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Romeo And Juliet
Exclusively written for Audible, only available in audio
"I think Romeo and Juliet is the greatest, most tragic love story ever told. What David Hewson did with this script is so exciting to me. I really love the fact that he followed avenues that Shakespeare suggested but didn't necessarily detail in depth. If you want to immerse yourself in a warm bath of Garganega and the heat of Verona and hear a brilliant story about a young woman who is challenging the restraints of her time, listen to this audiobook, which has romance, poetry, politics, and humor to spare." (Narrator Richard Armitage)
It's a story you think you the age-old tale of "star-cross'd lovers"; two families at war; a romance, so pure and absolute, fated for a tragic end. It's a story so thoroughly embedded in our culture, and so frequently retold. Yet, nothing captures the spark, the possibility, and the surprise of Shakespeare's work quite like this....
In Romeo and A Novel, author David Hewson reworks and expands on the classic story so that it becomes something richer, something new and entirely its own. Much more than a simple love story, it is a brilliant examination of young versus old, hope against despair, and, for Juliet, the search for individual identity at a time when women were regarded as little more than chattel.
An original production commissioned by Audible, Romeo and A Novel marks the second pairing of David Hewson and actor Richard Armitage, whose previous partnership resulted in Audible's 2014 Audiobook of the Year, Hamlet, Prince of A Novel. Hewson's talent for writing for audio is undeniable, and he finds his perfect vocal foil in Armitage, an actor of immense range and absorbing intensity. Together, they bring you a familiar story told in a surprising way - with an ending you might not expect.
Bonus: Audiobook includes an afterword written and narrated by David Hewson.
"I think Romeo and Juliet is the greatest, most tragic love story ever told. What David Hewson did with this script is so exciting to me. I really love the fact that he followed avenues that Shakespeare suggested but didn't necessarily detail in depth. If you want to immerse yourself in a warm bath of Garganega and the heat of Verona and hear a brilliant story about a young woman who is challenging the restraints of her time, listen to this audiobook, which has romance, poetry, politics, and humor to spare." (Narrator Richard Armitage)
It's a story you think you the age-old tale of "star-cross'd lovers"; two families at war; a romance, so pure and absolute, fated for a tragic end. It's a story so thoroughly embedded in our culture, and so frequently retold. Yet, nothing captures the spark, the possibility, and the surprise of Shakespeare's work quite like this....
In Romeo and A Novel, author David Hewson reworks and expands on the classic story so that it becomes something richer, something new and entirely its own. Much more than a simple love story, it is a brilliant examination of young versus old, hope against despair, and, for Juliet, the search for individual identity at a time when women were regarded as little more than chattel.
An original production commissioned by Audible, Romeo and A Novel marks the second pairing of David Hewson and actor Richard Armitage, whose previous partnership resulted in Audible's 2014 Audiobook of the Year, Hamlet, Prince of A Novel. Hewson's talent for writing for audio is undeniable, and he finds his perfect vocal foil in Armitage, an actor of immense range and absorbing intensity. Together, they bring you a familiar story told in a surprising way - with an ending you might not expect.
Bonus: Audiobook includes an afterword written and narrated by David Hewson.
296 pages, Audible Audio
First published December 6, 2016
About the author
David Hewson
85 books488 followersDAVID HEWSON was born in Yorkshire in 1953. His books range from the Nic Costa series set in Italy to adaptations of The Killing in Copenhagen and the Pieter Vos series in Amsterdam.
He's adapted Shakespeare for Audible and in 2018 won the Audie for best original work for Romeo and Juliet: A Novel, narrated by Richard Armitage.
2019 sees the release of a new, full-cast Audible drama set in New York, Last Seen Wearing, and a standalone novel set in the Faroe Islands, Devil's Fjord.
Series:
Nic Costa
Pieter Vos
The Killing
He's adapted Shakespeare for Audible and in 2018 won the Audie for best original work for Romeo and Juliet: A Novel, narrated by Richard Armitage.
2019 sees the release of a new, full-cast Audible drama set in New York, Last Seen Wearing, and a standalone novel set in the Faroe Islands, Devil's Fjord.
Series:
Nic Costa
Pieter Vos
The Killing
Ratings & Reviews
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 187 reviews
March 29, 2018
Ok, let's make one thing very clear. I knew I was probably going to hate this going in, because I don't like Romeo and Juliet. There. I said it.
There is one reason I listened to this, and one reason only:
That is it. I could listen to that man read his grocery list and I would still gladly pay money for that. Anyone who can make a Dickens book come to life the way he did with David Copperfield has my undying respect. And, let's not forget, the man has such a beautiful voice...
But I digress.
So I gave this book a shot because I though if anyone could make me care about those two, it would be Richard Armitage. I didn't particularly enjoy Hamlet, Prince of Denmark (which was co-written by this author), but I decided to give this a try anyway.
Basically, the thing you have to know about these novelizations: they have very little to do with the actual play. They take the names, the basic plot and themes, but it is always a very different story than in the play.
And that's also exactly what didn't work for me here. There is a backstory for every.single.character (and I mean EVERYONE, from Juliet's nurse to the friar's assistant), and they are all very tragic, but ultimately, I didn't care about stuff like why the friar and his twin were run out of their home country and separated. I applaud the author for giving the story a very rich setting, for trying to paint a picture about what was going in Europe and the rest of the world at the time outside of Verona. That was very interesting, but again, in a love story, I don't really care about what the Pope or the Borgias were up to. And also, I am not very fond of that ending. Let's just leave it at that...
So, all in all, 2 stars for the plot, 5 for the wonderful narration, equals a solid 3 stars.
There is one reason I listened to this, and one reason only:
That is it. I could listen to that man read his grocery list and I would still gladly pay money for that. Anyone who can make a Dickens book come to life the way he did with David Copperfield has my undying respect. And, let's not forget, the man has such a beautiful voice...
But I digress.
So I gave this book a shot because I though if anyone could make me care about those two, it would be Richard Armitage. I didn't particularly enjoy Hamlet, Prince of Denmark (which was co-written by this author), but I decided to give this a try anyway.
Basically, the thing you have to know about these novelizations: they have very little to do with the actual play. They take the names, the basic plot and themes, but it is always a very different story than in the play.
And that's also exactly what didn't work for me here. There is a backstory for every.single.character (and I mean EVERYONE, from Juliet's nurse to the friar's assistant), and they are all very tragic, but ultimately, I didn't care about stuff like why the friar and his twin were run out of their home country and separated. I applaud the author for giving the story a very rich setting, for trying to paint a picture about what was going in Europe and the rest of the world at the time outside of Verona. That was very interesting, but again, in a love story, I don't really care about what the Pope or the Borgias were up to. And also, I am not very fond of that ending. Let's just leave it at that...
So, all in all, 2 stars for the plot, 5 for the wonderful narration, equals a solid 3 stars.
September 6, 2018
I dumped the audiobook after listening to half.
I like neither the book’s content, i.e. how Shakespeare’s tragedy Romeo and Juliet is retold, nor the aidiobook performance. Both I have given one star.
Romeo And Juliet exists only as an audiobook. What is delivered is a verbal dramatization, a performance. You must like dramatizations to like this audiobook. Richard Armitage, the audiobook’s narrator, dramatizes in spades! What else can you expect from an actor?! I do not like dramatizations. Secondly, I find Armitage’s intonations of elderly women, such as Juliet’s mother and nursemaid, to be excessively hoarse and gruff. They sound like decrepit old men. I find the elderly men’s intonations exaggerated too! Words are slurred and undecipherable at times. I dislike Armitage’s reading of dialogs. The setting is Verona, Italy. Armitage will have one believe the setting is England!
Hewson retells Shakespeare’s original tale. I dislike the words he puts in the characters’ mouths. I dislike how the author turns Juliet into a modern-day feminist. We are told the year is 1499. You would not think that from either her behavior or what she and other characters say.
The author’s addition of historical background details does not make sense; he even points out himself that what the Pope and other such dignitaries were doing had little importance in the characters’ lives.
