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A review by thereadingwren
Two Gentlemen of Verona by William Shakespeare
3.0
3.5/5
This was going to be 4 or 4.5 stars until that ending.
The story and characters were delightful and as the first Shakespeare play I’ve read, I’m hooked. I adore the lyrical way Shakespeare writes.
I was actually surprised at the female characters, I expected that because of the time period they’d be nothing more than pretty art pieces. But Julia and Sylvia had brains and a voice that they weren’t afraid to use. They also didn’t hate each other or ‘slut-shame’ one another. Sylvia respected Julia and the love shared between Proteus and Julia, she never denied that love. It was beautiful. Sylvia was also never afraid to tell the suitors in her life to back the hell off.
Julia, while having significantly less screen time, packed a punch by dressing up as a man. I loved her initiative and her determination to the guise despite her hurt feelings.
I thought I’d love the friendship between Valentine and Proteus and for a second I did but then it was like it never existed.
The reason this gets a low rating is because of the ending. Mainly, the main characters forgiving another character for several mean things done and one massive horrible attack. They all pretended like nothing happened and forgave all trespasses. It wrapped up too seamlessly and unrealistically.
If there was more angst and drama at the ending then the rating would have been much higher. But I still love the characters and the story.
This was going to be 4 or 4.5 stars until that ending.
The story and characters were delightful and as the first Shakespeare play I’ve read, I’m hooked. I adore the lyrical way Shakespeare writes.
I was actually surprised at the female characters, I expected that because of the time period they’d be nothing more than pretty art pieces. But Julia and Sylvia had brains and a voice that they weren’t afraid to use. They also didn’t hate each other or ‘slut-shame’ one another. Sylvia respected Julia and the love shared between Proteus and Julia, she never denied that love. It was beautiful. Sylvia was also never afraid to tell the suitors in her life to back the hell off.
Julia, while having significantly less screen time, packed a punch by dressing up as a man. I loved her initiative and her determination to the guise despite her hurt feelings.
I thought I’d love the friendship between Valentine and Proteus and for a second I did but then it was like it never existed.
The reason this gets a low rating is because of the ending. Mainly, the main characters forgiving another character for several mean things done and one massive horrible attack. They all pretended like nothing happened and forgave all trespasses. It wrapped up too seamlessly and unrealistically.
If there was more angst and drama at the ending then the rating would have been much higher. But I still love the characters and the story.