jesikasbookshelf's review
dark
emotional
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
This is a fantastic retelling of Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet - and a fantastic audio production from Audible.
I got pulled into this story so thoroughly - how in the world it managed to shock and appall me when technically I knew where this had to be going is beyond me.
The story plays on the nature of theatre whilst highlighting serious societal issues of homophobia, gender binaries and casual violence. The play does hinge somewhat on high levels of homophobia within one family and as the plot circles and the suspense builds, as the listener you're begging for the characters to just leave and find other people who will accept them.
The plot and characterisation are brilliant - the setting of the play and the sexual and gender exploration of the two main characters returns a level of depth to this play that a modern audience perhaps misses if they watch the original without understanding of historical context.
I wanted to look away at the end, and couldn't. Brilliantly done.
I got pulled into this story so thoroughly - how in the world it managed to shock and appall me when technically I knew where this had to be going is beyond me.
The story plays on the nature of theatre whilst highlighting serious societal issues of homophobia, gender binaries and casual violence. The play does hinge somewhat on high levels of homophobia within one family and as the plot circles and the suspense builds, as the listener you're begging for the characters to just leave and find other people who will accept them.
The plot and characterisation are brilliant - the setting of the play and the sexual and gender exploration of the two main characters returns a level of depth to this play that a modern audience perhaps misses if they watch the original without understanding of historical context.
I wanted to look away at the end, and couldn't. Brilliantly done.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Homophobia and Violence
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