Voice of Youth Advocates

When dreamy-eyed poet Romeo and human weapon "the Juliet" sneak off to perform a ritual of binding, they change not only the trajectories of their own lives but also the future of Viyara, the only city left in a land overrun by the undead. Viyara's doom seems only a matter of time; however, with the lovers bound to two different and unexpected people, they may stand a chance of uncovering an evil long hidden from view.As with her two previous popular books Cruel Beauty (HarperCollins, 2014/VOYA February 2014) and Crimson Bound (HarperCollins, 2015/VOYA April 2015), Hodge tackles a well-known tale but with a tougher heroine and a dark twist. In this case, however, the spotlight is off the two famous lovers and on sister Runajo (Shakespeare's Rosaline), the dour girl who wants nothing more than to save a complacent city, and dutiful but hapless Paris, originally intended to be partnered with the Juliet. Romeo and the Juliet are seen together only in flashback; in the present, they appear only with Runajo and Paris, to whom they are mentally bound. The reduced emphasis on romance (which has already worked its transformative effect on Juliet when the story starts) and the extensive world-building create an experience markedly different from the original tale. Readers expecting a comfortable story about swooning lovers may be surprised by the complexities of the new setting and by the thorny and complicated relationshipsnot to mention the zombies.Lisa Martincik.

ALA Booklist (Thu Sep 01 00:00:00 CDT 2016)

The world beyond the walled city of Viyara is dead. Strong magic, performed by the steely Sisters of Thorn, keeps undead revenants at bay, but it is a tenuous peace. Inside the city, two powerful clans chafe against each other. Juliet Catresou, magicked and trained from infancy to defend her family, has fallen in love with Romeo, a rival from the Mahyanai clan. When her vengeful magic compels her to kill him, they resist it with catastrophic results: Romeo becomes bound to Paris Catresou, and Juliet is killed, only to be pulled back to life by Mahyanai Runajo, a Sister, in an accidental, forbidden act of necromancy. With Viyara in danger, the two are thrown into separate quests to save it. This starts at the end of the familiar story, channeling most of its narrative through Paris and Runajo, and for once, readers may not know where it's going at is death in a world with necromancers? High stakes, desperate love, and a healthy dose of gore keep this update fresh and intriguing.

Kirkus Reviews

Young lovers and enemies try to save the city in this dystopian spin on Romeo and Juliet.In a Ruined world, the Sisters of Thorn protect the lone city of Viyara with a magic wall sustained by human blood, but orphaned novice Runajo (the book's Rosaline) hopes to restore the failing barrier via lost spells from the long-sealed Sunken Library. Ruthless and tiresomely righteous, Mahyanai Runajo magically bonds with the Juliet—the Catresou's magically modified, martially trained, lethal young woman—and overcomes her qualms about necromancy and slavery in order to exploit the Juliet's unwilling obedience in a claustrophobic and combative relationship. Hapless co-narrator Catresou Paris simultaneously mind-melds with the grief-stricken Mahyanai Romeo, and the duo plunges into the chaotic, colorful Lower City, seeking to avenge the Juliet's alleged death and expose a necromancer through scary (if slapstick) misadventures. Old feuds and entrenched beliefs prove bigger obstacles than omnipresent but impermanent death—the protagonists rely on rituals even as revenants, reapers, and the reanimated clash with the remaining humans. Hodge puts secondary characters center-stage, lards the text liberally with Shakespeare quotes, and adds the undead, buckets of blood, and an impending apocalypse to create a rich, if repetitive retelling. Her worldbuilding emphasizes family over race; the Mahyanai are dark-haired and fair-skinned, while the Catresou go masked (though the Juliet is fair-skinned). A bloody and bold tale for those who want some Romero with their Romeo, but resolution awaits a sequel. (Fantasy. 12-18)

Horn Book (Tue Aug 01 00:00:00 CDT 2017)

Inside the walled city of Viyara--the only city remaining after the Ruining (a fog that kills the living and raises the dead) has ravaged the world--two powerful families clash over honor and loyalty to kin. Enemies-turned-allies, necromancy, and the undead figure in this multi-pronged, rather overly complicated fantasy. Plot elements are inspired by Romeo and Juliet, although Shakespeare expertise isn't necessary.

School Library Journal (Fri Jul 01 00:00:00 CDT 2016)

Gr 9 Up-Borrowing loosely from Romeo and Juliet , Hodge creates a world ravaged by the Ruining, a fog that killed the living and allowed the dead to walk. Runajo, a Sister of Thorn, knows that it is the sacrifice of human blood that keeps the wall strong enough to protect the only surviving city of Viyara. Juliet Catresou is a young woman compelled by spells since birth to kill anyone who harms her kin, the mask-wearing Catresou clan. And yet she has fallen for Romeo, of the Mahyanai. When a bonding ceremony goes wrong, Paris (who was unhappily expecting to become Juliet's Guardian) and Romeo can read each other's thoughts and Juliet is in the land of the dead. The action alternates between what is happening with Runajo, who secretly brings Juliet back to the cloister, and Paris's activities with Romeo, often in the Lower City. Teens need not be Shakespeare fans to appreciate this work and will enjoy reading about magic, an underworld, and a Juliet who kicks butt. The complicated plot requires readers' attention, as three clans, invented religious elements, a variety of undead, and magic scrolls retrieved from a buried library all intertwine. VERDICT An atmospheric tale that pits loyalty to kin against loyalty to self and loyalty to loved ones, this work will appeal to the author's fans and those who can't get enough of fantastical retellings. Maggie Knapp, Trinity Valley School, Fort Worth, TX