3.5 stars. Don't be fooled by the admittedly lovely cover - this is the rare female-targeted YA novel told almost entirely from the male protagonist's perspective. Not that there's anything wrong with that - it's one of the many elements that makes this one of the more original additions to the world of literary mashups. Shakespeare retellings / reimaginings can be hit or miss, but this one succeeds by building upon, but not bastardizing, a story we already know. The language flows well and when Caine brings in Shakespeare's dialog, it doesn't feel heavy-handed or forced. If you think about it, this book basically subverts the basic premise of Romeo and Juliet (star-crossed love and all that) which as an adult reader is a welcome perspective. If I have any criticisms, it's that the ending is a bit abrupt and the diary entries and letters that end each chapter are a bit out place. But overall, this is a well-written and enjoyable book; I would love to see Caine return to Shakespeare / historical fiction in the future.