What else irritates me? David Hewson fails to draw Verona as the beautiful place it is. He gives too long and too detailed backstories for e-v-e-r-y person in the book.
After having dumped the audiobook, I read that the author has also completely changed the story’s ending!
People want different things from the books they choose to read or listen to. Perhaps this will satisfy you more than it did me. How the characters speak grated on my nerves; their language does not properly reflect the time and place of the tale. Anachronistic writing annoys me.
Other retellings I CAN recommend:
*Hag-Seed: The Tempest Retold 4 stars
*Macbeth 4 stars
*Hamlet, Prince of Denmark 3 stars
The last book mentioned here is also read by Richard Armitage. I did not appreciate his performance there either.
I like neither the book’s content, i.e. how Shakespeare’s tragedy Romeo and Juliet is retold, nor the aidiobook performance. Both I have given one star.
Romeo And Juliet exists only as an audiobook. What is delivered is a verbal dramatization, a performance. You must like dramatizations to like this audiobook. Richard Armitage, the audiobook’s narrator, dramatizes in spades! What else can you expect from an actor?! I do not like dramatizations. Secondly, I find Armitage’s intonations of elderly women, such as Juliet’s mother and nursemaid, to be excessively hoarse and gruff. They sound like decrepit old men. I find the elderly men’s intonations exaggerated too! Words are slurred and undecipherable at times. I dislike Armitage’s reading of dialogs. The setting is Verona, Italy. Armitage will have one believe the setting is England!
Hewson retells Shakespeare’s original tale. I dislike the words he puts in the characters’ mouths. I dislike how the author turns Juliet into a modern-day feminist. We are told the year is 1499. You would not think that from either her behavior or what she and other characters say.
The author’s addition of historical background details does not make sense; he even points out himself that what the Pope and other such dignitaries were doing had little importance in the characters’ lives.
What else irritates me? David Hewson fails to draw Verona as the beautiful place it is. He gives too long and too detailed backstories for e-v-e-r-y person in the book.
After having dumped the audiobook, I read that the author has also completely changed the story’s ending!
People want different things from the books they choose to read or listen to. Perhaps this will satisfy you more than it did me. How the characters speak grated on my nerves; their language does not properly reflect the time and place of the tale. Anachronistic writing annoys me.
Other retellings I CAN recommend:
*Hag-Seed: The Tempest Retold 4 stars
*Macbeth 4 stars
*Hamlet, Prince of Denmark 3 stars
The last book mentioned here is also read by Richard Armitage. I did not appreciate his performance there either.
May 17, 2018
In Juliet & Romeo, the feud between the Montagues and Capulets is of longstanding and born out of a friendship betrayed (‘Time had dealt its blows, yet the enmity between them had never wavered’) and a trade war over pre-eminence in the wine trade. The uneasy relations between the two families simmer in the heat of a Verona summer, threatening to boil over at any minute. It even extends to each family’s servants, ‘sharing the same borrowed hatred and never asking why’.
The author brings the reader a Juliet who is intelligent, questioning, spirited and independent-minded. She finds herself rebelling against the expectations of her parents (primarily the expectations of her father) to make a marriage that will advance the family’s interests, describing herself as ‘a tiny bird in a tiny cage my father and the rest have made for me.’ For the reason explained by the author in his Historical Notes, this Juliet is older than depicted in Shakespeare’s play, more confident and sure of herself, with a witty sense of humour.
Romeo is thoughtful and longs to be a writer although, again, his family see a different future for him, in the law this time. Although the setting is medieval – 1499, to be precise – there are no ‘thee’s’ and ‘thou’s’ in this book, instead the characters express themselves in modern dialogue, including slang and some juicy insults. For example, Romeo’s erstwhile love, the daughter of a livestock merchant, is described at one point as ‘randy Rosaline from the knacker’s yard.’
The author brings alive the Verona of the period through descriptions of the houses, palazzos, piazzas, clothing and food. I could almost sense the aromas from the dishes at a particularly lavish banquet organised by the Capulets to try to impress their pick of suitor for Juliet, Count Paris. ‘Boned roast goat’s head covered in white meat sauce and decorated with pomegranate seeds. Fried trout caught in Lake Garda by busy cormorants. Cucumbers with dill. Chicken pie with cherries. Tart with cheese and chard and saffron. And pastissada de caval, horsemeat stew slow cooked until it was near black, seasoned with laurel, nutmeg and cloves, a dish Verona had been eating for so long it seemed as much a part of the city as its old stone walls and the constant flow of the Adige.’ (OK, not so sure about the horsemeat stew.)
The novel explores a number of themes, including that of possession and ownership. At one point, Luca Capulet, insisting that Juliet’s marriage to Count Paris will go ahead, states: “This marriage is made. Not in heaven. But by me.” A chuckle then. “The household god.” When Count Paris presents Juliet with a ring as a token of his love, she is shocked to see it bears the inscription ‘I have obtained whom God ordained.’ Days later, preparing for her wedding against her will, Juliet reflects, ‘She felt as if she were nothing more than a cog in the mechanism of a relentless machine, turning to the will of others.’ Even Romeo at one point wonders, ‘How much of love was the noble sacrifice that verse portrayed? How much a selfish, obsessional need to possess another?’ With dread, he recognises in himself ‘a man possessed, who craved to possess in return’.
Juliet & Romeo has everything you would expect of a Shakespearean drama – masks and disguises, mistaken identities, chance meetings, fight scenes, thwarted lovers and comic interludes. Speaking of the latter, from the cast of secondary characters, I have to pick out Nurse. With her excruciatingly embarrassing stories about Juliet when she was a baby and her bawdy comments, she reminded me of Nursie in Blackadder 2 (as played by the wonderful Patsy Byrne).
The publishers describe Juliet & Romeo as ‘a gripping romantic thriller’ and it certainly fits that bill in terms of its pace and its menu of intrigue, mystery, body count and more than one race against time. The author has written that ‘Adaptation means change’. I’m not going to tell you what one of those key changes is, you’re going to have to read the book to find out. What I will say is that it’s entirely in keeping with the character the author has created.
Whether you have read Shakespeare’s play, seen film versions of the play or know only the outlines of the story of Romeo and Juliet, you will find much to enjoy in this “novel retelling”. It would also be a superb introduction to Shakespeare’s play. The audiobook version of Juliet & Romeo, from which this novel is derived, has been nominated for this year’s Audies, the audio Oscars. Reading this novel has certainly made me want to seek out that version.
The author brings the reader a Juliet who is intelligent, questioning, spirited and independent-minded. She finds herself rebelling against the expectations of her parents (primarily the expectations of her father) to make a marriage that will advance the family’s interests, describing herself as ‘a tiny bird in a tiny cage my father and the rest have made for me.’ For the reason explained by the author in his Historical Notes, this Juliet is older than depicted in Shakespeare’s play, more confident and sure of herself, with a witty sense of humour.
Romeo is thoughtful and longs to be a writer although, again, his family see a different future for him, in the law this time. Although the setting is medieval – 1499, to be precise – there are no ‘thee’s’ and ‘thou’s’ in this book, instead the characters express themselves in modern dialogue, including slang and some juicy insults. For example, Romeo’s erstwhile love, the daughter of a livestock merchant, is described at one point as ‘randy Rosaline from the knacker’s yard.’
The author brings alive the Verona of the period through descriptions of the houses, palazzos, piazzas, clothing and food. I could almost sense the aromas from the dishes at a particularly lavish banquet organised by the Capulets to try to impress their pick of suitor for Juliet, Count Paris. ‘Boned roast goat’s head covered in white meat sauce and decorated with pomegranate seeds. Fried trout caught in Lake Garda by busy cormorants. Cucumbers with dill. Chicken pie with cherries. Tart with cheese and chard and saffron. And pastissada de caval, horsemeat stew slow cooked until it was near black, seasoned with laurel, nutmeg and cloves, a dish Verona had been eating for so long it seemed as much a part of the city as its old stone walls and the constant flow of the Adige.’ (OK, not so sure about the horsemeat stew.)
