Review of "Romeo and Juliet: A Shakespeare Story," by Andrew Matthews and Tony Ross

Review of

Romeo and Juliet: A Shakespeare Story, by Andrew Matthews and Tony Ross, ISBN 9781841213361



Five out of five stars

 While it lacks the power and rhythm of the words composed by Shakespeare, this short adaptation of what is likely his most famous play does effectively present the fundamentals of the plot. It is a tragedy of the first magnitude, and based on the two most powerful human emotions, hatred of another group and deep love of another.

 Written at the level of the child in the middle years of elementary school, this is an introduction to the classic tale that will be understood by those readers and hopefully spark an interest in the original work. Given the complexity of the play, this is a version that does the best that can be hoped for, tells the story at a level that can be understood.