Quick Synopsis

A woman discovers that she is part of a legendary love story that spans lives, years, and continents in this modern-day reimagining of Romeo and Juliet.

Publisher’s Synopsis

I may go by Sebastien now, but my name was originally Romeo. And hers was Juliet.

It’s a frosty fairytale of an evening in small-town Alaska when Helene and Sebastien meet for the first time. Except it isn’t the first time. You already know that story, though it didn’t happen quite as Shakespeare told it.

To Helene, Sebastien is the flesh-and-blood hero of the love stories she’s spent her life writing. But Sebastien knows better—Helene is his Juliet, and their story has always been the same. He is doomed to find brief happiness with her over and over, before she dies, and he is left to mourn.

Albrecht and Brigitta. Matteo and Amélie. Jack and Rachel. Marius and Cosmina. By any name, no matter where and when in time, the two of them are drawn together, and it always ends in tragedy.

This time, Helene is determined that things will be different. But can these star-cross’d lovers forge a new ending to the greatest love story of all time?

Book Review

In The Hundred Lives of Juliet, Sebastian and Helene are reincarnations of Romeo & Juliet, living hundreds of lives that end in tragedy. While Sebastian is now cognizant of their story and who he is, Helene has no idea. In this life, Helene temporarily moves to a small Alaskan town to grieve her father’s death, nurse the wounds of her failed marriage, and finally finish her novel. When the two star-crossed lovers cross paths, Helene feels like she has know Sebastian forever despite it being their first encounter.

Have you ever read a book at exactly the right time? This past summer, The Hundred Loves of Juliet was that book for me.

Told through alternating points-of-view and glimpses at past lives, The Hundred Loves of Juliet is a smart, fresh take on a classic story. I found this story of love that endures time and difficult circumstances to be heartbreaking, yet soul reaffirming. The characters are the truest definition of soulmates.

Evelyn Skye has written a moving story of everlasting love, grief, and loss, but with a happy ending. In doing so, she has created some gorgeous quotes. Now, I think it is worth mentioning that this is a young adult author’s first adult novel… and I think the book’s faults reflect that.

While I like what I knew of the characters, Sebastian and Helene could have been further developed. I did not feel like they jumped off the page or were people I truly knew at the end of the book.

The Hundred Lives of Juliet held my attention and never felt like it dragged. I think the plot was generally well fleshed out. I did think that the drama with Helene’s ex husband was unnecessary (and perhaps a leftover habit from the author’s YA writing). The ending was generally satisfying, but I think some of the loose ends could have been better tied up.

In the acknowledgements, Skye explains that this book was very personal to her and inspired by her husband’s own illness and brush with death. I think one of the reasons that I enjoyed this book so much is because I felt that deeply having just experienced a similar situation. Skye’s words really sparkled when grief and loss were discussed.

Overall, while The Hundred Loves of Juliet is not a life-changing book, it is a solid read that will make you feel and reexamine your ideas about stories in the classic literature canon. I would particularly recommend this book to hopeless romantics, Romeo & Juliet fans, as well as those dealing with a romantic partner’s illness or death.

Rating

Overall Rating

Writing

Plot

Character Development