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Romeo and Juliet
(Graphic Classics)
by
Gareth Hinds’s stylish graphic adaptation of the Bard’s romantic tragedy offers modern touches — including a diverse cast that underscores the story’s universality.
She’s a Capulet. He’s a Montague. But when Romeo and Juliet first meet, they don’t know they’re from rival families — and when they find out, they don’t care. Their love is honest and raw and all-consuming. But ...more
She’s a Capulet. He’s a Montague. But when Romeo and Juliet first meet, they don’t know they’re from rival families — and when they find out, they don’t care. Their love is honest and raw and all-consuming. But ...more
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Hardcover, 144 pages
Published
September 10th 2013
by Candlewick Press
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Graphic novel form of the famous play makes this easy to read and understand. I don't know if this is unabridged or not, but most of the play is here. I think the English is modernized too. The art is lovely and the characters are still timeless. Gareth says he used a diverse cast to show that this story is universal. I found it quick and easy to read and I think it would be great for youngsters who are curious about these stories.
I want to look at more of Gareth Hinds work. This was good and a ...more
I want to look at more of Gareth Hinds work. This was good and a ...more

*4.75
WHY?
I've read this graphic novel so many times. I picked it up just now to read with the play for my Shakespeare class. So tell me why, this time, it made me cry? Tell me why the penultimate page brought tears to my eyes!
I feel like I'm a little more worldly now on this play, so I won't say what I once said that this book is the singular best adaptation of Romeo and Juliet. But it's still really, really good. The added racial layer is another benefit.
I love all of the little additions that ...more
WHY?
I've read this graphic novel so many times. I picked it up just now to read with the play for my Shakespeare class. So tell me why, this time, it made me cry? Tell me why the penultimate page brought tears to my eyes!
I feel like I'm a little more worldly now on this play, so I won't say what I once said that this book is the singular best adaptation of Romeo and Juliet. But it's still really, really good. The added racial layer is another benefit.
I love all of the little additions that ...more

I really liked how the illustrator took liberties with using a diverse cast of characters. I'm not sure why, but it bothers me that Hinds used the word "universal" to express why he changed the race of the characters. Instead of Italians in Verona, the Capulets were Indian, and the Montagues were Black. Hinds was right, though. Their race changes pretty much did nothing to the plot. It made it easier to spot out a Capulet and a Montague, but that was about it.
Romeo was still infuriating as hell ...more
Romeo was still infuriating as hell ...more

“Two households, both alike in dignity
In fear Verona, where we lay our scene
From ancient grudge
Break to new mutiny
Where civil blood makes
Civil hands unclean.
From forth the fatal loins of these two foes,
A pair of star-crossed lovers take their life….”
Blah, blah, blah, blahbly blah…thus is the opening to one of history’s most well-known tragedies that has spawned hundreds of years’ worth of tropes—Tony & Maria (West Side Story), Jack & Rose (Titanic), Buffy & Angel (Buffy the Vampire Slayer). ...more
In fear Verona, where we lay our scene
From ancient grudge
Break to new mutiny
Where civil blood makes
Civil hands unclean.
From forth the fatal loins of these two foes,
A pair of star-crossed lovers take their life….”
Blah, blah, blah, blahbly blah…thus is the opening to one of history’s most well-known tragedies that has spawned hundreds of years’ worth of tropes—Tony & Maria (West Side Story), Jack & Rose (Titanic), Buffy & Angel (Buffy the Vampire Slayer). ...more

This text is a great accompaniment to the real thing. I really like that R+J are depicted as an interracial couple; this representation opens a lot of doors to discussion about stigma, racism, politics, and conflict. The slanted gutters emphasize the increasing chaos as the play progresses. And the visual characterizations really helped me to keep all of the men straight- especially Paris, Tybalt, Mercutio, Benvolio, etc. Overall, a great read!

Now that I've read one, I'm surprised that not all of Shakespeare's plays have been adapted into graphic novel form. Genius! Plays are not meant to be read, and filmed stage productions (my second-favorite medium after live productions) can be inconsistent in quality. Hinds, while cutting down the original text, preserves Shakespeare's words. For newbies, especially, having the lines broken up in graphic novel fashion, and in characters' speech bubbles, will be really helpful for experiencing Sh
...more

Newly retired, I won't be teaching Romeo and Juliet this year for the first time in a very long time. In a typical year, the second week of January would be the time to introduce concepts like iambic pentameter and the difference between "thee" and "thou," read a couple of sonnets and then dive into the Prologue and Act 1, scene 1. We'd watch the first ten minutes of Zeffirelli and compare it against the opening scene by Baz Luhrman, and then it would be off to the races, spending the majority o
...more

I think I would have liked this adaptation a lot better if Hinds had been able to settle on either a modern or period setting for his graphic novel. I do like how he made the story more diverse than in the original play, by casting the Montagues as black and the Capulets as Indian. That was, I think, the one nice touch he brought to his adaptation. From there, he went with an odd and unsettling mix of period accurate and modern details. Picture Tybalt shirtless, tattooed, and with a modern hairs
...more

I loved Hinds' lyrical Beowulf but in spite of its being an interestingly multicultural version, sort of just functional artistically, in comparison to his Beowulf. There is evidence of his having researched for his version, with some surprises, which I liked…. will work as a companion book in high schools, I think.
...more

Wow! I was pleasantly surprised by this book I just picked it up at the library and expected it to be modernized. but it wasn't and I loved that!
...more

Dec 17, 2018
Dolly
rated it
really liked it
Recommends it for:
people who enjoy reading graphic novels
This is a wonderful adaptation of arguably the Bard's most famous of his romantic tragedies.
The graphic novel format is very effective and helps convey the meaning of the dialogue which many a student has struggled through.
interesting quotes:
"O, swear not by the moon, the inconstant moon, that monthly changes in her circled orb, lest that thy love prove likewise variable!" (p. 49)
"My bounty is as boundless as the sea, my love as deep.
The more I give to thee, the more I have, for both are infin ...more
The graphic novel format is very effective and helps convey the meaning of the dialogue which many a student has struggled through.
interesting quotes:
"O, swear not by the moon, the inconstant moon, that monthly changes in her circled orb, lest that thy love prove likewise variable!" (p. 49)
"My bounty is as boundless as the sea, my love as deep.
The more I give to thee, the more I have, for both are infin ...more

This version is absolutely faithful to the text, while experimenting with a very different set of visuals.
In this version, the Montagues are from Africa and the Capulets are from India, both families now living in a Verona filled with a diverse cast hailing from all ends of the Earth, and the younger generation firmly rejecting the stuffiness of the older generation’s Elizabethan fashion.
The setting was beautiful and paired beautifully with the text, for example, at the beginning the introducti ...more

Romeo and Juliet by Gareth Hinds is a graphic novel as a take on the original Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet.
As a Capulet Juliet could not interfere with a Montague. One night the Capulet family holds a party. A Montague named Romeo attends the party and both Romeo and Juliet fall in love. Through secret meetings Romeo and Juliet's love grows. Of course, there are differences in the family's relationship.
I liked this book a lot. Our of five, i only gave it a three because i wasn't quite able to ...more
As a Capulet Juliet could not interfere with a Montague. One night the Capulet family holds a party. A Montague named Romeo attends the party and both Romeo and Juliet fall in love. Through secret meetings Romeo and Juliet's love grows. Of course, there are differences in the family's relationship.
I liked this book a lot. Our of five, i only gave it a three because i wasn't quite able to ...more

Romeo and Juliet by Gareth Hinds this book turn the famous opera into a Graphic novel it is talking about inalong ago there is two noble
they become enemy of each other but the son and daughter named Romeo and Juliet fell in love
But young Romeo kill a guy in Juliet’s noble and Juliet is going to marry another man so she drink a kind of Potions and act like she is died but Romeo saw think she is dead and kill him self beside Juliet .and Juliet wake up and saw Romeo she suicide。it is a very sad st ...more
they become enemy of each other but the son and daughter named Romeo and Juliet fell in love
But young Romeo kill a guy in Juliet’s noble and Juliet is going to marry another man so she drink a kind of Potions and act like she is died but Romeo saw think she is dead and kill him self beside Juliet .and Juliet wake up and saw Romeo she suicide。it is a very sad st ...more

So glad Mrs. Becky has brought graphic novels of Shakespeare into the library. This edition maintains Shakespeare's language, but with almost no footnotes or explanations, makes the story and dialogue followable. Even my 6-year-old spent time gazing at the pictures. "Daddy, their fighting with swords and killing each other," she informed me matter-of-factly. The illustrations are not so graphic as to be disturbing.
...more

Nov 16, 2017
David
added it
This book is talk about one country, have red, bile, and perpur three little country, one day, the red country and blue country fits, and the blue country one boy love one for blue country girl, so it want be together, so them want the two country reconcile but the two country don’t agreat so the grip kill herself and the boy do the same.

I thought the story was very well told. However, I wasn't impressed with the art. The layout was functional and clear, but uninspired. The illustrations remind me of the illustrations in my middle school life skills work book. That's not a good thing.
...more

Same ol' story about absurdly dramatic teens, but this time with lovely pics and some diversity! Oh, and a lot of the pointless monologues were condensed, which I appreciated. Love it!
Review: https://untamedshrews.wordpress.com/2... ...more
Review: https://untamedshrews.wordpress.com/2... ...more

Sep 18, 2017
Lulu (the library leopard)
added it
Well, that was MUCH easier to understand than straight-up reading a script.

I really enjoyed this. I thought I already loved the play in its original form, but seeing artwork go alongside the original script made such a difference. When the play is made into movie adaptations but keeps the original language, I think the movie can lose some of its luster because watchers can’t pause to digest the antiquated language. Having it in a graphic novel form is a great bridge between the original script and a movie adaptation. I will definitely read Hinds’s other adaptations!

