The Ghostly Father
Was this what really happened to Romeo & Juliet?
Think you know the world’s most famous love story? Think again. What if the story of Romeo & Juliet really happened – but not quite in the way we’ve all been told?
This part-prequel, part-sequel to the original tale, told from the point of view of the Friar, tells how an ancient Italian manuscript reveals secrets and lies which have remained hidden for hundreds of years, and casts new doubts on the official story of Shakespeare’s famous star-crossed lovers.
If you love the Romeo & Juliet story but are disappointed with the way it ended, this is the book for you.
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Book review...
On this day filled with love it seems only fitting that I should be writing a review on one of the greatest love stories of all time. The nail was firmly hit on the head when Jonson claimed that 'Shakespeare was not of age, but for all time' showing that his work is still relevant to an audience of today and this book is a shinning example of that fact.
I was instantly drawn to this book by the lure of a part-prequel, part-sequel to the famous tale and I loved every moment of this re-telling through the eyes of the friar. I felt that this was an incredibly clever take on proceedings with the utmost respect placed on staying true to the past where possible.
The story within a story was framed to perfection and segued the lead into the re-telling with warmth and love between Grandpa and his granddaughter which I felt tied the story closer to a contemporary audience. If you are a hopeless romantic, like me, then this story is the one for you. I wholeheartedly adored this re-telling of the age-old classic, bringing it to a modern reader in a fresh and respectful manner.
Author Bio –
Sue Barnard is a British novelist, editor and award-winning poet. She was born in North Wales some time during the last millennium, but has spent most of her life in and around Manchester. After graduating from Durham University she had a variety of office jobs before becoming a full-time parent. If she had her way, the phrase “Non-Working Mother” would be banned from the English language.
Her mind is so warped that she has appeared on BBC TV’s Only Connect quiz show, and she has also compiled questions for BBC Radio 4's fiendishly difficult Round Britain Quiz. This once caused one of her sons to describe her as "professionally weird." The label has stuck.
Sue speaks French like a Belgian, German like a schoolgirl, and Italian and Portuguese like an Englishwoman abroad. She is also very interested in family history. Her own background is far stranger than any work of fiction; she would write a book about it if she thought anybody would believe her.
