Life at a modern boarding school weaves through an intricate web of love, mystery and teenage uncertainty in this fresh and slightly edgy retelling of Romeo and Juliet.

This isn't a simple retelling of Romeo and Juliet in more modern times, but rather the author has created a mystical, mysterious and an emotional tale which brings the Shakespearean masterpiece to a level fitting modern day minds. Set in a boarding school in Scotland, the story concentrates not only on Gillian and Romeo but rotates around an entire group, allowing for several stories to flow simultaneously. Included in this is the tale of a teacher from 400 years before and his experiences, which shadow similarities to that of the main characters. It's an intriguing mix, which adds just the right amount of mystery and magic to grab and hold without becoming overpowering.

I didn't read the first book in the series, which might have explained some foggy points surrounding the school. But this was by no means an issue. It was easy to dive into the characters and plot, and can be read as a stand alone without any problems. The first pages grab and let Gillian and some of her problems as well as personality come to light. The next chapters continue with a gasp of boredom into the next scenes and keep the pace high. The story includes that of several characters, a switch which runs smoothly and without confusion. This constant motion, however, did create a little lack of character depth, especially in the first chapters. But the pages hooked, and it was no problem to read this in one sitting.

Summed up, this is a lovely retelling which offers modern day teens a refreshing and grabbing way to dive into a classical story. It will be interesting to see which of Shakespeare's tales the author brings life to next.

I received a complimentary copy. ( )