The novel explores a number of themes, including that of possession and ownership. At one point, Luca Capulet, insisting that Juliet’s marriage to Count Paris will go ahead, states: “This marriage is made. Not in heaven. But by me.” A chuckle then. “The household god.” When Count Paris presents Juliet with a ring as a token of his love, she is shocked to see it bears the inscription ‘I have obtained whom God ordained.’ Days later, preparing for her wedding against her will, Juliet reflects, ‘She felt as if she were nothing more than a cog in the mechanism of a relentless machine, turning to the will of others.’ Even Romeo at one point wonders, ‘How much of love was the noble sacrifice that verse portrayed? How much a selfish, obsessional need to possess another?’ With dread, he recognises in himself ‘a man possessed, who craved to possess in return’.
Juliet & Romeo has everything you would expect of a Shakespearean drama – masks and disguises, mistaken identities, chance meetings, fight scenes, thwarted lovers and comic interludes. Speaking of the latter, from the cast of secondary characters, I have to pick out Nurse. With her excruciatingly embarrassing stories about Juliet when she was a baby and her bawdy comments, she reminded me of Nursie in Blackadder 2 (as played by the wonderful Patsy Byrne).
The publishers describe Juliet & Romeo as ‘a gripping romantic thriller’ and it certainly fits that bill in terms of its pace and its menu of intrigue, mystery, body count and more than one race against time. The author has written that ‘Adaptation means change’. I’m not going to tell you what one of those key changes is, you’re going to have to read the book to find out. What I will say is that it’s entirely in keeping with the character the author has created.
Whether you have read Shakespeare’s play, seen film versions of the play or know only the outlines of the story of Romeo and Juliet, you will find much to enjoy in this “novel retelling”. It would also be a superb introduction to Shakespeare’s play. The audiobook version of Juliet & Romeo, from which this novel is derived, has been nominated for this year’s Audies, the audio Oscars. Reading this novel has certainly made me want to seek out that version.
April 15, 2019
3.5 stars
As a huge fan of the play I did enjoy this book and loved some stuff that the author added to the story, though there were some stuff I didn't like either. Overall I had fun reading it!
As a huge fan of the play I did enjoy this book and loved some stuff that the author added to the story, though there were some stuff I didn't like either. Overall I had fun reading it!
May 28, 2018
We all know the tale of Romeo and his fair Juliet, young lovers destined for tragedy and heartbreak - it's enough to bring a tear to your eye just thinking about it. So when I got the opportunity to review JULIET & ROMEO by David Hewson which is a retelling of the classic tale written in everyday English and with some surprises and changes along the way, I jumped at the chance!
Set in 1499 the beauty, harsh reality, and that special something of Verona comes alive on the page in front of you. Sixteen-year-old Juliet is intelligent, well-read, and interested in the world of art and knowledge that is coming alive around her but her father has plans to marry her off and he won't take no for an answer. Romeo, whose family are arch enemies of Juliet's, dreams of being a writer but like the lady he will come to love, he is under pressure from his family to follow the path they have chosen for him. And then one fateful night they meet ...
I thoroughly enjoyed this story and the surprises that are hidden throughout and for readers who are put off from reading Shakespeare due to its language, JULIET & ROMEO by David Hewson is the perfect story to introduce you to the bard himself and all of his glory. There is drama, beauty, secrets, violence, and more, poetically described throughout this book and with characters that are so much more than meets the eye, JULIET & ROMEO by David Hewson is a book worth reading.
*I voluntarily reviewed this book from the Publisher
Set in 1499 the beauty, harsh reality, and that special something of Verona comes alive on the page in front of you. Sixteen-year-old Juliet is intelligent, well-read, and interested in the world of art and knowledge that is coming alive around her but her father has plans to marry her off and he won't take no for an answer. Romeo, whose family are arch enemies of Juliet's, dreams of being a writer but like the lady he will come to love, he is under pressure from his family to follow the path they have chosen for him. And then one fateful night they meet ...
I thoroughly enjoyed this story and the surprises that are hidden throughout and for readers who are put off from reading Shakespeare due to its language, JULIET & ROMEO by David Hewson is the perfect story to introduce you to the bard himself and all of his glory. There is drama, beauty, secrets, violence, and more, poetically described throughout this book and with characters that are so much more than meets the eye, JULIET & ROMEO by David Hewson is a book worth reading.
*I voluntarily reviewed this book from the Publisher
January 14, 2018
Julia & Romeo ist eine sehr aufwendige Hörspielproduktion. Die Hintergrundgeräusche wurden entsprechend der jeweiligen Szenen eingesetzt. Die Sprecher überzeugen mit viel Gefühl und Variation. Was mich ein wenig gestört hat waren die Schleifen in denen die Hintergrundgeräusche abgespielt wurden. Besonders bei den Marktplatzszenen ist mir das negativ aufgefallen. Hier hätte ich mir dann bei der Bandbreite an Geräuschen mehr Abwechslung gewünscht.
Allerdings war ich von der Charakterisierung von Romeo und Julia sehr positiv überrascht. Romeo ist hier mit seinen 18 Jahren doch sehr naiv und handelt viel zu impulsiv. Julia ist hingegen diejenige, welche für ihre 16 Jahre sehr reif und tapfer ist. Klar wirkt sie manchmal zickig, aber ich konnte das bei ihrer Lebenssituation oft sehr gut nachvollziehen.
Irrirtiert war ich ein wenig bei dem Ausgang der Geschichte, da es nicht dem klassischen Shakespeare Schluss entsprach.
Alles in Allem ein sehr gelungenes Hörspiel.
Allerdings war ich von der Charakterisierung von Romeo und Julia sehr positiv überrascht. Romeo ist hier mit seinen 18 Jahren doch sehr naiv und handelt viel zu impulsiv. Julia ist hingegen diejenige, welche für ihre 16 Jahre sehr reif und tapfer ist. Klar wirkt sie manchmal zickig, aber ich konnte das bei ihrer Lebenssituation oft sehr gut nachvollziehen.
Irrirtiert war ich ein wenig bei dem Ausgang der Geschichte, da es nicht dem klassischen Shakespeare Schluss entsprach.
Alles in Allem ein sehr gelungenes Hörspiel.
August 2, 2017
The retelling of Shakespeare's famous story by the end looks more like reimagining with a rather unexpected plot twist. Unlike of pretty average author's performance, the narrator's performance is superb.
September 21, 2018
I enjoyed it, but it kind of dragged in some spots. The ending was a bit strange, but I think I liked it? I'm not sure. It's a little different from the play.
Still love Richard Armitage narrating. That got me through the draggy parts.
Still love Richard Armitage narrating. That got me through the draggy parts.
August 24, 2022
Let me be clear, I really really dislike Romeo and Juliet. When I was in school I had to read the play three times for some reason and my dislike of it only grew each time. I don't dislike Shakespeare however, I think that Macbeth, Hamlet, Much Ado About Nothing, and Henry VIII are all fantastic pieces of literature. For some reason it isn't any of his vastly superior works that keep his name relevant to today, it's Romeo and Juliet, probably his worst play, that gets the spotlight.
I've always found the characters in the play sorely underdeveloped, the story doesn't really flow well, the story itself is also pretty hard to believe. Overall I think that Shakespeare's general failings in the matters of the heart in his personal life led to the failings of that particular play. So why would I go back in for a fourth experience of a story I already don't like? I can't really explain why I did, but I'm sure glad that I did.
Mr. Hewson decided to adapt the play into a novel, and this fixes some major problems that I had with the source text. Extra length gives us more time with the characters, and thus leads to more characterization. Extra length also gives Mr. Hewson more time to give an explanation to major events that actually make major plot beats flow easier and make more sense. Extra length also gives Mr. Hewson time to fully flesh out exactly why it is that the Capulet and Montague houses are embroiled in their conflict.
Perhaps the greatest thing Mr. Hewson could of done was give a complete setting of the time period the story will take place in. Mr. Hewson's novelization sets the story in a period of time mired in sadness, a time when a madman was installed as pope, a time when war with the Turks was almost assured, and a time when plague was on it's way. In Verona, and Italy as a whole, there is so much despair and so much death that everyone feels downtrodden and boxed into a city on lock down.
