Title: Such Sweet Sorrow
Author: Jenny Trout
Publisher: Entangled Teen
Publishing Date: February 4th 2014
Publishing Date: February 4th 2014
Pages: 304
Genre: YA Retelling/Mythology Adventure
Genre: YA Retelling/Mythology Adventure
Series: Stand Alone or Unknown Series
Source: Paperback
Source: Paperback
Never was there a tale of more woe than this of Juliet and her Romeo…But true love never dies. Though they’re parted by the veil between the world of mortals and the land of the dead, Romeo believes he can restore Juliet to life, but he’ll have to travel to the underworld with a thoroughly infuriating guide.
Hamlet, Prince of Denmark, may not have inherited his father’s crown, but the murdered king left his son a much more important responsibility—a portal to the Afterjord, where the souls of the dead reside. When the determined Romeo asks for help traversing the treacherous Afterjord, Hamlet sees an opportunity for adventure, and the chance to avenge his father’s death.
In an underworld filled with leviathan monsters, ghoulish shades, fire giants and fierce Valkyrie warriors, Hamlet and Romeo must battle their way through jealousy, despair, and their darkest fears to rescue the fair damsel. Yet finding Juliet is only the beginning, and the Afterjord doesn’t surrender souls without a price…
I was very excited to read this book. I haven't spent much time or seen many Shakespeare retellings so I thought this one would be a great one to check out. I was grabbed by the cover and by the title. Unfortunately the story and the characters did not grab me. I found it very difficult to connect to the characters or get caught up in the story. It had a great concept but I feel it wasn't carried out well. It was quite a boring read for me.
Romeo lost his Juliet and now he is on a mission to find her in the Afterjord and bring her back. Hamlet is out for revenge for her father's murder, he has been instructed he needs to find the gateway to the Afterjord. They team up together to work out their missions. Along they way they find Juliet and they are a fearsome threesome through the Afterjord fighting, surviving, and discovering.
I want to say that I loved the idea of the book. It sounded so intriguing. I though it would be really really good. I wish I could say I thought it was but I just didn't like the book. I had some major issues with the book that kept me from wanting to really finish it but I also wanted to know the ending, so I kept on reading. It didn't do me any good. The story does not have an ending. So I added that to my list of problems.
So first... I didn't care for the characters, of course I didn't dislike them either. I felt non committal to any of the characters in the book. They all had their moments that made me giggle or made me feel they were honorable or good... but they were far and few between. I just didn't connect with them. '
Juliet had my attention the most but I can't say much other than she was fearless, loyal, and she had some pretty great ideas while in battle. Romeo had a few good qualities, but mainly he was just whiny and selfish. Hamlet was at least humorous. For the most part. He had the best one liners and I think, given a bit more time with him, I could have really liked him. There just wasn't enough character building or personal interaction to really get to know the characters.
The pacing was a bit off for me too. The beginning was very slow and even once the action began, it was non stop battling for their lives. I know that sounds like it would be great, but it wasn't. I felt there was too much fighting and too much detail in the fighting to be enjoyable as a book. As a movie it would probably rock. It just wasn't exciting for me at all.
The writing was also confusing to me at times. They povs would switch between Hamlet, Juliet, and Romeo and was written in 3rd person. This would normally be fine, but the characters did not have a distinguishable enough voice for me to differentiate between them. It took me a while to figure out who I was following at the moment.
That brings us to the ending. It finally started to catch my attention... in the last 50 pages of the book, then the book ends with no real resolution. The ending felt as if it will be a series, but I am not positive of this. Either way I am not happy. The ending left me needing resolution... so if its not a series.. no resolution. If it is a series... I have to read more or no resolution. Either way no resolution.
I feel awful for not liking this book. It happens rarely and I really wanted to enjoy this book. I just didn't care for it at all. I do think it will appeal to those readers who love a non stop action adventure book. The positive of this book, the action scenes were written well enough to picture it all in my head... like a movie. I just prefer more character development and interaction. More story. And an actual ending.
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So first... I didn't care for the characters, of course I didn't dislike them either. I felt non committal to any of the characters in the book. They all had their moments that made me giggle or made me feel they were honorable or good... but they were far and few between. I just didn't connect with them. '
Juliet had my attention the most but I can't say much other than she was fearless, loyal, and she had some pretty great ideas while in battle. Romeo had a few good qualities, but mainly he was just whiny and selfish. Hamlet was at least humorous. For the most part. He had the best one liners and I think, given a bit more time with him, I could have really liked him. There just wasn't enough character building or personal interaction to really get to know the characters.
The pacing was a bit off for me too. The beginning was very slow and even once the action began, it was non stop battling for their lives. I know that sounds like it would be great, but it wasn't. I felt there was too much fighting and too much detail in the fighting to be enjoyable as a book. As a movie it would probably rock. It just wasn't exciting for me at all.
The writing was also confusing to me at times. They povs would switch between Hamlet, Juliet, and Romeo and was written in 3rd person. This would normally be fine, but the characters did not have a distinguishable enough voice for me to differentiate between them. It took me a while to figure out who I was following at the moment.
That brings us to the ending. It finally started to catch my attention... in the last 50 pages of the book, then the book ends with no real resolution. The ending felt as if it will be a series, but I am not positive of this. Either way I am not happy. The ending left me needing resolution... so if its not a series.. no resolution. If it is a series... I have to read more or no resolution. Either way no resolution.
I feel awful for not liking this book. It happens rarely and I really wanted to enjoy this book. I just didn't care for it at all. I do think it will appeal to those readers who love a non stop action adventure book. The positive of this book, the action scenes were written well enough to picture it all in my head... like a movie. I just prefer more character development and interaction. More story. And an actual ending.
This was a boring and detached read for me.
Jenny Trout is a writer, blogger, and funny person.
Writing as Jennifer Armintrout, she made the USA Today Bestseller list with Blood Ties Book One: The Turning. Her novel American Vampire was named one of the top ten horror novels of 2011 by Booklist Magazine Online.
Jenny also writes award-winning erotic romance as Abigail Barnette.
When she’s not writing, she’s sleeping or otherwise incapacitated.
She is a proud Michigander, mother of two, and wife to the only person alive capable of spending extended periods of time with her without wanting to murder her.
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