Saving Juliet (YA)

Saving Juliet. By Suzanne Selfors. 2008. Walker Books. 272 pages. [YA Romance/YA Fantasy]

My story begins at six forty-five on a Saturday evening, one year ago. On that eventful night, winter pounced on New York City like a hungry tomcat.

Our heroine, Mimi Wallingford, is sick and tired of being Juliet. But since she's a Wallingford, she has to perform no matter how sick or how tired. It's her heritage, her legacy, performing at the family-owned theatre is her destiny. Supposedly. According to her oh-so-bossy mother who has been 'borrowing' from her trust fund just to make ends meet at the theatre. What does Mimi want? Well, she'd like to be a doctor. Maybe. It's not so much that she knows exactly what she wants to do with the rest of her life. It's just that she knows she wants choices, options, the opportunity to make her own decisions, be her own person.

Mimi is starring opposite of teen heart throb, Troy Summer. He was hired not so much because he's a brilliant Shakespearean actor, but because her mother thinks--knows--that he'll bring in lots of fans to see the production. Fans that couldn't care less about Shakespeare, but fans that will pay to see Troy be Romeo.

But what happens when these two stars are magically transported into the story itself. Troy, dressed as a Montague, and Mimi as a Capulet. Will they be pulled into the drama of two families at war with one another? Can a modern-girl like Mimi change Juliet's fate?

What did I think of this one? Well, I thought it was an enjoyable light read. I found the premise unique and interesting. I didn't love it, but I did like it. What I liked was how it showed that Shakespeare plays do have some relevance. Mimi did discover that she had more in common with Juliet than she ever thought possible. And it was cute that Troy's 'new' song made into Verona.

Girl you got me throwin',
Girl you got me sowin',
Down the seeds of love,
Down the seeds of love.
Girl you got me rowin',
Girl you got me stowin'
On the sea of love,
On the sea of love. (23, in the ARC)

turns into...

Girl thou hath me ringing, girl thou hath me dinging
The bells of love, the bells of love.
Girl thou hath me sharing, girl thou hath me swearing
The vows of love, the vows of love.
Girl, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh. oh, girl
I'm speaking of thee, girl. (185, in the ARC)

© Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews