Teach the Torches to Burn was absolutely fantastic! I've been dying to read/listen to this and was so happy to get me hands on an ALC!

I'm loving the remixed books series/trend happening lately and I'll admit I have been looking forward to this one quite a bit, (especially for someone who has never read Romeo and Juliet) and in my opinion it did not disappoint! I cannot express how much I liked Romeo figuring out his feelings and attractions and Aromantic Juliet? 1000/10 This was cute, dramatic, romantic, and everything you could want in a retelling of such a classic.

I'm not a huge fan of Romeo & Juliet, but I wanted to give this one a shot since it's a queer retelling! Definitely liked it more, and a solid retelling!

This next installment of Macmillan's Remixed Classics collection brings Shakespeare into the mix with a gay Romeo and a Juliet who has no desires to be wed.

I'll be honest, I was nervous about this one since Shakespeare's tale of star-crossed lovers kind of hinges on young teens from two warring families to fall in love and if Romeo wasn't falling for Juliet... I wasn't sure how TEACH THE TORCHES TO BURN was going to pull off a remix of ROMEO & JULIET. I had no need to worry though, Roehrig expertly takes the key plot points and themes from Shakespeare's play and weaves them into this version of Romeo and Juliet trying to find their places in a world where parental expectations tell them they cannot be their true selves. I appreciated that Juliet still had a hefty role to play, even if she was no longer the object of Romeo's desire - Roehrig didn't forget her or relegate her to the shadows. Honestly, the only thing I missed was Mercutio's Queen Mab speech, though Roehrig's Mercutio still has the same energy and charisma as Shakespeare's.

Roehrig kept this version within the same time period as the play and while spoken in modern English, much of the dialogue and phrases used are closer to classic literature than of YA literature in 2023. This may deter some readers, but I personally think it makes the plot more effective.

As the tension rises after the fight with Tybalt, and Romeo is frantically trying to find a path forward with Friar Laurence that doesn't include more death, my reader experience was one of intense anxiousness needing to know how Roehrig was going to end this tale and if it was going to stray from the original text. Does it? You'll have to read it yourself to find out. But I will say that I think the meeting between Romeo and Valentine through to the end are well executed and make this a satisfying read.

Max Meyers does a great job with the audiobook narration.

Advanced Reader’s Copy provided by NetGalley, Macmillan Audio, and Macmillan Young Listeners in exchange for an honest review.