The Tragedy of Arthur
by Arthur Phillips0 ratings0 reviews
'The Tragedy of Arthur' by Arthur Phillips unfolds as a captivating narrative entwined with familial devotion and literary deception. The protagonist, also named Arthur Phillips, is the son of a charismatic yet inscrutable father, a consummate con artist. Raised amid an aura of illusion shaped by his father's enigmatic nature and a shared passion for Shakespeare, Arthur aspires to earn the love and approval of his family through his writing. His life takes a bewildering turn when his father, on the brink of death after a lifetime of incarceration, bequeaths to his children a sensational secret—a supposedly undiscovered Shakespearean play, 'The Tragedy of Arthur'. Tasked with the monumental responsibility of publishing this literary relic, Arthur and his sister face a crucial dilemma: to herald the play as Shakespeare's final masterpiece or to reveal it as possibly the greatest swindle of their father's notorious career. Oscillating between biting humor and profound introspection, this masterful novel melds the narratives of two Arthurs across time: the novelist and the fabled king. The reader is led into the labyrinth of truth and fiction, as the novel beckons us to reflect on the art of storytelling, the quest for authenticity, and the timeless practice of literary myth-making.
- Literary
- Fiction
- Shakespeare
- Betrayal
- Family
- Con