Juliet Immortal by Stacey Jay
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Pages: 304
Publisher: Delacorte
Published: August 9th, 2011
IBSN: 9780385740166
Juliet Capulet didn't take her own life. She was murdered by the person she trusted most, her new husband, Romeo Montague, a sacrifice made to ensure his own immortality. But what Romeo didn't anticipate was that Juliet would be granted eternity, as well, and would become an agent for the Ambassadors of Light. For 700 years, she's fought Romeo for the souls of true lovers, struggling to preserve romantic love and the lives of the innocent. Until the day she meets someone she's forbidden to love, and Romeo, oh Romeo, will do everything in his power to destroy that love.
William Shakespeare's tragic Romeo And Juliet was a lie, but the real story is tragic also. Juliet did kill herself, but rather, Romeo did, after finding that taking the life of a soul mate grants immortality. Now, thousands of years later, they're on opposing sides. She, with the Ambassadors, fights for love, and he of the Mercenaries fights to destroy it.
Juliet Immortal surprised me. It's definitely not something I would have read on my own, considering the cover and blurb give off a Not For Skye vibe. But my friend came to school halfway through this raving about it, and even if she does have questionable taste, she doesn't often get that enthusiastic about books, so I gave it a try.
And like I said, I was surprised. Sure, this book had its issues with cliches and sappiness and deus ex machina, but it reminded me of reading The DUFF in that I had so much fun despite so many little things frustrating me. I actually read this book several weeks ago, and I remember very much enjoying it. But now I'm looking back and noticing objectively bad things about it.
Stacey Jay's writing style was smooth, as was the pacing until we hit the story's climax and her conveniently hidden mentor begins dropping hints to lead her to and guide her during the complication. The plot was engaging, though, and Jay succeeded at creating a plot that is exciting at least.
Juliet was determined, but so much so that she was blind to the obvious occasionally. She herself was an interesting enough character to follow, but the quasi binary opposition she had going with Romeo was the real dynamic that had me intrigued. Scratch that, just Romeo. His chaotic goodish, bipolar nature had me seeking out his appearances especially.
With an unexpected and slightly contrived conclusion, Juliet Immortal was a unique spin on the original tale. It was well-paced and enjoyable, but it had problems too to balance the positives.
I give Juliet Immortal a 3 out of 5.
