The story of Hamlet, through the voice of the unfortunate prince as a fetus

? UNDER THE LAMPLIGHT-

The impossible-to-put-down Nutshell by Ian McEwan is a modern retelling of Shakespeare’s Hamlet, using the voice of the unlikely character — an unborn child. The fetus is the unfortunate prince, perceiving the world outside the womb through his mother’s interactions, whether vocal, gastronomical, and otherwise. The events of the sad tale unfold as he listens to her conversations with his father and uncle during the last few months before his birth. In a tone that is anything but infantile, the charming and intelligent Hamlet faces moments of existential crisis as he attempts to understand what he is and his confines, his introspection on the world that he is meant to spring forth into, and his bewilderment of the effect of wine on his mind.