First published 2020
King Lear decides to split his kingdom among his three daughters based on their public declarations of love. Cordelia refuses to flatter him and receives nothing, while her scheming sisters Goneril and Regan claim everything with false words. Lear banishes Cordelia and soon discovers his mistake when Goneril and Regan strip him of his retinue, his shelter, and his dignity. Meanwhile, Edmund manipulates his father Gloucester into believing that Edgar, his legitimate son, plots against him. Edgar flees and disguises himself as Poor Tom, a mad beggar. Lear wanders the heath in a storm, his mind breaking under the weight of his errors. Violence consumes both families as children turn against parents and siblings destroy each other. Gloucester loses his eyes, Lear loses his sanity, and the kingdom bleeds. The play explores how families tear themselves apart through greed and cruelty while others struggle to provide support and comfort. Emotions reach extreme proportions as characters either harden their hearts or try to heal the suffering around them. This story returns repeatedly to old age in all its forms: vulnerable, proud, and sometimes wise.
Genres: drama, classic-literature, literary-fiction, historical-fiction, tragedy, family-drama
Vibes: dark, emotional, thought-provoking
Tropes: enemies-to-lovers, family-conflict, power-struggle
Setting: Heath
Period: Ancient
Mass Market Paperback · Simon Schuster
Content warnings: abuse, mental-illness, violence