In The Serpent of Venice by Christopher Moore, the story follows the irreverent antics of Pocket the jester as he navigates a mash-up of Shakespeare's The Merchant of Venice and Othello. Moore creatively twists classic literature, incorporating elements from Poe's The Cask of Amontillado, resulting in a humorous and bawdy tale set in medieval Venice. The plot moves rapidly, filled with bawdy jokes, historical context, and clever reimaginings of Shakespearean characters, all narrated from Pocket's witty and sarcastic point of view.
The book is praised for its creative and entertaining approach to blending multiple Shakespearean narratives, engaging writing style, and the way Moore skillfully weaves together elements from different literary works to create a new and captivating story. Readers appreciate the humor, clever wordplay, and the delightful escapism provided by the absurd and hilarious adventures of Pocket and his friends in this historical and literary mash-up.
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Sensitive Topics/Content Warnings
The book includes high content warnings due to vulgar language, sexual references, and crude humor.
Has Romance?
Romantic elements are present, particularly involving Pocket's motivations around love and loss.
From The Publisher:
New York Times bestselling author Christopher Moore channels William Shakespeare and Edgar Allan Poe in The Serpent of Venice, a satiric Venetian gothic that brings back the Pocket of Dog Snogging, the eponymous hero of Fool, along with his sidekick, Drool, and pet monkey, Jeff.
Venice, a long time ago. Three prominent Venetians await their most loathsome and foul dinner guest, the erstwhile envoy of Britain and France, and widower of the murdered Queen Cordelia: the rascal Fool Pocket.
This trio of cunning plotters-the merchant, Antonio; the senator, Montressor Brabantio; and the naval officer, Iago-have lured Pocket to a dark dungeon, promising an evening of spirits and debauchery with a rare Amontillado sherry and Brabantio's beautiful daughter, Portia.
But their invitation is, of course, bogus. The wine is drugged. The girl isn't even in the city limits. Desperate to rid themselves once and for all of the man who has consistently foiled their grand quest for power and wealth, they have lured him to his death. (How can such a small man, be such a huge obstacle?). But this Fool is no fool . . . and he's got more than a few tricks (and hand gestures) up his sleeve.
Ratings (10)
Incredible (1) | |
Loved It (5) | |
It Was OK (2) | |
Did Not Like (2) |
Reader Stats (17):
Read It (10) | |
Want To Read (6) | |
Not Interested (1) |
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The Serpent of Venice?
About the Author:
Christopher Moore is the author of the novels Secondhand Souls, Sacré Bleu, A Dirty Job, and Lamb. He lives in San Francisco, California.
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