Wednesday, July 21, 2010

Review; The Juliet Club by Suzanne Harper

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The Juliet Club by Suzanne Harper

Description (from Goodreads); Italy . . . Shakespeare . . . but no romance?
Kate Sanderson inherited her good sense from her mother, a disciplined law professor, and her admiration for the Bard from her father, a passionate Shakespeare scholar. When she gets dumped, out of the blue, for the Practically Perfect Ashley Lawson, she vows never to fall in love again. From now on she will control her own destiny, and every decision she makes will be highly reasoned and rational. She thinks Shakespeare would have approved.
So when she is accepted to a summer Shakespeare symposium in Verona, Italy, Kate sees it as the ideal way to get over her heartbreak once and for all. She'll lose herself in her studies, explore ancient architecture, and eat plenty of pasta and gelato. (Plus, she'll be getting college credit for it—another goal accomplished!) But can even completely logical Kate resist the romance of living in a beautiful villa in the city where those star-crossed lovers Romeo and Juliet met and died for each other? Especially when the other Shakespeare Scholars—in particular Giacomo, with his tousled brown hair, expressive dark eyes, and charming ways—try hard to break her protective shell?
"In fair Verona, where we lay our scene . . . "

Review;
The Juliet Club is one of the ultimate romantic stories out there. If you like your novels with a hint of the dramatic flavour Shakespeare twisted into Romeo and Juliet, then this book is for you.

Our main protagonists are Kate and Giacamo (*swoon*) and the book is set against the rich culture of Verona, Italy, the same place in which the star-crossed Shakespearean lovers met. Along with them are two other Americans, Lucy and Tom, and two Italians, Benno and Silvia.

While the first 60 pages were a little slow moving for me and didn’t hook me with finality, the pace did pick up into a pleasantly steady trickle of romance. Just when I began to notice the plot was slowing, it would pick right back up again.

It also addressed the love versus logic argument so often indulged in regarding Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet. Personally, I was always on the side that agreed Romeo and Juliet fell too hard, too fast and too superficially (as much of a romantic as I am!). But this novel did alter that…it drew you into the love stories in the same way and made you feel that perhaps, just perhaps, that kind of love was possible. It was also excellent in that it met a lot of the modern day teen relationship dramas through the letters to Juliet.

I could appreciate, but in the same moment dislike, the way the novel completely faded to black when Giacamo and Kate got close. And by this I mean there was a part where I think that they *may* have kissed, but it was never stated. In this, it was nice to be open to interpretation. However, I think it drove me nuts more often, not knowing what was happening. And just when things got interesting, too! (So any parents, this novel is definitely G rated, LOL!)

The mystery surrounding the couples and who would get with who was well done, though predictable. I could tell who would end up with who but a few times Harper cast a lot of doubt on my certainties!

In the end, the resolution was cute, with no heartbreaking goodbyes, although I felt it was a touch rushed after the concluding drama. However, it was certainly satisfying and the book has left me with a longing to travel to Italy! (Pasta, anyone?)

Rating; 4 Horses



Read it if you liked; Taylor Swift’s song “Love Story” and the accompanying video clip! (Not a book but is definitely the same tone!)

1 comment:

Nomes said...

I love reading your reviews. I love the cover of this one, the girl model just looks like someone I want to read about :)

Love the horses @ the bottom too, you're one rocking girl :)

xx

I think I'll like this one. LOL @ mentioning the Taylor Swift as a reference. i get what you mean :)