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Content snapshot
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Violence
Some
Some violence in the Shakespearean tragedy register; people die in keeping with Lear
Language
A lot
Strong bawdy language throughout; Moore commits fully to the period profanity
Sexual Content
A lot
Explicit sexual content and bawdy humor throughout; the Fool's perspective is unabashedly sexual
Substance Use
Some
Period-appropriate drinking and debauchery
Emotional Intensity
Barely any
Low psychological intensity despite the Lear plot; Moore's comedy prevents the tragedy from crushing you
What this book is about
Christopher Moore's retelling of King Lear from the perspective of Pocket, the royal Fool, is one of his funniest and most accomplished novels. The language is anachronistically modern, the jokes are relentlessly bawdy, and the plot follows Shakespeare's original with devastating fidelity — which means it ends in tragedy even when you're laughing. The sexual humor is frequent and explicit by Moore's standards, and the novel comes with a warning on its cover. For adults who enjoy Shakespearean tragicomedy filtered through Moore's irreverence.
Notes for sensitive readers
Reader-flagged moments and themes that may affect your experience.
Explicit bawdy humor and sexual content throughout
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