Thank you to Feiwel & Friends/NetGalley for a copy of Teach the Torches to Burn: A Romeo & Juliet Remix in exchange for an honest review.
Summary
Verona, Italy. Seventeen-year-old aspiring artist Romeo dreams of a quiet life with someone who loves him just as he is. But as the heir to the Montague family, he is expected to give up his “womanly” artistic pursuits and uphold the family honor —particularly in their centuries-old blood feud with a rival family, the Capulets.
Worse still, he is also expected to marry a well-bred girl approved by his parents and produce heirs. But the more Romeo is forced to mingle with eligible maidens, the harder it is to keep his deepest secret: He only feels attracted to other boys.
In an attempt to forget his troubles for just one night, Romeo joins his cousin in sneaking into a Capulet party. During a fateful encounter in the garden, he meets the kindest, most beautiful boy he’s ever met and is shocked to learn he’s Valentine, the younger brother of one of his closest friends. He is even more shocked to discover that Valentine is just as enamored with Romeo as Romeo is with him.
So begins a tender romance that the boys must hide from their families and friends, each of them longing for a world where they could be together without fear. And as the conflict between the Montagues and Capulets escalates out of control, Romeo and Valentine find themselves in danger of losing each other forever — if not by society’s scorn, then by the edge of a blade.
Of Remixes and Romances
I’ve been a fan of Feiwel & Friends’ remixed classics series, both the books and the concept, for a while. Basically, authors from marginalized backgrounds take over classics and spin them so they’re not so irritatingly white, cishet and dude-heavy. Here, Caleb Roehrig has taken Shakespeare‘s Romeo and Juliet but made it gay. (Teach the Torches to Burn: A Romeo & Juliet Remix is still white, cis and male, though!)
As a fan of Roehrig’s, I was also pretty stoked to see what he’d do with this classic play. My feelings are mixed — the author does romance fantastically. The butterflies and stomach flips are swoony, adorable and realistic. As is realizing oneself through finally having your feelings reciprocated.
Of Realism Slowing Pacing
In his author’s note, Caleb Roehrig mentions the extensive research that went into Teach the Torches to Burn: A Romeo & Juliet Remix, a book that is almost 100,000 words. I did appreciate the thorough approach to historical accuracy and following with the actual source material. However, the pacing was too slow, and events were often repetitive. Ultimately, a book this long shouldn’t feel so long.
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The trouble with — and beauty of — remixes is we can guess which story beats will remain the same and which will change. So, to hold our focus, the storytelling needs to know where to be airtight and where to breathe — even more so than in the original material. To its detriment, Teach the Torches to Burn: A Romeo & Juliet Remix was one long exhale.
Should You Read It?
Yes. Moreso than other books I recommend, Teach the Torches to Burn: A Romeo & Juliet Remix is imperfect. However, if you’re a fan of Shakespeare or “but make it gay,” it will scratch an itch. I may also be less patient a reader than many. I liked the novel, just not as enthusiastically as I was hoping. There are definitely readers out there who will love it.
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Teach the Torches to Burn: A Romeo & Juliet Remix is out on August 22, 2023. Pick up a copy at your local indie bookstore or library. 📚🔥👬
https://www.geekgirlauthority.com/book-review-self-made-boys-a-great-gatsby-remix/
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