Review: YOLO Juliet by Brett Wright and Srsly Hamlet by Courtney Carbone

I have a double review for y'all today, of two books in a new series...

YOLO Juliet 

by Brett Wright and William Shakespeare

5/26/15

Random House

Romeo and Juliet, one of the greatest love stories ever told . . . in texts?! 

Imagine: What if those star-crossed lovers Romeo and Juliet had smartphones? A classic is reborn in this fun and funny adaptation of one of Shakespeare’s most famous plays!

 

Two families at war. 

A boy and a girl in love.

A secret marriage gone oh-so-wrong.

 

and h8. The classics just got a whole lot more interesting. ;)

 

tl;dr A Shakespeare play told through its characters texting with emojis, checking in at certain locations, and updating their relationship statuses. The perfect gift for hip theater lovers and teens. 

 

A glossary and cast of characters are included for those who need it. For example: tl;dr means too long; didn’t read.

goodreads / amazon / b&n / indiebound

Srsly Hamlet

by Courtney Carbone and William Shakespeare

5/26/15

Random House

Hamlet, one of the greatest stories ever told . . . in texts?!
 
Imagine: What if Hamlet, the Prince of Denmark, and the tragic Ophelia had smartphones? A classic is reborn in this fun and funny adaptation of one of Shakespeare’s most famous plays!
 
A kingdom on the brink of war.
A stolen throne.
A boy seeking revenge.
 
and h8. The classics just got a whole lot more interesting. ;)
 
tl;dr A Shakespeare play told through its characters texting with emojis, checking in at certain locations, and updating their relationship statuses. The perfect gift for hip theater lovers and teens.

A glossary and cast of characters are included for those who need it. For example: tl;dr means too long; didn’t read.

goodreads / amazon / b&n / indiebound

Combining Shakespeare's classic works with hip, modern language and technology, YOLO Juliet by Brett Wright and Srsly Hamlet by Courtney Carbone, aim to introduce a whole new generation to the world of William Shakespeare.

Told through texts, status updates, emails, memos, and emojis, YOLO Juliet and Srsly Hamlet are pure fun from beginning to end. Easily gobbled up in one quick sitting, these two books offer some serious laughs and seriously juicy drama. Authors Wright and Carbone do a wonderful job of capturing the themes, tone, and feel of Shakespeare’s work, while adding some entertaining pizzazz. Using modern, relatable slang and situations, the authors make Shakespeare’s sometimes daunting work, accessible and understandable. But never fear Shakespeare enthusiasts, the essence of each play’s characters, story, and mood remains very intact in these books.

Readers will be amused by a lovesick, moody Romeo; a sassy Juliet; a bumbling Claudius; and crazy-pants Hamlet and be enthralled by their over-the-top drama.

my final thoughts: Funny, smart, and wildly addicting, YOLO Juliet and Srsly Hamlet will appeal to both Shakespeare fans and newbies, who, after reading these little gems, will be eager to devour the real plays.

MY RATING (for both books)

4/5 yummy cupcakes