3.5 stars

I have mixed feelings on this one.

POSITIVES:
- much better than the original. Personally, I despised the original "Romeo & Juliet," so I was very pleased when this one was considerably less horrible.
- the world and magic system. Viyara was a very interesting city, with the upper and lower levels and three high houses. There were a lot of secrets and mystery interwoven, particularly in the past of the city. I enjoyed the details of the Ruining, as it was unlike what I've read before.
- the characters. While all of them definitely had faults, they were much more likable and realistic than those in the original play. Maybe that's a harsh judgment considering the play is centuries old, but in my opinion it's true. Runajo was determined, Juliet was interestingly loyal, Paris was unusually flawed but admirably kindhearted (for lack of a better word), and Romeo was generous and a hopeless romantic. (Much like me.) Also, once I got to know him, Vai was great too.
- the fresh take on the romance. Early on things happen that lead Romeo and Juliet to believe the other is dead, so their relationship existed only in flashbacks and memories. I enjoyed this a lot, because one of the main reasons I disliked the play was the speed at which their love developed.
- there was nothing similar to the balcony scene, either in the play or the movie. I'm very thankful for this. XD

NEGATIVES:
- the pacing. The recurring pattern of this story seemed to be a spurt of action, and then a lot of repercussions and planning. It was uneven, and there were times where the story dragged some. Also, there were a couple of info dumps that I really wasn't a fan of.
- the twists. Or should I say lack thereof? I don't mean to be harsh. There were events that surprised me, but they were few and far between. The ending had little impact on me, and the twist in the final pages was actually one I predicted. Granted, I predicted it barely a chapter prior, but it still lessened my surprise factor.
- the convenience. The important parts of the story and the action-packed ones seemed kind of rushed. Juliet and Runajo had a couple of scenes with a lot of potential, as did Romeo and Paris. Yet for the most part, they lasted a couple of pages at most. It was a little disappointing.

I DID enjoy this, don't get me wrong. It was definitely better than Shakespeare's, in my opinion. But it also wasn't everything I had hoped it would be, so at the moment I'm not sure if I'll pick up the sequel if it releases.