Every year I recommend books with "Classic Connections," which reimagine classic literature, but with a twist. One of the most recognizable plots is that of Romeo and Juliet, in which two young people from quarreling families fall in love. Three new YA novels incorporate this element in very unique ways. Roman and Jewel by Dana L. Davis sets the romance on Broadway in a hip-hop production of the bard's classic. A Pho Love Story by Loan Le involves two Japanese American teens whose parents own competing Pho restaurants. These Violent Delights by Chloe Gong is set in Shanghai during the 1920s during the Opium Wars and the rise of communism. All three vary from the original in settings and adherence to the plot, but the family disapproval of the central romance is a constant.
Roman and Jewel introduces African American Jerzie Jhames who has studied music all her life and loves all things Broadway. When she is cast as the understudy to R&B superstar Cinny in a new Broadway hip-hop retelling of Romeo and Juliet, she resigns herself to the backup position, despite feeling she is a better fit for the part. Then she literally runs into Zeppelin Reid, an Italian American musician/model who is cast as Roman, and it is love at first sight. Diva Cinny is a frequent no-show for rehearsals, so Jerzie gets to sing with Zepp and an unauthorized video of a romantic scene, where Jerzie outperforms Cinny, goes viral. Cinny is furious and attempts to sabotage Zepp and Jerzie's relationship. Jerzie must struggle to navigate fame, first love, and her ambitions for the future. The love story mirrors Romeo and Juliet's in several ways, including Jerzie's parents forbidding her romantic involvement with Zepp, his coming to her balcony to woo her, and a character attempting suicide. References to Broadway musicals and details about music composition are a bonus in this delightful romantic retelling.
Told in alternating first person chapters, A Pho Love Story is a modern day retelling involving two Japanese American teens, whose feuding parents own competing Pho restaurants. Bao considers himself to be the king of mediocrity, whereas Linh shines as a student and artist. Both work in their parents' businesses and strive for parental approval. When they pair up to write restaurant reviews for their school newspaper, they must meet in secret to avoid family conflict. Bao finds a passion for writing and Linh's illustrations capture the eye of a restaurant owner who commissions her to paint a mural. Unfortunately, her parents disapprove of her pursuing an art career, so she surreptitiously sneaks away to meet Bao and work on the mural. As their romance heats up, they realize their families are hiding something from the past that is the true reason for the feud. The food references and the Vietnamese language interspersed throughout the book add authenticity to this charming romance involving love and loss, parental expectations and self-discovery.
Shanghai in the 1920s is the setting for These Violent Delights, the first book in a duology that reimagines Romeo and Juliet during the Opium Wars and the rise of communism. Rival factions, the Chinese Scarlet Gang and the Russian White Flowers, battle for control of the city while a disease spreading monster lurks in the Huangpu River. Four years before the story begins, the next White Flower leader Roma Montagov and Scarlet Gang heir Juliette Cai were lovers. His unexplained betrayal of Juliette makes them enemies, and she moves to New York for an education. When she returns, there is a sickness spreading throughout the city that causes the infected to claw their own necks open. Then Roma's sister Alisa is infected, and he teams up with Juliette to find the cause and the cure. The romance in this book is secondary to the intriguing mystery filled with historical detail. Although there are many recognizable characters in this tale of family loyalty and identity, the added elements of the mysterious plague and political intrigue overshadow the relationship between Roma and Juliette. In the sequel Our Violent Ends, coming out in November 2021, Juliette has sacrificed her relationship with Roma to protect him from the blood feud. Roma is seeking revenge against Juliette for crime she didn't commit. However, once again a monstrous danger threatens the city and they must cooperate to put an end to it once and for all. These Violent Delights and its sequel comprise a critically acclaimed historical fantasy that is not to be missed.
