Scan barcode
maggies's review against another edition
emotional
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
I've always loved the idea of revisiting classic literature to examine whether things could've ended differently, and this was so well executed. It manages to be faithful to the original text, pulling direct quotes and recreating scenes, while also changing the story without changing the meaning of it all. I would highly recommend this as a companion to Romeo and Juliet because it really drives home fact that R+J is not a love story. If I had read this in high school alongside the play, I imagine I'd have felt very differently about Romeo!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Toxic relationship
Moderate: Sexual assault and Pedophilia
Minor: Violence, Miscarriage, Blood, and Pregnancy
Rosaline spends a lot of time ruminating on being "spoiled" and "unclean"magicsarah's review against another edition
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Gore, Grief, Murder, Blood, Death of parent, and Toxic relationship
Moderate: Pregnancy, Cursing, Child death, Gaslighting, Emotional abuse, Pedophilia, and Pandemic/Epidemic
ettegoom's review against another edition
challenging
dark
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
This retelling of Romeo and Juliet brings the story into a completely new light - one that is substantially more disturbing than the modern interpretation would suggest. It does make me wonder whether reading the play again might bring things to light that are easily glossed over in a time where concepts about informed consent are somewhat less valued than they should be.
I think I like this interpretation, although, as someone who loves the ballet, and always wanted to play Juliet, it also makes me wonder whether there is potential for this more subversive interpretation in the original.
I liked that Rosaline has a voice in this version, although the amount of agency that she acquires seems somewhat inconsistent with her status and state within the story - and the interpretation that she brings to her own, and Juliet's parents is interesting, although it could have been more nuanced.
The depictions of emotional abuse, manipulation & sexual coersion of immature young women/girls is disturbingly accurate, as is the way that it can be difficult to 'talk sense' into someone caught up in this type of toxic relationship.
An interesting and worthwhile interpretation of a story which may have been more akin to the original intentation than modern interpretations might suggest? It makes me wonder for sure.
I think I like this interpretation, although, as someone who loves the ballet, and always wanted to play Juliet, it also makes me wonder whether there is potential for this more subversive interpretation in the original.
I liked that Rosaline has a voice in this version, although the amount of agency that she acquires seems somewhat inconsistent with her status and state within the story - and the interpretation that she brings to her own, and Juliet's parents is interesting, although it could have been more nuanced.
The depictions of emotional abuse, manipulation & sexual coersion of immature young women/girls is disturbingly accurate, as is the way that it can be difficult to 'talk sense' into someone caught up in this type of toxic relationship.
An interesting and worthwhile interpretation of a story which may have been more akin to the original intentation than modern interpretations might suggest? It makes me wonder for sure.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Stalking, Misogyny, Death, Blood, Pedophilia, Forced institutionalization, Violence, Classism, Death of parent, Grief, Emotional abuse, Adult/minor relationship, and Toxic relationship
Moderate: Murder, Gaslighting, Suicidal thoughts, Incest, Miscarriage, Pregnancy, Sexual violence, Sexual content, and Trafficking
battyaboutbooks's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
inspiring
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
🦇 Fair Rosaline by Natasha Solomons Book Review 🦇
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐
❝ "Our meeting was like lightning, so bright and sudden that the whole world was lit. But then lighting also in an instant vanishes." ❞
❓ #QOTD What story would you want to read from a female's perspective? ❓
🦇 How much of Romeo and Juliet's story was told through the eyes of men? In Rosaline's version, he's just as quick to fall in love with her. After losing her mother, Rosaline is promised not to a husband, but to a convent. She only has days to make the most of her free life. Romeo's candied words and poetic promises of a better future draw her in like a bee to pollen, but once he's ruined her and delayed their wedding, she realizes his behavior is predatory, poison. When Rosaline casts him aside, Romeo sets his pursuits on young Juliet. Can Rosaline save her fair cousin in time, or are they both ruined?
💜 Natasha Solomons' feminist untelling is a stunning, empowering, chilling accomplishment. She manages to weave a story both familiar and unwritten. In the original Romeo and Juliet, we're only told of Rosaline through the gaze of men. She's made to be a joke. Solomons' Rosaline (a lively, spirited fusion of Shakespeare's other Rosalines) refuses to be an offhand mention in someone else's story. Her version is so real and raw that, if the story were true, we'd all be inclined believe it (especially in this post-Me Too movement world).
💜 There's a dark subtext in Rosaline's version, though. If you're familiar with Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet, Juliet's age (not yet 14) is mentioned multiple times, whereas Romeo's is not mentioned once. We imagine them as young, star-crossed lovers, but what if Romeo was 20, 30? In this version, Romeo has a history of preying on young women, ruining them, and casting them aside, only for other men to take advantage of what remains. Despite the modern subtext, Solomons does a fantastic job of maintaining Shakespeare's lyrical prose in a way that's still easy to read. The smallest details breathe the city of Verona to life, making it vivid and engaging. The metaphor of Rosaline becoming physically dirty on the outside after Romeo sullied her from within was gut-wrenching.
🦇 As well-written as this untelling is, there's a constant melancholy to the entire story as Rosaline grieves for her mother. That melancholy makes it easy for us to understand why Rosaline is so enthralled by Romeo; he becomes her escape. However, it also becomes a weight. It's also difficult to fall for Romeo the way Rosaline does. There are INSTANT red flags the moment they cross paths, and they become more obvious with every interaction. It almost takes too long for Rosaline to realize his honied words are poison. The reveal that the Friar is using Romeo to his advantage--and to the advantage of most men in Verona--felt a bit too much as well. However, Solomons excels at remaining true to the original story while posing it from a fresh lens.
