Juliet

By: Anne Fortier

Narrated by: Cassandra Campbell

Length: 19 hrs and 59 mins

Publisher's summary

Twenty-five-year-old Julie Jacobs is heartbroken over the death of her beloved Aunt Rose. But the shock goes even deeper when she learns that the woman who has been like a mother to her has left her entire estate to Julie’s twin sister. The only thing Julie receives is a key—one carried by her mother on the day she herself died—to a safety-deposit box in Siena, Italy.

This key sends Julie on a journey that will change her life forever—a journey into the troubled past of her ancestor Giulietta Tolomei.

In 1340, still reeling from the slaughter of her parents, Giulietta was smuggled into Siena, where she met a young man named Romeo. Their ill-fated love turned medieval Siena upside-down and went on to inspire generations of poets and artists, the story reaching its pinnacle in Shakespeare’s famous tragedy.

But six centuries have a way of catching up to the present, and Julie gradually begins to discover that here, in this ancient city, the past and present are hard to tell apart. The deeper she delves into the history of Romeo and Giulietta, and the closer she gets to the treasure they allegedly left behind, the greater the danger surrounding her—superstitions, ancient hostilities, and personal vendettas. As Julie crosses paths with the descendants of the families involved in the unforgettable blood feud, she begins to fear that the notorious curse—“A plague on both your houses!”—is still at work, and that she is destined to be its next target. Only someone like Romeo, it seems, could save her from this dreaded fate, but his story ended long ago. Or did it?

From Anne Fortier comes a sweeping, beautifully written novel of intrigue and identity, of love and legacy, as a young woman discovers that her own fate is irrevocably tied—for better or worse—to literature’s greatest star-crossed lovers.

©2010 Anne Fortier (P)2010 Random House, Inc.

Critic reviews

"To understand what happened centuries ago, in the previous generation, and all around her, Julie relies on relics: a painting, a journal, a dagger, a ring. Readers enjoy the additional benefit of antique texts alternating with contemporary narratives, written in the language of modern romance and enlivened by brisk storytelling. Fortier navigates around false clues and twists, resulting in a dense, heavily plotted love story that reads like a Da Vinci Code for the smart modern woman." ( Publishers weekly)

“One of those rare novels that have it all. . . I was swept away.” (Sara Gruen, author of Water for Elephants)

New Favorite

Amazing book, I can't think of any that beat this one. So thankful it was recommended for me!

Wonderful story!

What a great adventure! Well-written, smart, and excellently researched. I highly enjoyed this book!

Pretty Good...

It was far-fetched but I expected it to be when I bought it. I gave it four stars but probably would have chosen 3.5 if I could have. It took an old story and added a mystery... curses...etc. Maybe it is just me but I feel that the story could have been enhanced by some really good descriptive passages of the people and places. Maybe I didn't pay close enough attention while listening but when the book ended I didn't even feel that I knew what the characters looked like!! Something seemed just a little lacking and with a subject matter like this... the descriptions could have taking it to another level. That being said... I wanted to be entertained and I was.

One of my favorites

This is probably one of the very first audiobooks I ever purchased, and it is a favorite! Anne Fortier draws you in so completely with the story, and Cassandra's voice perfectly captures it. This is easily in my top 5 favorite books, but I've only ever listened to it (3x now). The story of Romeo and Juliet is timeless, and possibly overdone. But this version feels so different. There's intrigue, twists and turns, love, murder, all of the things, and it's a story I keep coming back to over and over again.

LOVE <3

What made the experience of listening to Juliet the most enjoyable?

I'm really in to Romeo and Juliet I always have been and I loved how well this book put a new twist on the classic perfect story

Who was your favorite character and why?

Julie Jacobs

Which scene was your favorite?

There are to many to pick

If you could take any character from Juliet out to dinner, who would it be and why?

Any and all of the characters

Any additional comments?

I LOVE THIS BOOK

Excellent Excellent

Would you listen to Juliet again? Why?

No , because it is too long and I already know the end .. it's beauty was in the mystery

What other book might you compare Juliet to and why?

maybe daughter of smoke and bones because they both have a past story and a present story I like that very much

What does Cassandra Campbell bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

the Italian accent and the characters were clearer to me

If you were to make a film of this book, what would be the tag line be?

Love never dies

Any additional comments?

this book literary took my breath away I couldn't put it down until I finished it .. wonderful

Excellent! Merits 20 hours

I took a chance on this book, trying to explore genres other than detective mysteries and nonfiction. It was definitely worth it. The depth of the characters and the intricacy of plot compelled me to listen way past bedtime. I am not a fan of the Da Vinci Code, and am surprised by the comparisons. The writing is excellent, if a bit immature. But this does not lead to distraction. I look forward to seeing how Ms. Fortier's talent becomes more skilled. Absolutely engrossing!

Clever take on Romeo & Juliet

Any additional comments?

A refreshingly different point of view for the renowned Shakespearean play, Romeo and Juliet.
I appreciated the authors use of scenes from Romeo and Juliet to set the mood for each chapter, and to get messages across. The mix between the past and present was also very cleverly interwoven.

I would have given it 4 stars had it not been for the main character herself, modern day Juliet.
I tend to relate more to stronger female leads and lets just say that Juliet seemed anything but strong. To start with she complained so much about her sister that at one point you feel like saying "not again!" She sounded more like a teenager at times, as opposed to a 20 something year old. Her discourses of self pity also got very tiering. Yeah we get it, you feel inept, don't have money, feel like the world is against you, its just not fair... blah, blah, blah Get over it and move on; put on your big girl panties and suck it up.

Had it not been for the perspective the author took and the other more lively characters, the book most certainly would not have had any redeeming qualities.

Worth it

I very much enjoyed the book about 6 years ago and thought I would get the audio when I saw it. I'm glad I did. I had forgotten much. The story was still good and the reader was good.

“Shakespeare wouldn’t like it…” 🌹

This is one of my favorite books. I remember when it first came out, I read it in a day and a half (because work & sleep got in the way) then turned around and read it again immediately.
Romeo & Juliet get their proper due in Anne Fortier’s wonderful tale. Where Shakespeare’s version is equally loved and loathed as to whether it’s truly about love, or it’s about impulsive children who have no real sense of love and die foolishly, this story actually gives them some agency in their own tale.
Juxtaposed between the past and the present is Julie Jacobs, who is trying to make sense of the complex puzzle that her mother has left behind in regard to the story. Turns out, Julie and her sister are part of the real Juliet’s bloodline, and that is just the beginning!
As our present day Juliet tries to solve the riddle, she wonders if the handsome Alessandro,with whom she’s both sparring and flirting, could be her Romeo after all.
Mystery, puzzles, shady gangster types, clues, escapes, ancient grudges- it’s all here in a book that’s romantic and mysterious enough that even Shakespeare might rethink that original ending. 🌹