I love Shakespeare (don’t give me a weird look). Most of all, out of all his plays, I love Romeo and Juliet. A lot of young people like me aren’t really interested in Shakespeare or his works, which has always saddened me as I have no friends to share in the joy of The Bard’s writings. This post is a Shakespeare themed post. Mainly I am reviewing Still Star-Crossed, which is based on Romeo and Juliet. It wasn’t written by Shakespeare and has nothing to do with the man himself except the fact that it continues his story in Verona. It features Romeo’s first love, Rosaline, and other characters from the original play. However, this post isn’t just that… You’ll see!
Title: Still Star-Crossed
Author: Melinda Taub
Age Group: Middle schoolers and up (I think adults especially would be into the story)
My Rating: 4/4 stars
Synopsis: “Despite the “glooming peace” that has settled on Verona following Romeo’s and Juliet’s tragic deaths, the ancient grudge between the Montagues and Capulets refuses to die: the two houses are brawling in the streets again within a fortnight. Faced anew with “hate’s proceedings,” Prince Escalus concludes that the only way to marry the fortunes of these two families is to literally marry a Montague to a Capulet. But the couple he selects is uninterested in matrimony, for the most eligible Montague bachelor is Benvolio, still anguished by the loss of his friends, and the chosen Capulet maid is Rosaline, whose rejection of Romeo paved the way for bloodshed. In contrast to their late cousins, there’s no love lost between these two, and so they find a common purpose: resolving the city’s strife in a way that doesn’t end with them at the altar. But like Romeo and Juliet before them, Rosaline, Benvolio, and the prince find that the path to peace is tortuous, and that in Verona, true love lies where it’s least expected. This fast-paced and insightful Shakespearean homage, filled with clandestine meetings, romantic encounters, and duels over family honor, will delight and captivate readers.”
As I mentioned, most characters were originally derived from Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet, but the plot is completely new and original. After reading the first part (there are five total) I thought I was done for since I already had a prediction for the entire story plot. Much to my relief, I was completely wrong and was surprised with the many twists and turns. I honestly cannot recommend this book enough. If you like Shakespeare and/or Romeo and Juliet, then you totally need to read this.
I also can’t wait for the TV version based on the book to premier on May 29th. I originally heard about it from one of my favorite actors, Torrance Coombs, who is playing Count Paris. When I realized it was based on a book, I knew I should read it before the show started.
Now, onto the other aspect of this post! Whether or not you know much about Shakespeare or not, you can still honor his legacy and learn more about him. There is a super fun Broadway show about him called Something Rotten. I really love the original songs and I think that they portray Shakespeare in a unique way.
Here is a link to the Music on Youtube and also a link to an explanation of the plot.
Thanks for reading! I hope you liked this Shakespearean post. Are any of you interested in more Shakespeare content? Let me know in the comments!
Mayah XO
Copyright 2017
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