When things are terrible, when almost nothing seems to be going right, people want something special to happen. This deep desire for something special makes people more apt to dive head on into the first thing that starts to go right, and this telling of star crossed lovers represents exactly that. Take just how bad the world is, add a love that isn't reciprocated and a desperately unwanted arranged marriage, and the result is two people who are predisposed to fall in love fast and hard.
The absolute genius is that the book never says whether or not the romance they had was real, and there is a moment where Juliet actually wonders as much. Mr. Hewson displays this horrible state of affairs and then shows us something that seems so powerful, so magical, and then we watch it fail. It fails because of public perception, because of missed information, and because of the tragedy of how a bad world happens to infect the people that live in it.
This novelization truly is something special. Mr. Hewson took a story, that to me, never worked and then with a heavy amount of context and retooling actually made the story work. Armitage does an amazing job with the voice work, the text is rich in sadness, humor, faith, reconciliation, and thought. To me this represents the best possible translation of a story that was written a very long time ago, and I think that everyone who either likes or hates the original should give this a listen because it really is an incredible work.
I've always found the characters in the play sorely underdeveloped, the story doesn't really flow well, the story itself is also pretty hard to believe. Overall I think that Shakespeare's general failings in the matters of the heart in his personal life led to the failings of that particular play. So why would I go back in for a fourth experience of a story I already don't like? I can't really explain why I did, but I'm sure glad that I did.
Mr. Hewson decided to adapt the play into a novel, and this fixes some major problems that I had with the source text. Extra length gives us more time with the characters, and thus leads to more characterization. Extra length also gives Mr. Hewson more time to give an explanation to major events that actually make major plot beats flow easier and make more sense. Extra length also gives Mr. Hewson time to fully flesh out exactly why it is that the Capulet and Montague houses are embroiled in their conflict.
Perhaps the greatest thing Mr. Hewson could of done was give a complete setting of the time period the story will take place in. Mr. Hewson's novelization sets the story in a period of time mired in sadness, a time when a madman was installed as pope, a time when war with the Turks was almost assured, and a time when plague was on it's way. In Verona, and Italy as a whole, there is so much despair and so much death that everyone feels downtrodden and boxed into a city on lock down.
When things are terrible, when almost nothing seems to be going right, people want something special to happen. This deep desire for something special makes people more apt to dive head on into the first thing that starts to go right, and this telling of star crossed lovers represents exactly that. Take just how bad the world is, add a love that isn't reciprocated and a desperately unwanted arranged marriage, and the result is two people who are predisposed to fall in love fast and hard.
The absolute genius is that the book never says whether or not the romance they had was real, and there is a moment where Juliet actually wonders as much. Mr. Hewson displays this horrible state of affairs and then shows us something that seems so powerful, so magical, and then we watch it fail. It fails because of public perception, because of missed information, and because of the tragedy of how a bad world happens to infect the people that live in it.
This novelization truly is something special. Mr. Hewson took a story, that to me, never worked and then with a heavy amount of context and retooling actually made the story work. Armitage does an amazing job with the voice work, the text is rich in sadness, humor, faith, reconciliation, and thought. To me this represents the best possible translation of a story that was written a very long time ago, and I think that everyone who either likes or hates the original should give this a listen because it really is an incredible work.
May 20, 2018
I’ve never actually read Romeo and Juliet. I’ve tried but Shakespeare tends to go right over my head. I am of course familiar with their story, as I’m sure most of you are as well. Two rivalling families in the city of Verona, Italy. The son of the one family falls in love with the daughter of the other. Chaos ensues. Everybody dies. Something like that anyway. 😉
Admittedly, I was a little unsure about picking this one up. Proof of how shallow I am, lies in me confessing to you that I pretty much only opted to read this book as it was endorsed by Richard Armitage. Incidentally, he also apparently did the audio version which, even though I’m not a fan of audio books, I’ve been eying for a while now because Richard’s voice does funny things to me. He could read a good old fashioned phone guide to me and I’d be a puddle of goo. I’m sure you didn’t really need to know that so let’s quickly move on. (Note that the audio version has been nominated for this year’s Audies)
Seeing as I don’t have any previous experience with this story, I was pleasantly surprised by this retelling. Sixteen year old Juliet is a fierce and fabulous young lady. However, her father is trying to arrange a marriage for her and this doesn’t sit well with Juliet at all. There’s more to life than getting married, after all. During a banquet, Juliet meets Romeo. Aw, young love. But then Romeo is banished from the city and everything goes to pot.
The atmosphere and the setting in Verona drew me in from the start. I could almost see myself wandering around the market stalls, smelling meats and whatnot, hear the horses and the chiming of the bell tower. The characters were really well written. Romeo, the quiet kind, the dreamer, the wanna-be poet. Although quite frankly I didn’t think he was very good with words at all. His family wants to send him off to study to become a lawyer.
But the one who stole the scene every single time was most definitely Juliet. She’s intelligent, wants to be independent and questions everything. I adored her spirit, her determination, her sheer belief that in that particular era, she could be whomever she wants to be. And let’s not forget Nurse, who made me chuckle numerous times with her endless and sometimes rather embarrassing ramblings.
This modern retelling works really well. Sure, there’s a lot of drama and I was actually stunned to see how many things happen in a really short period of time. But I was utterly enthralled and captivated. Even the author’s notes held my interest and if you grab yourself a copy of this, you should definitely read them.
For those, like me, who wanted and have tried to read Shakespeare, this is a fabulous way of being introduced to his stories without suffering a major headache and thinking your knowledge of the English language is non-existent all of a sudden. Although it does bear pointing out that David Hewson did make changes from the original Romeo and Juliet and based his interpretation more so on previous versions than the one we all know.
Intrigue, murder, sword fights, a dash of romance and a few chuckles … what more could you possibly want? I found this to be thoroughly entertaining and enjoyable!
Admittedly, I was a little unsure about picking this one up. Proof of how shallow I am, lies in me confessing to you that I pretty much only opted to read this book as it was endorsed by Richard Armitage. Incidentally, he also apparently did the audio version which, even though I’m not a fan of audio books, I’ve been eying for a while now because Richard’s voice does funny things to me. He could read a good old fashioned phone guide to me and I’d be a puddle of goo. I’m sure you didn’t really need to know that so let’s quickly move on. (Note that the audio version has been nominated for this year’s Audies)
Seeing as I don’t have any previous experience with this story, I was pleasantly surprised by this retelling. Sixteen year old Juliet is a fierce and fabulous young lady. However, her father is trying to arrange a marriage for her and this doesn’t sit well with Juliet at all. There’s more to life than getting married, after all. During a banquet, Juliet meets Romeo. Aw, young love. But then Romeo is banished from the city and everything goes to pot.
The atmosphere and the setting in Verona drew me in from the start. I could almost see myself wandering around the market stalls, smelling meats and whatnot, hear the horses and the chiming of the bell tower. The characters were really well written. Romeo, the quiet kind, the dreamer, the wanna-be poet. Although quite frankly I didn’t think he was very good with words at all. His family wants to send him off to study to become a lawyer.
But the one who stole the scene every single time was most definitely Juliet. She’s intelligent, wants to be independent and questions everything. I adored her spirit, her determination, her sheer belief that in that particular era, she could be whomever she wants to be. And let’s not forget Nurse, who made me chuckle numerous times with her endless and sometimes rather embarrassing ramblings.
This modern retelling works really well. Sure, there’s a lot of drama and I was actually stunned to see how many things happen in a really short period of time. But I was utterly enthralled and captivated. Even the author’s notes held my interest and if you grab yourself a copy of this, you should definitely read them.
For those, like me, who wanted and have tried to read Shakespeare, this is a fabulous way of being introduced to his stories without suffering a major headache and thinking your knowledge of the English language is non-existent all of a sudden. Although it does bear pointing out that David Hewson did make changes from the original Romeo and Juliet and based his interpretation more so on previous versions than the one we all know.
Intrigue, murder, sword fights, a dash of romance and a few chuckles … what more could you possibly want? I found this to be thoroughly entertaining and enjoyable!
