Vinegar Girl by Anne Tyler

★★★★★
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Pulitzer Prize winner and American master Anne Tyler brings us an inspired, witty and irresistible contemporary take on one of Shakespeare’s most beloved comedies.

Kate Battista feels stuck. How did she end up running house and home for her eccentric scientist father and uppity, pretty younger sister Bunny? Plus, she’s always in trouble at work – her pre-school charges adore her, but their parents don’t always appreciate her unusual opinions and forthright manner. 

Dr. Battista has other problems. After years out in the academic wilderness, he is on the verge of a breakthrough. His research could help millions. There’s only one problem: his brilliant young lab assistant, Pyotr, is about to be deported. And without Pyotr, all would be lost.

When Dr. Battista cooks up an outrageous plan that will enable Pyotr to stay in the country, he’s relying – as usual – on Kate to help him. Kate is furious: this time he’s really asking too much. But will she be able to resist the two men’s touchingly ludicrous campaign to bring her around?

Anne Tyler’s retelling of “The Taming of the Shrew,” Vinegar Girl, is definitely my favorite book of the Hogarth Shakespeare series so far. Witty and humorous, it transports the Shakespearean comedy into the modern age through an enjoyable tale and quirky characters. I had a lot of fun reading the story between Kate and Pyotr - it made me laugh and smile - and I highly recommend it to Shakespeare fans looking for an entertaining and quick contemporary read.

Thanks to Blogging for Books, I received a copy of Vinegar Girl and the opportunity to provide an honest review. I was not required to write a positive review, and all the opinions I have expressed are my own.