An interesting spin on Rome and Juliet. We get the story of Rosaline and are able to discover more about the character.

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐
Genre: Historical Fiction + Retelling

This version of the well-known love story of Romeo and Juliet is a retelling, but it is presented from Rosaline's point of view instead of Romeo and Juliet's. Rosaline is a headstrong and self-reliant young lady who engages in negotiations with her father in an effort to dissuade him from sending her to join a convent. Things begin to turn around for her after she meets Romeo Montague, and the assurances he gives her give her the hope she has been searching for in her life until now. However, will he be able to keep each of his promises?

Even though I have never read Shakespeare's original play, I am well familiar with the tale and how it resolves. It was fascinating to read the story from a point of view that was distinct from that of the story's primary protagonists in the source material. Despite the fact that I had a hard time empathizing with the main character, I respected the author for imbuing her with several admirable qualities. It was fascinating to observe how she responded and conducted herself in each of the diverse and challenging circumstances that she encountered.

The story of Fair Rosaline is an honest one. It's not a terrible narrative, and it has some interesting characters. My gut tells me that the extent to which you will enjoy it depends entirely on your individual preferences and, possibly, the degree to which you are willing to divert from the novel's central love narrative.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC of this book.

Romeo and Juliet is my least favorite Shakespeare play for good reason. And for some reason retelling of said play does not work. I don't think there's anything that can redeem that story.

When I saw the premise of Fair Rosaline, I couldn't wait to get my hands on it. As a huge fan of Romeo and Juliet, feminist retellings, Shakespeare reimagined, and the anachronistic rom-com Rosaline, I already knew that this was going to be one of my favorite reads of 2023. And then, it wasn't.

From the first page, I struggled to connect with the writing style. It's a blend between Shakespearean and modern that creates a considerable distance between the reader and the subject matter. While I did like the moments Solomons directly borrowed Shakespeare's language, I felt the blending with her own writing came off as a little clunky. I had a similar criticism of Maggie O'Farrell's Hamnet, and readers adored the language there, so this might just be a personal dislike.

Once I got about halfway through, when Rosaline (spoiler) realizes that Romeo never loved her, the pace picked up significantly and I actually began to connect with Rosaline. I really like what Solomons did with her character -- she's got an agency, attitude, and drive that feels realistic to what a girl could do in 14th century Verona, but also not overly modern. I love her bond with Juliet and Tybalt, and I felt that all the characters were well-drawn. In terms of the plot twist--Romeo is a honeypot for a pedophile ring run by Friar Laurence--I didn't hate it as other reviewers did, but it felt unnecessary. Couldn't Romeo have just been a twentysomething creep going around seducing teenagers, with the Friar as his oblivious friend? To me, it's scarier and more realistic that the "innocent" Friar would defend Romeo's word over the word of a bunch of teenage girls. In this alternate twist, the end where Rosaline saves Juliet and takes down Romeo still could have happened, and it wouldn't have been as head-shakingly implausible as the ending we got.

Those critiques aside, the author's note at the back shows that she definitely did her research and carefully examined the source material, two things that are important in successful retellings -- and I do think this retelling will be successful for many readers. Even though Fair Rosaline did not meet my expectations and included a few of my readerly pet peeves, I admire the care that Solomons took in stitching together various Shakespearean "Rosaline(d)s" to create her heroine.

Thank you to NetGalley, SourcebooksLandmark, and Natasha Solomons for providing me this e-ARC in exchange for my honest review!

3.5 stars for this retelling I never knew I needed! I loved hearing the classic Romeo and Juliet from the viewpoint of his forgotten lover, Rosaline. Her voice is sharp and smart, although seeing her leave that behind for Romeo during their short tryst was painful. The ending was fast-paced and interesting to read. I felt that most of the prose was too flowery and trying to be Shakespearean, and there was so much I didn’t need. I wanted tighter, more concise storytelling to get me to 4-5 stars. It felt like a slog too many times. Characters were on point, though! Thanks to NetGalley for the advance copy in exchange for an honest review.

This is such a beautifully crafted historical novel. Solomons' writing is poetic, transporting readers to a bygone era. A captivating tale of love, loss, and resilience that will leave you spellbound.

This was an absolutely lovely book and I loved the twist to the Romeo and Juliet story told from the eyes of a character we learn very little of in the original. Rosaline is a quick-witted and wonderful character who I found myself really connecting with throughout the whole story. The dialog of the story was delightfully Shakespearean while mixing with the more modern writing of the actions perfectly. I also really enjoyed seeing Romeo as a villain of the story rather than a tragic hero, so bonus points for that.

Before Juliet, there was Rosaline. And she is spilling the tea on Romeo (spoiler: he’s the ultimate f***boy) Interesting, dark alternative take on the classic Shakespeare tragedy, although 90’s teenage me insists that Leo would NEVER!

Thanks to NetGalley for the e-ARC!

