First published 1597
Romeo Montague spots Juliet Capulet across a crowded ballroom and falls instantly in love. Their families have waged a bitter feud for generations, making their attraction forbidden and dangerous. The young lovers marry in secret, hoping their union might end the bloodshed between their houses. But when Romeo kills Juliet's cousin Tybalt in a street fight, he faces banishment from Verona. Desperate to avoid an arranged marriage to another man, Juliet takes a potion that makes her appear dead. Romeo, believing she has truly died, drinks poison beside her tomb. Juliet awakens to find his lifeless body and takes her own life with his dagger. Their deaths finally reconcile the warring families, but at a devastating cost. Shakespeare weaves together passionate romance and brutal violence, showing how young love blooms even in a world determined to destroy it.
Genres: drama, classic-literature, romance, tragedy
Vibes: emotional, intimate, suspenseful
Tropes: enemies-to-lovers, star-crossed-lovers
Setting: Verona
Period: Medieval
242 pages · Paperback · Penguin Books
Content warnings: death, violence