December 14, 2016
I enjoyed the changes DH made from the original Romeo and Juliet. Especially the character of Juliet, being much stronger. The ending was a fun twist and almost needs a sequel. As always Richard Armitage does an awesome job as narrator.
April 21, 2019
This novel follows more or less the sequence of the original play, filling blanks here and there, for example invents a reason for the feud between the two houses, generates backstories for the minor characters (e.g. Friar Laurence) and introduces new characters and scenes (e.g. Romeo in Verona). The references to events and historical characters of the period (the novel is set in 1499) are accurate, the author obviously has done his research well. This gives the book an authentic flavour even though the lovers display a distinctive modern attitude and personality.
It’s clearly a creative retelling of the well-known story, but some of the artistic licenses that the author takes may raise some eyebrows
The Bard would be spinning in his grave!
All in all, not a bad historical novel, the ending would appeal especially to younger audiences who prefer having agency in their favorite characters. 2.5 stars rounded up
It’s clearly a creative retelling of the well-known story, but some of the artistic licenses that the author takes may raise some eyebrows
The Bard would be spinning in his grave!
All in all, not a bad historical novel, the ending would appeal especially to younger audiences who prefer having agency in their favorite characters. 2.5 stars rounded up
September 4, 2021
If the author wants to write novelized classic literature, might I suggest he put down Game of Thrones for five minutes and actually read some classic literature.
August 30, 2017
So far I have read all of David Hewson's retellings of Shakespeare. The first two, Hamlet and Macbeth, he did with AJ Hartley and I gave them both 4 stars. This one is purely an audio book. You cannot buy a hardcopy. The narrator, Richard Armitage is, as always, superb; the story less so.
What is an anachronism? Perhaps there is a certain time-travel joy in thinking what if Jane Austen was a modern girl? Or what if a modern girl got plopped down in Verona in the 15th century. This story is exactly that and it almost goes so far as to make the culture of Juliet's parents more appealing than our modern culture in which all of our Juliets are 'just me.' What if we could all be 'just me?' While it seems so appealing on paper and in our hearts even, the consequences to a society are devastating. In Hewson's messed up world Juliet is the only true person. She is true to exactly one person, herself. Her mother and all other female characters are guilty victims of the culture, weak and unable to break free.
To make this work Count Paris is demoralized into a cardboard cutout villain. Romeo is reduced to spouting poetry which Juliet tires of rather quickly since their relationship spans only days.
Perhaps, Hewson has done us all a favor by helping us to visualize just how unattractive a person who is 'just me' is. This book reminds me that we have reached the outer limits of the cult of individuality and none of us can find it very fulfilling.
Still, Richard Armitage has a lovely voice.
What is an anachronism? Perhaps there is a certain time-travel joy in thinking what if Jane Austen was a modern girl? Or what if a modern girl got plopped down in Verona in the 15th century. This story is exactly that and it almost goes so far as to make the culture of Juliet's parents more appealing than our modern culture in which all of our Juliets are 'just me.' What if we could all be 'just me?' While it seems so appealing on paper and in our hearts even, the consequences to a society are devastating. In Hewson's messed up world Juliet is the only true person. She is true to exactly one person, herself. Her mother and all other female characters are guilty victims of the culture, weak and unable to break free.
To make this work Count Paris is demoralized into a cardboard cutout villain. Romeo is reduced to spouting poetry which Juliet tires of rather quickly since their relationship spans only days.
Perhaps, Hewson has done us all a favor by helping us to visualize just how unattractive a person who is 'just me' is. This book reminds me that we have reached the outer limits of the cult of individuality and none of us can find it very fulfilling.
Still, Richard Armitage has a lovely voice.
October 10, 2018
I loved the setting, historical details, and *some* of the backstories. I hated what Hewson did to Count Paris, rolled my eyes at Juliet's anachronistic feminism (I mean, feminism is cool, but anachronisms are not), and groaned at the end! The ending was SO wrong!
November 17, 2019
As a slight confession, my entire knowledge of the story of the Montagues versus the Capulets has been informed by social concepts-i.e the 'it is' against 'it is not' a love story. I have seen none of the films based on it, have not studied the play at school nor have I seen it performed. I was coming at this from a completely fresh angle and it was bloody terrifying. Not only is this one of the best known and loved of Shakespeare's tragedies, it is one I know the least about and David Hewson happens to be a favourite of mine due to his novels of 'The Killing' . So, no pressure there at all.
What I found, having no expectations, was a brilliantly conceived tale that was transplanted to the 15th century Renaissance period ,a seamless transition to a time of huge cultural, political and societal shifts. Juliet and Romeo are straddling a schism of personal and familial obligation at a time when it was both bold and dangerous to chase after their own dreams .
Centering Juliet and rejigging the title makes it different and compelling, it gives Juliet a voice and a role that has hitherto been merely seen as an adjunct to the males in the tale. As she says to her mother who is proposing she marries a suitable male who has 'admired her from afar'-
'Parents are just a little version of God,aren't they? He furnishes us with the faculty to form questions then slaps us down if we have the nerve to ask for a few answers in return.While you give us life,then,we want to own that life,you say...ooh,no, It's ours.You belong to us. We made you'.
She may be young but she has the measure of her parents Bianca and Luca, who see her as a pawn in a game that has been going on so long that it's origins are lost in the mist of time. It takes the very real and deep cultural significance of the classic play, takes away the arcahic language without losing any of the beauty of it and adds a modern -that feels so odd to write as it takes place so long ago-feel to a timeless tale.
It made me fall in love with these two young characters and the places they live in-the descriptions of Italy at the precipice of the Renaissance is compelling, verdant and richly described to the point where you can see the dark alleyways, smell the food and visualise the skyline of turrets.
The sense of obligation on the two youngest members of each dynasty is a tale as old as time, they must do as is expected of them , as the parents have done and theirs before them...this entire narrative is unravelled by tiny steps such as Romeo's decision not to grow a beard -'I didn't feel a lesser son for faling to follow in his lead'-Juliet's defiance at pretty much everything her father says and does, alongside her dismay at the way her mother looks constantly sad. If that is the example of marriage being held in front of her, no wonder being married off to Count Paris at 16 is such a joyless prospect!
The fascinating meetings, lies and missed opportunities are equisitely staged and will have you on the edge of your seat as you will the young lovers to finally overthrow generations of ill will and fighting.And as it hurtles on to it's inevitable conclusion, there are many twists and turns so that anyone familiar with this play, this story, will see it anew and hopefully with an appreciation for it deepened and strengthened.
I absolutely loved the bones of this tale and it just reminds me how vivid, how extraordinary the tales that Shakespeare told are. That they can be endlessly, and equisitely reinvented and retold in books such as 'Juliet & Romeo' is a wonderful thing. This is a book for anyone who has ever thought the works of the bard were too much for them, anyone with a love of this story or love stories, anyone who lokks books. I cannot recommend it highly enough, it took my breath away in suspense, drama, action and romance all of which were set against a beautiful, resonant Italian backdrop. It's a book for anyone who thinks they might not like Shaespeare, feel it is beyond them, or who had it spoiled for life by English teachers .
There still exists a type of prejudice which remains mostly unwritten and unsaid,that Shakespeare (and enjoying Shakespeare) is elitist and for those who can understand it due to their education. What this reminds me of, as a working class woman who lives in one of the poorest parts of Wales, in social housing, is that the universality of his themes are for everyone. David Hewson has done something incredible by taking a story known by the majority and making it accessible, readable and new again. He has reignited a passion in me for this time period as names popping up recalled memories of A Level History- the Borgias, Savaonarola, Machiavelli, all came flooding back, and at this point in time when we are again, poised for monumental change,art and revolution has become even more relevant and important than ever.
Thank you so very much for reading this far, if indeed you have, and hopefully the meaning will have tranversed these clumy words when I say please try and read 'Juliet & Romeo'. It is a wonderful ,brilliant book.
What I found, having no expectations, was a brilliantly conceived tale that was transplanted to the 15th century Renaissance period ,a seamless transition to a time of huge cultural, political and societal shifts. Juliet and Romeo are straddling a schism of personal and familial obligation at a time when it was both bold and dangerous to chase after their own dreams .