This was such a fun reframing and retelling of Romeo and Juliet. It keeps the tragic arc while showing the dark sides of the characters because it’s no longer tragic love but bad people doing bad things. It feels like so much happens in a short time frame but it gives more context than the four day play. Also the fact that for scenes that are shown in the play the dialogue is near to identical was really fun as it felt connected to the source while adding depth

Let me start by saying it has been years since I read Romeo and Juliette so I didn’t even remember that he loved Rosaline first. This is her story. While only receiving a cursory mention in Shakespeare’s play Solomons has fully fleshed her out telling the story of Romeo before Juliette. While the story started out slowly, I was soon captivated by Rosaline’s tale. A teenager of only fifteen years, Rosaline is quickly captivated by the older Romeo, whom she meets after sneaking into a party at the Montague estate. And Romeo quickly becomes captivated with Rosaline, who only has twelve days to live life to the fullest before being shipped off to a nunnery. Falling madly in love with Romeo, Rosaline ignores all the red flags regarding his character until it becomes blatantly obvious he is not the man she thought he was. Not to be deterred Romeo then sets his sites on Rosaline’s younger cousin Juliette. It is up to Rosaline to save her from Romeo’s lovable yet cunning and at times despicable ways. Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for giving me an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review. Four stars

We’ve all read her name at the beginning of Shakespeare’s most romantic play — and then promptly forgotten her. But this book examines “Fair Rosaline” — and that supposedly romantic story — in a new and refreshingly feminist light. In this retelling, Rosalind is, in fact, Juliet’s cousin. When the much older and disturbingly predatory Romeo moves on the famously young Juliet, it is not revenge but love that launches Rosalind into action. The story looks the same to the outward eye, but readers end the story with a different truth.
Natasha Solomons takes ideas that have been right in front of audiences for centuries and questions them from boldly progressive and feminist perspective. In the post-MeToo era, she forces the reader to face uncomfortable facts about characters long assumed to be peers in a young, consensual love affair. However, we then are led to think more about Shakespeare’s larger intentions; he mentions Juliet’s age numerous times and Romeo’s none and leaves several gaps — not holes — in the plot. Overall, a superbly written, historical retelling that provokes far more intellectual thought than one would think. 5/5.

Actual Rating: 2.5

I’m all for modernized Shakespearean retellings from the perspective of different characters, and I’d actually watched Hulu’s film Rosaline and loved it too. The interpretation in this book, however, is not one I really clicked with.

The story is pretty much the one everyone knows. Before Juliet there was Rosaline, who just managed to convince her father to give her a week of freedom before sending her off to a convent after her mother’s passing. Rosaline grows to realize, however, that Romeo is not the romantic suitor he seems. When Rosaline confronts him, he turns his predatory gaze upon her younger cousin Juliet, and only Rosaline can stop it.

In terms of writing style, there were definitely some moments of inconsistency — sometimes it felt more Shakespearean and other times it was more modern. Still, it was passable and Rosaline’s voice, as that of a very headstrong and willful character who was still young and impulsive, was great to listen to. In fact, I felt like Rosaline’s character was rounded out really well, as was Tybalt, who barely got any screen time in the original play.

On the other hand, Romeo and Juliet are two characters that I struggled to reconcile with their original versions. Juliet’s was not so extreme, but I still felt a lack of agency. Romeo, however, felt very different. The story essentially transformed him into a one-dimensional villain, a pedophilic playboy in cahoots with the Friar. From then on, the story felt more black-and-white and one-note, compared to the earlier subtler theme of gendered social and familial expectations which I enjoyed more and felt less forced.

As a result, the book doesn’t really seem like it was made for someone who actually likes the source material. Considering how many things were changed and the way this is presented as a feminist retelling, I’m not sure fans of the original would appreciate the changes. Even as someone who never really liked the original R&J that much anyways, I still felt like the changes were hard to swallow.

Overall, I think someone who likes historical or Shakespearean era stories might still enjoy this, but it’s important to keep in mind that the modern changes are very prevalent.

not sure why everyone in the original story (except, tellingly, rosaline's male family members) needed to be pedophiles for this story to work? i enjoy reading alternate histories that fill in gaps in our understanding, much like madeline miller's "the song of achilles." i do also enjoy other retellings, such as "these violent delights" by chloe gong. but this seems neither revolutionary enough (the prose is a bit stilted, as if it's a chimera that hasn't quite decided between shakespearean frivolity or YA-esque dialogue) nor nuanced enough for me to enjoy reading it the way i wanted to.

okay, this book was so adorable!! i know a lot of people did not like this one, but i really really did! it was so fun and sweet and precious! thank you so much to netgalley for letting me read this one early!!!

First, I’ve never been a fan of Romeo and Juliet. Shocking, I know (not really for those who know me). It’s an overdone tragedy when there are plenty of others out there that can fit the bill as easily as Romeo and Juliet. Now, this is not a judgment on anyone if they do like Romeo and Juliet. I don’t think less of you, nor am I judging you or your tastes…okay, maybe I’m judging your tastes a teensy tiny bit.

However, one of the genres of fiction I do love reading are retellings/reimaginings of fairy tales or classic stories. Fair Rosaline by Natasha Solomons fits not only that genre but portrays Romeo in a way that I definitely agree with and provides a much more satisfying ending.

