In Juliet, Anne Fortier creates both a prequel and sequel to William Shakespeare’s classic play, Romeo and Juliet. The story proposes an original to Shakespeare’s tale, speaking of young fourteenth-century lovers facing impossible odds, and re-imagines the story’s close in the present day, giving a contemporary Juliet a chance to have a happier ending. Weaving deftly between the past and present, building both stories together, the novel is a fast-paced tale of love and literature that establishes Siena as a city that can serve as a simultaneous backdrop for medieval and modern adventure.
Though well-crafted, intriguing, and gripping, the story is hindered by its somewhat uninspiring lead character and by certain improbable circumstances that require some suspension of disbelief from the reader. It opens with the present-day Juliet mourning the death of her beloved aunt and finding out that she has been left an unexpected legacy: a family mystery left for her in the ancient city of Sienna, somehow connected to the centuries-old legend of Romeo and Juliet.
As a heroine, Julie isn’t much: she has spent most of her adult life drifting from place to place, directionless and purposeless, avoiding all responsibility and commitment and amassing tens of thousands of dollars in credit card debt while avoiding her twin sister at all costs. She takes up the challenge of traveling to Italy because, quite simply, she has no other options. The legacy does help much: arriving in show more Siena, she does not change her approach to living, and any progress she makes on the mystery of Romeo and Juliet is haphazard and occurs seemingly by chance. Her historical counterpart, the original Giulietta Tolomei, is a much more powerful character, but the reader already knows how that girl’s story goes, and so it is equally difficult to get attached to her.
The original plot of Romeo and Juliet relies on intrigue and disguise and the power of curses, and so these elements of Juliet are not too far-fetched for the reader, but are necessary elements of the story. However, there are a few too many perfect coincidences to be believable, and in blending the two narratives of past and present, Fortier seems to forget that time will take its toll on all things. Stonework will wear away, paintings will fade, records will be lost, and six-hundred-year-old silk will not survive exposure to air, let alone rough handling.
Despite these minor shortcomings, Juliet is an excellent first novel. It takes the reader through an intriguing time and place, building up suspense and romance while managing to find a fresh take on the Romeo and Juliet story. Recommended for those who love adventure, mystery, romance, Shakespeare adaptations, and historical treasure hunts. show less
Though well-crafted, intriguing, and gripping, the story is hindered by its somewhat uninspiring lead character and by certain improbable circumstances that require some suspension of disbelief from the reader. It opens with the present-day Juliet mourning the death of her beloved aunt and finding out that she has been left an unexpected legacy: a family mystery left for her in the ancient city of Sienna, somehow connected to the centuries-old legend of Romeo and Juliet.
As a heroine, Julie isn’t much: she has spent most of her adult life drifting from place to place, directionless and purposeless, avoiding all responsibility and commitment and amassing tens of thousands of dollars in credit card debt while avoiding her twin sister at all costs. She takes up the challenge of traveling to Italy because, quite simply, she has no other options. The legacy does help much: arriving in show more Siena, she does not change her approach to living, and any progress she makes on the mystery of Romeo and Juliet is haphazard and occurs seemingly by chance. Her historical counterpart, the original Giulietta Tolomei, is a much more powerful character, but the reader already knows how that girl’s story goes, and so it is equally difficult to get attached to her.
The original plot of Romeo and Juliet relies on intrigue and disguise and the power of curses, and so these elements of Juliet are not too far-fetched for the reader, but are necessary elements of the story. However, there are a few too many perfect coincidences to be believable, and in blending the two narratives of past and present, Fortier seems to forget that time will take its toll on all things. Stonework will wear away, paintings will fade, records will be lost, and six-hundred-year-old silk will not survive exposure to air, let alone rough handling.
Despite these minor shortcomings, Juliet is an excellent first novel. It takes the reader through an intriguing time and place, building up suspense and romance while managing to find a fresh take on the Romeo and Juliet story. Recommended for those who love adventure, mystery, romance, Shakespeare adaptations, and historical treasure hunts. show less
This review was written for LibraryThing Early Reviewers.