Still Star-Crossed by Melinda Taub
My Rating: ★★★★★
Still Star-Crossed picks up a few weeks after the events that take place in Shakespeare's famous play, Romeo and Juliet. The Montagues and Capulets have agreed to make peace after Romeo and Juliet secretly married and died in the midst of both houses ongoing feuds. However, the peace agreement is merely a band-aid that's barely holding on. Tension is high throughout Verona as its citizens are increasingly unable to stick to the agreement. Rather than finding a way to live in peace, they continue the feud to avenge the lost members of their houses. However, Prince Escalus as devised a plan to force everyone to hold the peace. He has ordered Rosaline, a childhood friend who hails from the Capulet house, and Romeo's friend Benvolio Montague to marry. Escalus believes that this marriage will be what cements the peace agreement in place.
Taub brings Rosaline to life as the female protagonist of the story. Unhappy with the cards that life has dealt her, Rosaline plans to enter a nunnery rather than marry. However, fate has other plans for her as her childhood friend Escalus tries to force her into a marriage with a Montague of all people. Rosaline is a stubborn character who has spent most of her life living independently with her sister on her aunt's property after they were orphaned. However, she is also intelligent, caring, and level headed. Her characteristics and overall attitude make her relatable and even funny at times. Benvolio is also brought to life as the male protagonist who compliments Rosaline as a cunning, wise, and intelligent character. The pair detests one another from the beginning, but their witty exchanges left me eagerly awaiting their next meeting.
I love the way that Taub brings this world to life in a new way. These characters, some of which did not show their faces much in the drama, are fleshed out. I found myself identifying with Rosaline and Livia because they are realistic siblings. They may not always agree, but they deeply care for one another and are concerned for each other's well-being. Benvolio is brought to life as a genuinely caring person even for those he does not care for. He's the person that one would describe as all around good fellow even if we did not particular care to get to know him. Squished together, Rosaline and Benvolio face some entertaining drama as they seek to find out who is fueling the fire between their houses in an attempt to nullify their engagement, only to fall in love every step of the way. It's fun to see various characters, such as Father Friar and Paris, come to life in new ways. I found myself glued to the pages, and I am more excited about the upcoming television series than I was before.