Review Copy: Local library
When I saw the cover, I wondered what angle Gareth Hinds had as he crafted this adaptation. Was this going to be a West Side Story type? Hinds definitely meddled with the culture of the Montagues and Capulets, but otherwise, he left things alone for the most part. Other than omitting lines, Hinds stayed close to the original text and he kept the setting in historical Verona. He explains at the beginning in a note to the reader, “I chose to cast my retelling of Romeo & ...more
When I saw the cover, I wondered what angle Gareth Hinds had as he crafted this adaptation. Was this going to be a West Side Story type? Hinds definitely meddled with the culture of the Montagues and Capulets, but otherwise, he left things alone for the most part. Other than omitting lines, Hinds stayed close to the original text and he kept the setting in historical Verona. He explains at the beginning in a note to the reader, “I chose to cast my retelling of Romeo & ...more

Oct 07, 2015
Ashley
rated it
it was ok
Recommends it for:
No one really.
Recommended to Ashley by:
Library
This is a graphic novel based on William Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet. Hinds mixes up the story a bit to emphasize how universal Shakespeare’s idea was by making the two feuding families different races: African American and Indian. Hinds brings Shakespeare’s story to life through illustrations that make the themes and occurrences of the story come to life before your eyes. I don’t think I need to explain the plot further; we’re all familiar with the story of Romeo and Juliet, right?
I found th ...more
I found th ...more

In this vibrant rendition of "Romeo and Juliet," Gareth Hinds breathes new life into a tale as old as time. Read either inside the classroom or for pleasure, Gareth increases the readability of "Romeo and Juliet" for its audience members.
Should English educators be in need of an alternative or supplemental reading of Shakespeare's play, they need not look any farther. Placing the story in a graphic novel solves a problem educators have struggled with for years: play's are best understood when wa ...more
Should English educators be in need of an alternative or supplemental reading of Shakespeare's play, they need not look any farther. Placing the story in a graphic novel solves a problem educators have struggled with for years: play's are best understood when wa ...more

What an awesome interpretation! Graphic novel? Heck yeah. Shakespeare? Sign me up. Interracial anachronistic couple? NICE. Hinds does a great job at interpreting this play. He keeps mostly true--as he explains in the foreword and afterword, and lifts all lines directly from the play. This allows for a visual interpretation of this play, which is perfect for the Shakespeare fan who has a hard time deciphering what's going on due to the language and footnotes and asides.
And those illust ...more
And those illust ...more

I chose to give this 4 stars out of 5, strictly because the book was in comic book form and I tend to be more of a traditionalist, especially when it comes to Shakespeare.
Having said that, if I put myself in the mind of an adolescent, this format could be something that could easily grab my attention. I tested this theory by going over the book with my son who is 11. He thought it was awesome! This led to a discussion about other varieties of Shakespeare plays. Little did I know how much he act ...more
Having said that, if I put myself in the mind of an adolescent, this format could be something that could easily grab my attention. I tested this theory by going over the book with my son who is 11. He thought it was awesome! This led to a discussion about other varieties of Shakespeare plays. Little did I know how much he act ...more

I am giving this graphic novel 5 stars because I would have loved the opportunity to read this in middle school or early high school as an introduction to Shakespeare. First off, Hinds does an incredible job keeping the fluidity of Shakespeare's language and organization throughout his interpretation. The text flowed nicely, and despite being much shorter than the original, the plot was easy to follow. Also, the pictures at the beginning and end of scenes aided the text’s transitioning between c
...more

This would be a great accompaniment for an intro Shakespeare class or English classes where you do 1 Shakespeare play a year. Definitely makes Shakespearean language more accessible and like modern movie adaptations shows how themes and conflicts can be universal.
I found this on a list of recommendations for students with language based LDs. Can definitely see how it could be great for HS students, but it is definitely not a hi-lo read. It’s text heavy and the language is barely modernized. It ...more
I found this on a list of recommendations for students with language based LDs. Can definitely see how it could be great for HS students, but it is definitely not a hi-lo read. It’s text heavy and the language is barely modernized. It ...more

Beautiful artwork and Shakespeare's elegant prose combine to bring the classic play Romeo and Juliet to life. Hinds did a wonderful job with incorporating the original text into his own masterpiece. The text was shortened quite a bit, which is understandable. However, I still cannot say that I actually like the original story of Romeo and Juliet, so I cannot give this one the highest possible rating. Still, I enjoyed the artwork immensely, and I am looking forward to other works illustrated by H
...more
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Gareth Hinds is the creator of critically-acclaimed graphic novels based on literary classics, including Beowulf (which Publisher’s Weekly called a “mixed-media gem”), King Lear (which Booklist named one of the top 10 graphic novels for teens), The Merchant of Venice (which Kirkus called “the standard that all others will strive to meet” for Shakespeare adaptation), The Odyssey (which garnered fou
...more
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