Centering Juliet and rejigging the title makes it different and compelling, it gives Juliet a voice and a role that has hitherto been merely seen as an adjunct to the males in the tale. As she says to her mother who is proposing she marries a suitable male who has 'admired her from afar'-
'Parents are just a little version of God,aren't they? He furnishes us with the faculty to form questions then slaps us down if we have the nerve to ask for a few answers in return.While you give us life,then,we want to own that life,you say...ooh,no, It's ours.You belong to us. We made you'.
She may be young but she has the measure of her parents Bianca and Luca, who see her as a pawn in a game that has been going on so long that it's origins are lost in the mist of time. It takes the very real and deep cultural significance of the classic play, takes away the arcahic language without losing any of the beauty of it and adds a modern -that feels so odd to write as it takes place so long ago-feel to a timeless tale.
It made me fall in love with these two young characters and the places they live in-the descriptions of Italy at the precipice of the Renaissance is compelling, verdant and richly described to the point where you can see the dark alleyways, smell the food and visualise the skyline of turrets.
The sense of obligation on the two youngest members of each dynasty is a tale as old as time, they must do as is expected of them , as the parents have done and theirs before them...this entire narrative is unravelled by tiny steps such as Romeo's decision not to grow a beard -'I didn't feel a lesser son for faling to follow in his lead'-Juliet's defiance at pretty much everything her father says and does, alongside her dismay at the way her mother looks constantly sad. If that is the example of marriage being held in front of her, no wonder being married off to Count Paris at 16 is such a joyless prospect!
The fascinating meetings, lies and missed opportunities are equisitely staged and will have you on the edge of your seat as you will the young lovers to finally overthrow generations of ill will and fighting.And as it hurtles on to it's inevitable conclusion, there are many twists and turns so that anyone familiar with this play, this story, will see it anew and hopefully with an appreciation for it deepened and strengthened.
I absolutely loved the bones of this tale and it just reminds me how vivid, how extraordinary the tales that Shakespeare told are. That they can be endlessly, and equisitely reinvented and retold in books such as 'Juliet & Romeo' is a wonderful thing. This is a book for anyone who has ever thought the works of the bard were too much for them, anyone with a love of this story or love stories, anyone who lokks books. I cannot recommend it highly enough, it took my breath away in suspense, drama, action and romance all of which were set against a beautiful, resonant Italian backdrop. It's a book for anyone who thinks they might not like Shaespeare, feel it is beyond them, or who had it spoiled for life by English teachers .
There still exists a type of prejudice which remains mostly unwritten and unsaid,that Shakespeare (and enjoying Shakespeare) is elitist and for those who can understand it due to their education. What this reminds me of, as a working class woman who lives in one of the poorest parts of Wales, in social housing, is that the universality of his themes are for everyone. David Hewson has done something incredible by taking a story known by the majority and making it accessible, readable and new again. He has reignited a passion in me for this time period as names popping up recalled memories of A Level History- the Borgias, Savaonarola, Machiavelli, all came flooding back, and at this point in time when we are again, poised for monumental change,art and revolution has become even more relevant and important than ever.
Thank you so very much for reading this far, if indeed you have, and hopefully the meaning will have tranversed these clumy words when I say please try and read 'Juliet & Romeo'. It is a wonderful ,brilliant book.
July 19, 2018
So I just finished listening to this audiobook written by David Hewson and performed by Richard Armitage. I confess I am a fan of Richard Armitage and I didn’t know David Hewson as a writer before, but I’m deeply impressed by both his writing and Armitage performance.
I’m Italian and I live near Verona, so the story of Romeo and Juliet is set in places I know very well, but I never liked that tragedy so much.
At first, I was interested in the audiobook mainly because of Richard Armitage, but, after it was announced, I began following the blog of David Hewson and everything became much more interesting. To promote the book, he created a sort of a treasure hunt in twelve weeks: every Saturday he wrote an article about Verona or about history and art of that times and then there were questions to answers. It was very interesting and every one of the questions was related to the background of the novel.
The author made a lot of research and the Verona of his novel is life-like and so real. Listening to the book I could recognize the places I know so well, I could imagine the characters in the streets of Verona and “see” the scenes in my mind.
Another thing I loved are the characters: every one of them has their own personality and Armitage was very good at giving them a different voice, accent and way to speak. I really loved Juliet and I feel she is the main character of the story, I loved her strong will and her witty replies (and her love for books!). The original story is a tragedy, but this novel has tragic and funny moments well mixed together. Often I found myself laughing because of the dialogues, then after a while I was moved or afraid for the characters. It gave me emotions and this only happens when a novel is good.
I’ll read other works from David Hewson for sure, I really liked how he writes. I hope a paper version of this book will come out sooner or later.
Richard Armitage performance was perfect, his voice is always clear and easy to understand even for me (I’m not English mother tongue) and it was very nice for me to hear him saying Italian words :)
So thank you to both David Hewson and Richard Armitage for this audiobook, I really, really loved it.
I’m Italian and I live near Verona, so the story of Romeo and Juliet is set in places I know very well, but I never liked that tragedy so much.
At first, I was interested in the audiobook mainly because of Richard Armitage, but, after it was announced, I began following the blog of David Hewson and everything became much more interesting. To promote the book, he created a sort of a treasure hunt in twelve weeks: every Saturday he wrote an article about Verona or about history and art of that times and then there were questions to answers. It was very interesting and every one of the questions was related to the background of the novel.
The author made a lot of research and the Verona of his novel is life-like and so real. Listening to the book I could recognize the places I know so well, I could imagine the characters in the streets of Verona and “see” the scenes in my mind.
Another thing I loved are the characters: every one of them has their own personality and Armitage was very good at giving them a different voice, accent and way to speak. I really loved Juliet and I feel she is the main character of the story, I loved her strong will and her witty replies (and her love for books!). The original story is a tragedy, but this novel has tragic and funny moments well mixed together. Often I found myself laughing because of the dialogues, then after a while I was moved or afraid for the characters. It gave me emotions and this only happens when a novel is good.
I’ll read other works from David Hewson for sure, I really liked how he writes. I hope a paper version of this book will come out sooner or later.
Richard Armitage performance was perfect, his voice is always clear and easy to understand even for me (I’m not English mother tongue) and it was very nice for me to hear him saying Italian words :)
So thank you to both David Hewson and Richard Armitage for this audiobook, I really, really loved it.
April 9, 2017
This is the first audiobook I have ever listened to that was written specifically for audio (there is no printed copy) and I have to admit, I was just a teensy bit skeptical. My skepticism quickly vanished when I started listening. Hewson breathes new life into this classic tale of tragic love with a beautifully written narrative that is perfectly suited to Armitage’s particular vocal talents. I especially like how Hewson reimagines Juliet as a forward-thinking woman pushing back against the patriarchal mores of her day.
January 21, 2017
This is the weakest of the series of novelizations of Shakespeare's plays. As with the others, there have been some changes to WS's version, but unlike the others, the changes in this are major. And by major, I mean MAJOR! Think of something major that could be changed...something REALLY major...yeah! That's it!
The author justifies this by saying he is going back to the source material upon which WS based his play. I call "FOUL!" The title of this work is "Romeo and Juliet." The series of which it is a part is a series of novelizations of WS's plays. If he wanted to do an audio version of the source material, then he should have called this "Jack and Jill: A Novel."
I am so disappointed with this that I am hesitant to try another--if another is released. Trust me, don't waste your time. Watch "West Side Story" instead.
The author justifies this by saying he is going back to the source material upon which WS based his play. I call "FOUL!" The title of this work is "Romeo and Juliet." The series of which it is a part is a series of novelizations of WS's plays. If he wanted to do an audio version of the source material, then he should have called this "Jack and Jill: A Novel."
I am so disappointed with this that I am hesitant to try another--if another is released. Trust me, don't waste your time. Watch "West Side Story" instead.
