A review by daylafm
Anyone but You by Kim Askew, Amy Helmes
5.0
Review first appeared on my blog: Book Addict 24-7
I received a copy via NetGalley & the authors in exchange for an honest review
Anyone But You by Kim Askew and Amy Helmes is the third instalment in their Twisted Lit series, which is a collection of young adult adaptations of Shakespearean classics. For this instalment, the collaborative writing duo tackle Romeo and Juliet in a completely original and slightly less dark way. With its unique approach to the classic and with a storyline that is slightly addicting, Anyone But You is a novel that may remind us of how powerful (and sometimes disastrous) love can be.
Gigi, the protagonist, is the Juliet of one of the feuding families, which are ironically Italian. Her story and that of her great-grandparents’ is shown, displaying just how the feud began and how it affects the present. Not only is Gigi a more appropriate age than her predecessor, Juliet, but she’s also a little less quick to act when given bad news. One of the unique aspects that these two authors bring to every adaptation is the ability to teen-a-fie (let’s make it a new word) so many of the naïve and younger characters from “The Bard’s” plays.
The comic relief, I believe, comes from the love at first sight aspect of the novel. Not only is the immediate attraction between Gigi and her beau unrealistic, it’s a correct way of modernizing what happened in Romeo and Juliet. Through the over-exaggeration of the romance between these two characters, we see just how ridiculous such an immediate connection would be in today’s day and age. So, rather than worship the story of Romeo and Juliet as an end-all and be-all of romantic stories, Anyone But You satirizes the idea of these two star-crossed lovers.
In my opinion, the real winner of this novel is the sub-story showing us how the feud began. It showcases the power of friendship and just how much damage a broken heart can do. The fact that the two characters in the sub-plot were so well created shows amazing literary prowess. Oftentimes, I find sub-characters to be lacking in growth because the author(s) is so focused on the main characters set in our contemporary time, but not in this novel. Whereas Gigi’s infatuation with her enemy’s heir is light and perhaps sugary sweet, the sub-story about two male best friends is deep and has a heart that would have made Shakespeare want to do a rewrite. Not only do Askew and Helmes create a story that gives us a heartbreakingly honest reason for why these two houses are feuding, but also they offer an intense sort of redemption that, I admit, made me cry.
Of course, the pacing was great and each chapter walked me towards an eye-opening conclusion. Clues and red herrings are given throughout the story—which, I must say, is very tricky. Not only do we NOT know why these families are fighting until the end, but we also don’t know which boy (in the sub-story) represents which family. Tricky, tricky. This mystery plays on the reader’s curiosity and will have him/her wanting to snatch up any clue thrown his/her way.
In my opinion, Anyone But You is by far the best instalment in this series. Askew and Helmes write an adaptation that isn’t blatantly copying Shakespeare. They take what is classically shown and make it their own in every way—hence the name of the series, Twisted Lit. These two authors focus on the messages and warnings written within the classic plays and then present them in ways that teenagers and readers alike will not only understand and relate to, but will want to devour.
If you like romance, unique Shakespearean adaptations, and a heart-warming/heartbreaking story of how friendship can go awry, then please give this one a shot. The humour is palpable and the genius of the storylines is proven with every page.
I received a copy via NetGalley & the authors in exchange for an honest review
Anyone But You by Kim Askew and Amy Helmes is the third instalment in their Twisted Lit series, which is a collection of young adult adaptations of Shakespearean classics. For this instalment, the collaborative writing duo tackle Romeo and Juliet in a completely original and slightly less dark way. With its unique approach to the classic and with a storyline that is slightly addicting, Anyone But You is a novel that may remind us of how powerful (and sometimes disastrous) love can be.
Gigi, the protagonist, is the Juliet of one of the feuding families, which are ironically Italian. Her story and that of her great-grandparents’ is shown, displaying just how the feud began and how it affects the present. Not only is Gigi a more appropriate age than her predecessor, Juliet, but she’s also a little less quick to act when given bad news. One of the unique aspects that these two authors bring to every adaptation is the ability to teen-a-fie (let’s make it a new word) so many of the naïve and younger characters from “The Bard’s” plays.
The comic relief, I believe, comes from the love at first sight aspect of the novel. Not only is the immediate attraction between Gigi and her beau unrealistic, it’s a correct way of modernizing what happened in Romeo and Juliet. Through the over-exaggeration of the romance between these two characters, we see just how ridiculous such an immediate connection would be in today’s day and age. So, rather than worship the story of Romeo and Juliet as an end-all and be-all of romantic stories, Anyone But You satirizes the idea of these two star-crossed lovers.
In my opinion, the real winner of this novel is the sub-story showing us how the feud began. It showcases the power of friendship and just how much damage a broken heart can do. The fact that the two characters in the sub-plot were so well created shows amazing literary prowess. Oftentimes, I find sub-characters to be lacking in growth because the author(s) is so focused on the main characters set in our contemporary time, but not in this novel. Whereas Gigi’s infatuation with her enemy’s heir is light and perhaps sugary sweet, the sub-story about two male best friends is deep and has a heart that would have made Shakespeare want to do a rewrite. Not only do Askew and Helmes create a story that gives us a heartbreakingly honest reason for why these two houses are feuding, but also they offer an intense sort of redemption that, I admit, made me cry.
Of course, the pacing was great and each chapter walked me towards an eye-opening conclusion. Clues and red herrings are given throughout the story—which, I must say, is very tricky. Not only do we NOT know why these families are fighting until the end, but we also don’t know which boy (in the sub-story) represents which family. Tricky, tricky. This mystery plays on the reader’s curiosity and will have him/her wanting to snatch up any clue thrown his/her way.
In my opinion, Anyone But You is by far the best instalment in this series. Askew and Helmes write an adaptation that isn’t blatantly copying Shakespeare. They take what is classically shown and make it their own in every way—hence the name of the series, Twisted Lit. These two authors focus on the messages and warnings written within the classic plays and then present them in ways that teenagers and readers alike will not only understand and relate to, but will want to devour.
If you like romance, unique Shakespearean adaptations, and a heart-warming/heartbreaking story of how friendship can go awry, then please give this one a shot. The humour is palpable and the genius of the storylines is proven with every page.