery, and perhaps even of the TV show Fargo will enjoy the suspense, surprise, the unexpected heart of the novel, as well as apt depiction of Minnesotan culture.