December 11, 2016
Narration was superb, as it's a trend with Richard Armitage. The style and character development is well done, though the ending left me thinking... wasn't this Juliet stronger, "independent"?. The ending different from what we are used to, was a bit disappointing. I thought sailing across the sea would be an option. Author has also too many preconceived ideas about Catholicism, but I guess that's typical among those who do not know much.
January 31, 2017
Spoiler Alert! Hewson's Juliet is not Shakespeare's Juliet. And that's a good thing. But, it's still R&J and I've never really loved this story. Shakespeare's lovers are whiny, overly dramatic kids. Hewson's are a bit more mature. But, still, ugh. I confess, I only listened to this because Richard Armitage was the reader. That man's gifted. Don't even get me started...
February 13, 2018
To be clear, the 2 star rating is nothing to do with Richard Armitage’s narration. I would listen to that man read an encyclopedia aloud with no complaints.
The two star rating is due to the story itself. Unnecessary changes to the plot and additions of backstories for characters that served no purpose ruined this adaptation for me.
The two star rating is due to the story itself. Unnecessary changes to the plot and additions of backstories for characters that served no purpose ruined this adaptation for me.
May 30, 2018
I’ve always been wary of reading modern adaptations of Shakespeare and approached Juliet and Romeo with some trepidation.
However, I found David Hewson’s version of this classic tale totally interesting and engaging. I felt considerable research had gone into creating an historically and geographically convincing story whilst adding in greater depth and detail of the times so that there is a pleasing and entertaining story that didn’t need any knowledge of Shakespeare and yet managed to retain a feeling of authenticity. There is still enough of the original well known story to satisfy purists completely and I liked the iterative image of death throughout and the way Queen Mab’s influence is given greater status. The links with contemporary figures of the era such as Machiavelli added multiple layers of extra interest.
Most though provoking and fascinating for me was the shift in the balance of the relationship between Juliet and Romeo, flagged from the initial reversal of their names in the presentation of the title. Whilst Juliet is always shown as feisty, I felt she had even greater power and was surprised that Romeo still retained my empathy even when he appeared fairly emasculated. Similarly, I found the depth of violence in Lord Capulet emphasised by David Henson was totally plausible so that the full range of characters actually felt more rounded than in Shakespeare’s play.
I thoroughly enjoyed the overall quality of the writing too. David Hewson makes highly effective use of the senses so that there is a vibrancy and authenticity to the story. There’s evocative and brilliantly researched food, music, politics and geographical detail woven effortlessly into the narrative so that Juliet and Romeo is a hugely satisfying read.
Whilst I think some curmudgeonly readers might struggle to appreciate David Hewson’s narrative as being different from Shakespeare’s version of the story, this would be an erroneous approach as a reader. As David Hewson himself points out, Juliet and Romeo is not a ‘translation’ of Shakespeare, but rather that Shakespeare is used as a resource and stimulus for an entertaining thriller. Whilst it’s great fun to spot the direct links with Shakespeare’s version of the story, a reader doesn’t need any prior knowledge to enjoy Juliet and Romeo as an engaging narrative in its own right. Great fun to read.
https://lindasbookbag.com/2018/05/30/...
However, I found David Hewson’s version of this classic tale totally interesting and engaging. I felt considerable research had gone into creating an historically and geographically convincing story whilst adding in greater depth and detail of the times so that there is a pleasing and entertaining story that didn’t need any knowledge of Shakespeare and yet managed to retain a feeling of authenticity. There is still enough of the original well known story to satisfy purists completely and I liked the iterative image of death throughout and the way Queen Mab’s influence is given greater status. The links with contemporary figures of the era such as Machiavelli added multiple layers of extra interest.
Most though provoking and fascinating for me was the shift in the balance of the relationship between Juliet and Romeo, flagged from the initial reversal of their names in the presentation of the title. Whilst Juliet is always shown as feisty, I felt she had even greater power and was surprised that Romeo still retained my empathy even when he appeared fairly emasculated. Similarly, I found the depth of violence in Lord Capulet emphasised by David Henson was totally plausible so that the full range of characters actually felt more rounded than in Shakespeare’s play.
I thoroughly enjoyed the overall quality of the writing too. David Hewson makes highly effective use of the senses so that there is a vibrancy and authenticity to the story. There’s evocative and brilliantly researched food, music, politics and geographical detail woven effortlessly into the narrative so that Juliet and Romeo is a hugely satisfying read.
Whilst I think some curmudgeonly readers might struggle to appreciate David Hewson’s narrative as being different from Shakespeare’s version of the story, this would be an erroneous approach as a reader. As David Hewson himself points out, Juliet and Romeo is not a ‘translation’ of Shakespeare, but rather that Shakespeare is used as a resource and stimulus for an entertaining thriller. Whilst it’s great fun to spot the direct links with Shakespeare’s version of the story, a reader doesn’t need any prior knowledge to enjoy Juliet and Romeo as an engaging narrative in its own right. Great fun to read.
https://lindasbookbag.com/2018/05/30/...
June 10, 2018
I loved reading this book, couldn't, in fact, put it down despite knowing Shakespeare's play through and through.
It's partially due to the backstories of the characters in question - it gave them depth and it gave reasons as to why they act the way they do, something that is not tangible in Shakespeare.
Despite this, I have many problems with this rendition. It was clear from the start that there was going to be some anachronistic feminism, some difference in Juliet.
Which would explain the ending...
But it does not explain the rest of the story. If she were so hardheaded, obstinate, determined and independent, she would not have been exposed to a love so powerful as to drive her to suicide, no matter what her family was like, how hard she had it.
Not to mention the fact that it's hardly believable for a sixteen-year old in 1499 to say the things she does and to act the way she does. And then she forgets all her characteristics when it is convenient for the author that she does so so as not to spoil the love between her and Romeo.
If a strong female lead is what Hewson was hoping for, I would have expected a more radical change in the narration, the story.
Instead, Hewson decides to cheat his readers by giving them what he thinks is the best of both worlds: the two naive, head-over-heels-in-love teenagers of Shakespeare and a strong female lead whenever it is convenient, so it would have a contemporary final twist at the very end.
Quite a shame, as, although Juliet and Romeo is tentative and faulty at the best of times, it was a fast-moving and thrilling read, only for the audience to feel absolutely cheated at the end for being led by a cheap thrill so the author eventually foists on the audience's lap some kind of didactic contemporary flim-flam so he'd feel better about taking Shakespeare's drama* as inspiration in the first place.
Good try, bad choice.
*Shakespeare had the decency to spoil the entire play in the first few sentences because his story was not about manipulating the audience at all. Should have been a hint for Hewson that.
It's partially due to the backstories of the characters in question - it gave them depth and it gave reasons as to why they act the way they do, something that is not tangible in Shakespeare.
Despite this, I have many problems with this rendition. It was clear from the start that there was going to be some anachronistic feminism, some difference in Juliet.
Which would explain the ending...
But it does not explain the rest of the story. If she were so hardheaded, obstinate, determined and independent, she would not have been exposed to a love so powerful as to drive her to suicide, no matter what her family was like, how hard she had it.
Not to mention the fact that it's hardly believable for a sixteen-year old in 1499 to say the things she does and to act the way she does. And then she forgets all her characteristics when it is convenient for the author that she does so so as not to spoil the love between her and Romeo.
If a strong female lead is what Hewson was hoping for, I would have expected a more radical change in the narration, the story.
Instead, Hewson decides to cheat his readers by giving them what he thinks is the best of both worlds: the two naive, head-over-heels-in-love teenagers of Shakespeare and a strong female lead whenever it is convenient, so it would have a contemporary final twist at the very end.
Quite a shame, as, although Juliet and Romeo is tentative and faulty at the best of times, it was a fast-moving and thrilling read, only for the audience to feel absolutely cheated at the end for being led by a cheap thrill so the author eventually foists on the audience's lap some kind of didactic contemporary flim-flam so he'd feel better about taking Shakespeare's drama* as inspiration in the first place.
Good try, bad choice.
*Shakespeare had the decency to spoil the entire play in the first few sentences because his story was not about manipulating the audience at all. Should have been a hint for Hewson that.