I love that Solomons didn’t just create her own version of Rosaline for the book but drew on inspiration from other Rosaline(d) that Shakespeare wrote, As You Like It and Love’s Labours Lost. In her author’s note at the end, she mentions that her main inspiration for her Rosaline was Love’s Labours Lost. This Rosaline and Solomons own are brilliant, powerful, and clever women. It’s a great way to introduce characters to a woman who, while she understands the world around her and her place in it, still doesn’t like it.

Juliet in the novel is an adorable, innocent, playful 13-year-old (Rosaline is 15 years old) who, of course, is going to have to marry because she is her parents' only child who made it to “adulthood.” On the other hand, Rosaline is the second child of Masseto, plus he already has a son who is married with children. Rosaline is superfluous to their lives now. Both of these characters are refreshing as they actually do feel feminist while remaining accurate to their time period. I’m thinking of Sue Monk Kidd’s The Book of Longings and how Ana is very much a modern-day woman dropped into a historical fiction novel. Her reactions to arranged marriage make absolutely no sense as this wouldn’t come as a shock to her. While upset by the nunnery, Rosaline understands that her father does not need her. She was just under the impression that she would be married off soon instead.

It was great to read a Romeo who is represented as he should be, a lecherous older man. Before anyone comments, I know I’m looking back on history with moral values and attitudes in mind. But answer me this: why is Juliet’s age brought up? I don’t recall other Shakespeare plays where the ages are mentioned, referenced, referred to, or at all important. There’s also the scene at the beginning with Papa Capulet and Paris discussing Juliet’s engagement to him, and her father remarks, “She hath not seen the change of fourteen years./Let two more summers wither in their pride/Ere we may think her ripe to be a bride.” One significant event girls/women go through in their life is menstruation to prepare the body for pregnancy, which I’m positive is what Capulet is referring to by her not yet being “ripe” (let’s not analyze how gross that phrasing is). I’m not a Shakespeare or Elizabethan-era scholar, so I cannot fully say what happens in the original play. But I do like the idea that in Solomons novel Romeo is portrayed as he should be a flighty, lecherous, man who preys on young girls to get what he wants (sex, the answer is always sex).

The one, tiny aspect of the novel that kept grinding on my nerves was Rosaline’s insistence that her life would be over when she entered the convent. Yes, it’s not the life she wants, but given her options are marriage, destitution, or the convent, I’d take the convent. I was hoping when she visits the convent and speaks with the abbess, she would realize that the convent is not the death sentence she thinks it is. They practice herbology, sing and practice music, and write down their history, it’s a beautiful place of knowledge. Yes, they still devote their lives to God, but practicing music and using herbal medicine is how they use their gifts to please God.

Definitely a feminist retelling of a classic story that was definitely, definitely NOT a romance, love story, or anything remotely close to that. It’s a story of young, naive people who try to experience as much as possible in this world and, unfortunately, wind up burned. Fair Rosaline does give us a twist providing a happier ending for both Juliet and our “fair Rosaline.”

I love a good retelling espesually one that takes the story and flips it on its head! This one took a bit to get into, but once you get passed the slower, historical intro it starts to move pretty quick! I definitely plan to read this author more in the future.

I had a hard time with the writing style of this book. I was hoping it would be a fresh take on Romeo and Juliet and written in modern language. Not so much. I was not able to finish this book, it just did not hold my interest. Fans of Shakespeare may enjoy.

I thought I would enjoy it. I really did but each time I picked up the book my head was immediately like "nope" I couldn't get into the story and the characters really annoyed me on a level I didn't think would be possible.

"Fair Rosaline." Who is this book for?

I really struggled to compose this review, as I truly wanted to enjoy this book. The premise itself was intriguing, and I can tell that the author put a great deal of work into creating a cohesive world.

However, I really struggled with this story. Everything in it felt obtuse and slow, as torpid as the summer heat in our setting of the plague-ridden city of Verona. The prose is pseudo-Shakespearean, so both the narrative and the dialogue feel cumbersome. The plot circles back and repeats several times. Rosaline herself waffles between trusting her instincts and following her impulses, and we spend easily a quarter of the story in her head as she debates back-and-forth with herself. The villains in the story, Romeo and Friar Laurence, are transparently evil to the reader, but it takes almost two-thirds of the book for Rosaline to reach that same conclusion. Not one character shines with humor or cleverness; I also don't think there was single redeenubg male character in the story. Even Tybalt, who refuses to accept Rosaline's rejections of his love.

The whole story is frustrating, and I was left wondering who it was written for. Is it for a literary audience? The lack of subtlety in the story and writing would seem to put that to the lie. Is it for a YA audience? While I supposed it's good to show a young audience so obviously the ways in which Romeo was grooming Rosaline and the other girls, the dialogue and slowness in plot progression would seem like an obstacle in appealing to that crowd. Is it for a general fiction or book club? Again, I don't think this story would appeal to anyone not prepared to slog though Shakespearean prose.

Beautiful cover, though.

Received a copy for review.
Although I appreciated more information about Rosaline and appreciated that Romeo didn’t cause the end of Juliet, this book went a few steps too far.
Perhaps if I hadn’t already read 2 reimaginings of R&J, I might have enjoyed this more.