Rating:
3 Stars
Themes:
Retelling, Historical Fiction, Romance
Thoughts:
I have to say this was an interesting take on the Rosaline character we don’t get the chance to know in Shakespeare play. I understand some people have problems with it this book differing a lot from the traditional play but it is advertised under the banner of a retelling so it is to be expected that things would be different with Solomons giving her twist to the tale. I actually really enjoyed her take on Romeo with his behaviours being more inline with how I felt his character was reading Shakespeare. It could be because I had already had real life experiences with that kind of person but his quickly changing infatuation and silver tongue never sat right with me anyway and Solomons shows Romeo show many characteristics we should watch out for in our own relationships. I really liked the spirit and character of Rosaline too, her being strong willed and also strong of mind despite falling for Romeo for a time she still didn’t let him fully break her spirit which led to a great ending and a much more preferential one to the original in my opinion. The author's note was really helpful as it showed us more of Solomons’ thought process in writing the characters as she did and left me feeling quite vindicated. I also really liked the addition of Shakespeare’s Verona map at the beginning as not knowing much of 14th century history. it allowed me to have a better understanding of the distance they were travelling and how close everyone was.
Favourite Quote:
“She was unused to love, and jealousy and doubt were as novel to her as its passions. All she knew of courting was from books and poems and music and she understood from those that love was full of torment, and she must expect it. Still, she wanted love's roses, not its thorns.”
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