O, Juliet is Published

Congratulations to Robin Maxwell, author of O, Juliet which debuted today in bookstores in the US! I interviewed Maxwell last week about her books and her writing life last week: Eight Questions for Robin Maxwell.


Robin is the author of eight works of historical fiction all of which feature strong heroines in remarkable situations. I first encountered her work when I picked up Signora Da Vinci in a bookstore last fall. Signora Da Vinci is an imagined look at Leonardo da Vinci's life through the eyes of his mother. Maxwell fabricates a fantastical life for the mother of the genius -- a woman who we know almost nothing about in actuality. What results is a fun read!

I received an advance copy of O, Juliet which I read over the Christmas holidays. Again, Maxwell has taken on a familiar story -- this time Romeo and Juliet. But she has made it her own. Set in Florence (not "fair Verona"), Juliet and Romeo are not only "star-crossed lovers" but they are also poetry fans, obsessed with Dante. She presents a full, tantalizing take on a familiar story in clear prose. Poetry fanatics beware: Maxwell's Romeo and Juliet write their own poetry, too, which is stylistically anachronistic. But that's the beauty of historical fiction: the voices of another era can speak in today's cadence and be relevant to another generation.

Links:  

• RobinMaxwell: O, JULIET is Published! (view on Google Sidewiki)
• Eight Questions for Robin Maxwell
• Casa di Giulietta (Juliet's House) in Verona

Both O, Juliet and Signora Da Vinci, as well as all of Robin Maxwell's books, are available in The Gypsy's Store. A small portion of your purchase price helps to keep this blog going.