May 24, 2018
I was a little curious as to how the modern feel of the book would translate from such a classic, but actually the language felt incredibly natural and as such was really easy to get into.
was a little curious as to how the modern feel of the book would translate from such a classic, but actually the language felt incredibly natural and as such was really easy to get into.
Hewson sets the scene by depicting the long standing feud between the Capulet's and Montague's as the heads of each house over wine trade. Even the servants will brawl amongst themselves in honour of their masters. Tension is at an all high in the stifling heat with Tybalt chomping at the bit to start a quarrel with any of the Montague clan.
True to the original text, Romeo is mooning over Rosaline whilst Mercutio teases him endlessly for his romantic poetic notions. He then sneaks into the Capulet ball and see's Juliet and immediately his pining for Rosaline is forgotten.
Juliet is refreshingly different in this book. She is smart, challenges the ideologies pushed on her by her parents and even whilst falling in love with Romeo has the feminist strength within to claim herself her own, that she belongs to no one. This aspect I loved.
The secondary characters are really brought to life, such as Friar Laurence and Nurse. Nurse was brilliant, she had no tact or grace and would happily share mortifying stories of Juliet when she was little. Yet Hewson gives heart, as you hear their background stories that make you connect in a way that just hadn't occurred to me whilst reading Shakespeare's original play.
There are enough of Shakespeare's classic traits in this story; it has thwarted lovers, fights, mistaken identities and passion. Yet Hewson has injected a sensuality and feministic traits that will engage newer readers like never before.
I loved this Juliet and her Romeo. A brilliant 4 star for me.
The biggest thanks to Emily Glenister at The Dome Press for for a copy of this beautiful book.
was a little curious as to how the modern feel of the book would translate from such a classic, but actually the language felt incredibly natural and as such was really easy to get into.
Hewson sets the scene by depicting the long standing feud between the Capulet's and Montague's as the heads of each house over wine trade. Even the servants will brawl amongst themselves in honour of their masters. Tension is at an all high in the stifling heat with Tybalt chomping at the bit to start a quarrel with any of the Montague clan.
True to the original text, Romeo is mooning over Rosaline whilst Mercutio teases him endlessly for his romantic poetic notions. He then sneaks into the Capulet ball and see's Juliet and immediately his pining for Rosaline is forgotten.
Juliet is refreshingly different in this book. She is smart, challenges the ideologies pushed on her by her parents and even whilst falling in love with Romeo has the feminist strength within to claim herself her own, that she belongs to no one. This aspect I loved.
The secondary characters are really brought to life, such as Friar Laurence and Nurse. Nurse was brilliant, she had no tact or grace and would happily share mortifying stories of Juliet when she was little. Yet Hewson gives heart, as you hear their background stories that make you connect in a way that just hadn't occurred to me whilst reading Shakespeare's original play.
There are enough of Shakespeare's classic traits in this story; it has thwarted lovers, fights, mistaken identities and passion. Yet Hewson has injected a sensuality and feministic traits that will engage newer readers like never before.
I loved this Juliet and her Romeo. A brilliant 4 star for me.
The biggest thanks to Emily Glenister at The Dome Press for for a copy of this beautiful book.
March 3, 2022
I don't have any especially strong feelings about the source material and, if I'm being frank, I don't have especially strong feelings for David Hewson's Audible novelization other than to say I am a devotee of whatever church worships Richard Armitage's magnificence. The story is what it is. It was billed as a novelization of the original, not a retelling, so I came in expecting the same story in a different package. I probably never would have given this book the time of day if it wasn't narrated by the divine Richard Armitage and been part of a 2 for 1 sale on Audible. That being said, predictable stories can still be very good stories. Despite knowing where this tale as old as time was going at every turn, I found myself eager to return to it. I am sure Richard Armitage's smooth as silk narration had a little something to do with that. It didn't offer much in the way of pizazz, but I still rather enjoyed Hewson's take on this story (especially the minor deviation at the end). I also enjoyed the author's note that brought real life context to the fictional setting and this fictional tale that is so mythic in our popular culture. On a less significant note, the cover art is quite nice. And on a note entirely unrelated to the book...
Dear Richard Armitage,
Please create a Cameo account so that I can give you absolutely all of my money to just read things to me.
Best regards,
M
Dear Richard Armitage,
Please create a Cameo account so that I can give you absolutely all of my money to just read things to me.
Best regards,
M
July 18, 2021
When I discovered Shakespeare as a teenager (oddly, we never studied him in school, nor Dickens. I came to them both of my own accord, and as a result I love them both. Don't get me started on my intense dislike of The Inheritors however...), I naturally gravitated towards Romeo and Juliet. Not only is it one of the more accessible of Shakespeare's plays in terms of language, but the story is perfection for an angsty hormone-ridden teenage girl... My copy of the play eventually fell apart because I'd read and re-read it so often.
In this adaptation, the heart of the story is still there, however Hewson explores beyond the Bard's words to flesh out the story with numerous well-developed characters, and interesting diversions away from the titular characters. The "plague" angle was interesting, and handled pretty well, I thought.
Enjoyable. And brilliantly narrated by Richard Armitage, as always.
In this adaptation, the heart of the story is still there, however Hewson explores beyond the Bard's words to flesh out the story with numerous well-developed characters, and interesting diversions away from the titular characters. The "plague" angle was interesting, and handled pretty well, I thought.
Enjoyable. And brilliantly narrated by Richard Armitage, as always.
July 6, 2017
I can't stand it when people say Romeo and Juliet is the best romance ever. Uh, no. They were both idiotic teenagers. Romeo only married her because he wanted the goods. What a horndog. And then they got all dramatic about it.
Well, Hewson managed to get me invested in Romeo and Juliet. For one thing, his Juliet is stellar. The author points out in the author's notes at the end that Juliet was always the more rational one, telling Romeo not to swear by the moon because the moon is so inconstant. And in the play, she was the one who was like, yeah, great we're oh so in love, but you gotta put a ring on it first.
Hewson gives a background story to each of the characters, explaining their allegiances and giving definition to what started the feud between Montegue and Capulet.
The writing is crisp and clever, breathing new life into this old, old story. And even though I know how the story goes, I was so invested, I found myself searching for a way out of the inevitable.
Well, Hewson managed to get me invested in Romeo and Juliet. For one thing, his Juliet is stellar. The author points out in the author's notes at the end that Juliet was always the more rational one, telling Romeo not to swear by the moon because the moon is so inconstant. And in the play, she was the one who was like, yeah, great we're oh so in love, but you gotta put a ring on it first.
Hewson gives a background story to each of the characters, explaining their allegiances and giving definition to what started the feud between Montegue and Capulet.
The writing is crisp and clever, breathing new life into this old, old story. And even though I know how the story goes, I was so invested, I found myself searching for a way out of the inevitable.
October 11, 2020
I've always love the story of Romeo and Juliet and when I saw this in the shop I knew I had to have it! The story was, obviously, derived from the original and was supposed to have a modern twist. I am not as well known with the original to know which twist it was to be honest. The more I read in a day, the more I started to love Hewson's writing style.
I personally loved Juliet in this retelling. The way she was written she was an independent young woman who knew what she wanted and more importantly, what she didn't want. She was not afraid to speak her mind and truth, but unfortunately, this fell on deaf ears. Her parents were so stuck in their ways that they did not want to see that Juliet's stubbornness was not born from ignorance or childishness, but from love and hope. She longed for a life with Romeo. One, that we all know, she never would have.
I personally loved Juliet in this retelling. The way she was written she was an independent young woman who knew what she wanted and more importantly, what she didn't want. She was not afraid to speak her mind and truth, but unfortunately, this fell on deaf ears. Her parents were so stuck in their ways that they did not want to see that Juliet's stubbornness was not born from ignorance or childishness, but from love and hope. She longed for a life with Romeo. One, that we all know, she never would have.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 11, 2020
I have never read the original tale of Romeo and Juliet. When I saw a retelling of the tale on audiobook, it seemed like a good way to familiarize myself with the story. From what I can understand, the retelling was fairly consistent with the original except for the ending.
Overall, I thought the story was a bit silly.
Overall, I thought the story was a bit silly.
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