🦇 Recommended to anyone who loves a good retelling. This story is empowering, thought-provoking, and a reminder that most of history was told through the lenses of men.
✨ The Vibes ✨
🌹 Speakspeare Retelling
🌹 Lyrical Prose
🌹 Feminist Revision
🌹 Not a Love Story
🌹 Vivid and Descriptive
🦇 Major thanks to the author @natashasolomonsauthor and publisher @sourcebooks / @bookmarked for providing an ARC of this book via Netgalley. 🥰 This does not affect my opinion regarding the book. #FairRosaline #Sourcebooks #SourcebooksLandmark
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐
❝ "Our meeting was like lightning, so bright and sudden that the whole world was lit. But then lighting also in an instant vanishes." ❞
❓ #QOTD What story would you want to read from a female's perspective? ❓
🦇 How much of Romeo and Juliet's story was told through the eyes of men? In Rosaline's version, he's just as quick to fall in love with her. After losing her mother, Rosaline is promised not to a husband, but to a convent. She only has days to make the most of her free life. Romeo's candied words and poetic promises of a better future draw her in like a bee to pollen, but once he's ruined her and delayed their wedding, she realizes his behavior is predatory, poison. When Rosaline casts him aside, Romeo sets his pursuits on young Juliet. Can Rosaline save her fair cousin in time, or are they both ruined?
💜 Natasha Solomons' feminist untelling is a stunning, empowering, chilling accomplishment. She manages to weave a story both familiar and unwritten. In the original Romeo and Juliet, we're only told of Rosaline through the gaze of men. She's made to be a joke. Solomons' Rosaline (a lively, spirited fusion of Shakespeare's other Rosalines) refuses to be an offhand mention in someone else's story. Her version is so real and raw that, if the story were true, we'd all be inclined believe it (especially in this post-Me Too movement world).
💜 There's a dark subtext in Rosaline's version, though. If you're familiar with Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet, Juliet's age (not yet 14) is mentioned multiple times, whereas Romeo's is not mentioned once. We imagine them as young, star-crossed lovers, but what if Romeo was 20, 30? In this version, Romeo has a history of preying on young women, ruining them, and casting them aside, only for other men to take advantage of what remains. Despite the modern subtext, Solomons does a fantastic job of maintaining Shakespeare's lyrical prose in a way that's still easy to read. The smallest details breathe the city of Verona to life, making it vivid and engaging. The metaphor of Rosaline becoming physically dirty on the outside after Romeo sullied her from within was gut-wrenching.
🦇 As well-written as this untelling is, there's a constant melancholy to the entire story as Rosaline grieves for her mother. That melancholy makes it easy for us to understand why Rosaline is so enthralled by Romeo; he becomes her escape. However, it also becomes a weight. It's also difficult to fall for Romeo the way Rosaline does. There are INSTANT red flags the moment they cross paths, and they become more obvious with every interaction. It almost takes too long for Rosaline to realize his honied words are poison. The reveal that the Friar is using Romeo to his advantage--and to the advantage of most men in Verona--felt a bit too much as well. However, Solomons excels at remaining true to the original story while posing it from a fresh lens.
🦇 Recommended to anyone who loves a good retelling. This story is empowering, thought-provoking, and a reminder that most of history was told through the lenses of men.
✨ The Vibes ✨
🌹 Speakspeare Retelling
🌹 Lyrical Prose
🌹 Feminist Revision
🌹 Not a Love Story
🌹 Vivid and Descriptive
🦇 Major thanks to the author @natashasolomonsauthor and publisher @sourcebooks / @bookmarked for providing an ARC of this book via Netgalley. 🥰 This does not affect my opinion regarding the book. #FairRosaline #Sourcebooks #SourcebooksLandmark
Content Warnings
Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Sexism, Sexual content, Child death, Religious bigotry, Death of parent, Pregnancy, Grief, Death, Infidelity, and Violence
pagesbycaroline's review against another edition
dark
emotional
inspiring
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Such a captivating story! I found this ARC at my local library and was so excited to read it before its release date! I love the spin on this classic story and the honest look at the romance between Juliet and Romeo. It was so refreshing to read a story that paints it not as a dream, but a nightmare in disguise. Rosaline is strong and independent, but she makes the same mistakes many girls fall into at one time or another. The feminist perspective was a bit much, specifically for the time period the story takes place, but it was muted enough not to be a distraction to the plot or character development.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Violence, Emotional abuse, Gore, Death of parent, Adult/minor relationship, Gaslighting, Pandemic/Epidemic, Injury/Injury detail, Blood, Death, and Pedophilia
Minor: Sexual content, Miscarriage, Infidelity, Pregnancy, Rape, and Sexual assault
radagast_the_brown's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
interesting re-telling of the classic romeo & juliet story with far more references to actual italy, and revolves around the likely age gap and possible power dynamic between romeo and juliet, as well as his love right before juliet - her cousin rosaline. i found rosaline to be an interesting protagonist: i enjoyed that she was never written as a "not-like-the-other-girls" type of character for not wanting to be married or join a nunnery and instead read books and cavort outdoors and find adventure. she felt well-rounded, had people she cared about, and a complicated relationship with her family. i almost would like to have read this prior to reading romeo & juliet for the first time, just to see the play in a new light. you could certainly read this without having read the play, but the way that natasha solomons integrates shakespearian dialogue into readable modern prose is astonishingly easy to read and made me appreciate the original play more tbh
many thanks to SOURCEBOOKS Landmark and netgalley for the advanced reader copy.
many thanks to SOURCEBOOKS Landmark and netgalley for the advanced reader copy.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Incest, Murder, Pregnancy, Emotional abuse, Adult/minor relationship, Death, Gaslighting, Toxic relationship, and Violence
Minor: Blood
More...