Cast Off by novelist and playwright Margaret Egrot is an ingenious concept for a short story collection. The thirteen stories are all inspired by female characters from Shakespeare’s plays, offering new perspectives and twists on characters often overshadowed by their male counterparts.

Some of the stories are set with the world of the play themselves. These develop female characters who barely feature in the original work. One such example is the witch Sycorax, an offscreen presence in The Tempest, who Egrot brings to life in Ban! Ban! Caliban! by narrating her backstory.

Other stories depict a more prominent Shakespearian character, such as Othello’s Desdemona or Measure for Measure’s Isabella, yet offer their version of the events in the play.

Further range is found in A Midsummer’s Day’s Dream which is a contemporary story with four students in place of the traditional leads; The Tangled Knot presents Twelfth Night’s Olivia from the comical voice of the Clown; whilst Is Not This Well? features an actress criticising the Bard himself for his misogynistic treatment of Kate in The Taming of the Shrew.

As you can see, no two stories are the same, despite the intrinsic Shakespeare theme. The diversity of the collection is testament to Egrot’s vast talent and a guarantee that you will never get bored as you turn the pages.

Be assured, as Egrot writes in her foreword, there is no pressure to be familiar with Shakespeare’s work to enjoy these stories. However, any fans of the Bard will gain an extra kick of enjoyment from spotting direct quotes from Shakespeare’s work, hidden within the stories like a DVD Easter Egg.

Cast Off is proof that Shakespeare’s legacy is alive and well. Egrot reinvents the source material with a fresh feminist perspective and injects plenty of original ideas into her homage to Shakespeare’s overlooked heroines.

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The debut novel from author Natalie Morris is an entertaining read, perfect for young adult readers.

It follows the story of two friends, wannabe actress Emily and wannabe scientist Tyler, whose relationship is tested when Tyler accidentally achieves Emily's dream of stardom.

Star Crossed is an excellent, character-led novel. Morris presents the lead characters in great detail and the reader passes between each perspective as the novel unfolds, allowing us to intimately understand their hopes, fears and dilemmas. Morris cleverly makes us sympathise with both Emily and Tyler, so it is hard to pick a side, even when they are at odds.

The novel is ideal for young adult readers, as it follows the characters from school through to their late twenties. It also addresses themes that will resonate with teenagers, such as friendship, jealousy and fame. Tyler's experiences with stardom may even act as a warning to Gen Z readers who are desperately seeking fame themselves in this age of YouTube celebrity.

That said, older readers will also enjoy Star Crossed. I avidly turned the pages, invested in the challenges faced by the central friendship and keen to see their resolution. I particularly enjoyed the character James, who adds a third wheel to Emily and Tyler's relationship, bringing plenty of conflict and complexity to the story.

But rest assured, there are laughs along the way, whether it be Emily's melodramatic outbursts, Tyler's crafty agent, or the bickering, bantering exchanges between the two leads.

Star Crossed is an impressive debut. Morris looks set for stardom herself.

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