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Shirley L. (Norco, LA)
(07/07/14)
Better Nurse than Narrator
There seems to be a growing trend in novels to base a story on a minor character from a classic work. In Leveen's work Juliet's nurse becomes the narrator in what is essentially a prequel to Romeo and Juliet. This concept works well here, providing an interesting twist on a well known tale. My one criticism is the voice of the nurse. She seems often detached and unemotional about her own story. Her story feels remote and flat. She talks of her love/obsession with Juliet but for this reader her involvement in her own story didn't jump off the page. This made for a good story which could have been told in a more exciting, immediate voice.
Helen S. (Sun City, AZ)
(07/07/14)
Multi-faceted Angelica
Lois Leveen has done a superb job of presenting the lives of both the poor and the rich in Verona, Italy in the 1300s. The author's extensive research is evident in the many details that Angelica, Juliet's nurse, shares as she describes her daily life within the Cappelletti household.
Initially, Angelica seemed like a simple peasant woman who happened to be hired as the wet nurse to new born Juliet. But the many facets of her personality were gradually revealed as her importance to the family grew and she realized that pain and suffering were felt by all people, regardless of their station in life. Although Angelica came to the Cappelletti family filled with grief, she coped with her losses by knowing that "loving what's in this life is the only remedy for death."
I recommend Juliet's Nurse to readers who would like to know more about the characters in Shakespeare's "Romeo and Juliet" as well as what it would have been like to live in Verona in the 1300s.
Doris K. (Angora, MN)
(07/05/14)
Juliet's Nurse
This book is based on an interesting concept, bringing characters from Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet into a more in depth story. I didn't think the people were developed in enough depth to captivate the reader.
Historical fiction is the area I read often and I did learn more about the ways people lived in the 1300's.
The strength of the Catholic Church is evident throughout the story not always in a positive form.
Because this was a difficult time for many people the whole book was very depressing and not enjoyable to read.
However, book clubs would find many areas of discussion : the choices made by the ruling people, the priest and the poor would make a great discussion. Overall I can't give this more than a 3 star rating.
Katherine P. ( A small town, Vermont)
(07/05/14)
A Tale of Obsession
At the outset, let me say that the premise of this book is excellent and that overall it is interesting. There are, in my opinion, some shortcomings. The bawdiness of the Nurse ( Angelica ) is probably more historically accurate than I realize but still at times it seemed rather jarring. In many instances I found the repetitiveness of the grief for the loss of her sons, of her many lustful romps with her husband , of her interactions with the Franciscan priest very irritating. Enough so in Part I that I almost stopped reading the book. Part II, once Juliet was grown and had more impact on the story than suckling Honey Nurse's breast, was far more interesting. Though, here too, the rhythm of the story would once more get bogged down in the repetitiveness of the earlier themes. In Part I a slight uneasiness with the obsession of the Nurse with Juliet arose but in Part II it caused actual distaste when the relationship became so intense that it felt almost incestuous. This closeness was less stressed once Tybalt's anger and Juliet's aroused interest in young men began to influence the story.
The strength of the story lay in the glimpses of the young Mercutio and Tybalt, in the development of the character of Paris, and in the wonderful character of Angela's husband, Pietro. The ongoing thread of the beekeeper theme carried the story from the early days of their marriage and his gifts of honey comfits, through the tragedy of Juliet's death, to the final days of Angela, alone.
Anyone who loves Shakespeare's play will enjoy Angela's story and though it slumped at times, over all I'm glad to have read it and would surely recommend it to others, whether or not they've read the original. I think it would incline those readers to go to the play as it encourages me to return to it.
Marylou C. (Winfield, IL)
(07/04/14)
Old Story, New Twist
We all know the story of Romeo and Juliet, or think we do. Juliet's Nurse tells the story of Juliet from the moment of her birth till her death based on the activities of her wet nurse, Angelica. Mid way through chapter one, you will be captivated by the nurse and enter into the story as though you were right by her side. Italian history seeps through the pages and you won;t be able to read fast enough as it wants to take every moment from you. From time to time, the story gets a little bawdy which only adds to the interest of the continuing story.What parents will and won't do for their spouses, children, the poor and relatives. Trying to impress others with wealth is a theme throughout the book. You know how it ends, but getting there is worth sleepless nights reading Lois Leveen's story. Several twists will keep you "bee"holding to the book1
Sue J. (Wauwatosa, WI)
(07/02/14)
Juliet's Nurse
This is a novel with a new twist on Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet that is told from the perspective of Juliet's wet-nurse. It had a good beginning, but then the story became bogged down and I started skimming pages. The ending turned into a page turner with a lot of action in the last couple of chapters. If they had a half star rating, I would of rated this a 3 1/2.