A review by gem114
If You Come Softly by Jacqueline Woodson

emotional slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.0

If You Come Softly is Jacqueline Woodson's take on Romeo and Juliet for the modern day. It follows the young love of 15-year-old Ellie Eisen and Jeremiah Roselind, who meet at their private school in New York. Although they don't come from directly feuding families, they do have to navigate the reality of being Jewish and Black in an interracial relationship in the late 1990s. Woodson does a great job developing the characters. Knowing the source material, I knew it wasn't going to end well, and I think Woodson did a great job leading to the climax without making it feel like it was meant to be a twist. The predictability made it even more tragic.
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