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Fair Rosaline is not a cute rewrite of Romeo and Juliet. It doesn’t give a famous tragedy an ending that makes it into a comedy. It’s not updated to modern times. The difference is that it is told from the viewpoint of Rosaline, the woman briefly referred to in Shakespeare’s play as being Romeo’s previous love. So while nearly all of the original tale of woe remains, it is told through Rosaline’s eyes.

Rosaline Capulet is a young woman of 15, two years older than her young cousin Juliet. Rosaline’s mother has just died and left her at the mercy of her father. Grieving his wife’s loss, he decides Rosaline will go to a nunnery immediately. She has no desire to live cloistered behind bars, in God’s service. She really has little desire to marry, either. And that leaves her with no real options in her era. But she wants to taste of life in the short time remaining before going to the nunnery.

She is surprised to be swept off her feet by a handsome man named Romeo, who just so happens to be of the Montague family, hated by her own. They meet in secret and he even makes his way to her bedroom multiple times. He promises her marriage and a happy future. But when she starts to doubt his promises, she breaks it off. And immediately afterward, Romeo is suddenly in love with Juliet, who is even more inexperienced in worldly ways than Rosaline.

Alarmed, Rosaline tries to warn Juliet, but the relationship proceeds quickly. And as she learns more about Romeo’s connections, Rosaline fears that Juliet’s very life may be on the line. But she has little time left, and what can she possibly do to change this tragic ending?

Fair Rosaline is a thoroughly depressing tale. Most of the men are horrible people. Women are controlled; they are raped and taken advantage of as a rule. They are powerless, at the disposal of men. Rosaline is young and learns some hard lessons through sad experience. But she is determined to take back some power and do what she can to protect others.

The book left me feeling wiped out and sad. What Rosaline did accomplish should have felt like a victory, but it felt nominal after the onslaught of the book. I think I was hoping for the story to be just a little lighter. However, it has stuck with me and made me think, and I’ll never see Romeo and Juliet the same way again.

Rated: Moderate. Profanity includes one use of strong language, around 5 instances of moderate profanity, about 14 uses of mild language, and a few instances of the name of Deity in vain. Sexual content includes kissing and a number of sex scenes, some of which are only briefly alluded to and some of which have more detail. There is vulgar/lewd talk. Violence happens at several points, with a lot of blood and gore. Women are taken advantage of, raped or given minimal opportunity for consent.

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*I received an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

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