Title: Undiscovered Country by Thia
Fandom: Hamlet
Pairing: Hamlet/Horatio
Categories: Slash
Length: Medium (9500 words)
Warning: Canonical and extra-canonical death
Rating: Mild - author's rating is R

Author on LJ: just throw words at the page
Website: The author has a separate writing journal and the 'Memories' section of it is linked here

Summary: Ghosts stalk Elsinore; sometimes a traveller returns.

Review: The dead of Elsinore don’t stay dead, particularly if they have something on their minds. Having refused to let Horatio die with him, Hamlet returns to haunt both his dreams and his waking hours - but, like his father before him, is maddeningly elliptical about the world he inhabits and the future of his country.

This is, of course, the continuation of a love affair between Horatio and his Prince which began - at least in the physical sense - when Hamlet found his way back to Denmark after the pirate attack. Lodged at Horatio's expense in a rough dockside tavern the two are free for the first time to express their feelings for one another, although these are not sudden or surprising revelations and indeed this love scene is rather delicately handled.

And, when Hamlet returns to confront his destiny, Horatio stays loyally beside him and only remains alive at Hamlet's express insistence. After he has told the world what he knows, however, the hauntings begin; Marcellus again reports the presence of ghosts in the castle. Indeed, all the dead are returned - including Ophelia, who for some reason has taken up residence in a tree and seems particularly communicative.

Horatio, of course, wants to be wherever Hamlet is, and Hamlet wants the same. Since 'the Almighty has fixed his canon against self-slaughter' it looks as if a futile sacrifice is called for - and so Horatio goes off to fight in Fortinbras's war against the Polack, which has the desired effect. He is soon returned, blissfully, to Hamlet's arms.

The story here is very nicely put together, although I must admit there is something a bit comical about poor Ophelia hanging around in a tree waiting for Hamlet to return to her and never realising that he's off elsewhere haunting Horatio. The real quibble I have is the extremely uneven and sometimes impenetrable quasi-Shakespearean dialogue which perhaps could have been simplified to better effect. Having said that, it's emotional honesty rather than verbal tricks which define a good story in my opinion, and this story certainly has it. Thia's steadfast and unassuming Horatio is very much my favourite sort of character; loyal to death and beyond. Her Hamlet ranges from mercurial to inexplicable at times, but then again that's Hamlet for you.

This is a solid and enjoyable piece of work with a lot to recommend it. It will make a useful and welcome addition to anyone's collection of favourite Shakespeare slash.

Link: Undiscovered Country

Title: Undiscovered Country by Thia
Fandom: Hamlet
Pairing: Hamlet/Horatio
Categories: Slash
Length: Medium (9500 words)
Warning: Canonical and extra-canonical death
Rating: Mild - author's rating is R

Author on LJ: just throw words at the page
Website: The author has a separate writing journal and the 'Memories' section of it is linked here

Summary: Ghosts stalk Elsinore; sometimes a traveller returns.

Review: The dead of Elsinore don’t stay dead, particularly if they have something on their minds. Having refused to let Horatio die with him, Hamlet returns to haunt both his dreams and his waking hours - but, like his father before him, is maddeningly elliptical about the world he inhabits and the future of his country.

This is, of course, the continuation of a love affair between Horatio and his Prince which began - at least in the physical sense - when Hamlet found his way back to Denmark after the pirate attack. Lodged at Horatio's expense in a rough dockside tavern the two are free for the first time to express their feelings for one another, although these are not sudden or surprising revelations and indeed this love scene is rather delicately handled.

And, when Hamlet returns to confront his destiny, Horatio stays loyally beside him and only remains alive at Hamlet's express insistence. After he has told the world what he knows, however, the hauntings begin; Marcellus again reports the presence of ghosts in the castle. Indeed, all the dead are returned - including Ophelia, who for some reason has taken up residence in a tree and seems particularly communicative.

Horatio, of course, wants to be wherever Hamlet is, and Hamlet wants the same. Since 'the Almighty has fixed his canon against self-slaughter' it looks as if a futile sacrifice is called for - and so Horatio goes off to fight in Fortinbras's war against the Polack, which has the desired effect. He is soon returned, blissfully, to Hamlet's arms.

The story here is very nicely put together, although I must admit there is something a bit comical about poor Ophelia hanging around in a tree waiting for Hamlet to return to her and never realising that he's off elsewhere haunting Horatio. The real quibble I have is the extremely uneven and sometimes impenetrable quasi-Shakespearean dialogue which perhaps could have been simplified to better effect. Having said that, it's emotional honesty rather than verbal tricks which define a good story in my opinion, and this story certainly has it. Thia's steadfast and unassuming Horatio is very much my favourite sort of character; loyal to death and beyond. Her Hamlet ranges from mercurial to inexplicable at times, but then again that's Hamlet for you.

This is a solid and enjoyable piece of work with a lot to recommend it. It will make a useful and welcome addition to anyone's collection of favourite Shakespeare slash.

Link: Undiscovered Country

Title: Undiscovered Country by Thia
Fandom: Hamlet
Pairing: Hamlet/Horatio
Categories: Slash
Length: Medium (9500 words)
Warning: Canonical and extra-canonical death
Rating: Mild - author's rating is R

Author on LJ: just throw words at the page
Website: The author has a separate writing journal and the 'Memories' section of it is linked here

Summary: Ghosts stalk Elsinore; sometimes a traveller returns.

Review: The dead of Elsinore don’t stay dead, particularly if they have something on their minds. Having refused to let Horatio die with him, Hamlet returns to haunt both his dreams and his waking hours - but, like his father before him, is maddeningly elliptical about the world he inhabits and the future of his country.

This is, of course, the continuation of a love affair between Horatio and his Prince which began - at least in the physical sense - when Hamlet found his way back to Denmark after the pirate attack. Lodged at Horatio's expense in a rough dockside tavern the two are free for the first time to express their feelings for one another, although these are not sudden or surprising revelations and indeed this love scene is rather delicately handled.

And, when Hamlet returns to confront his destiny, Horatio stays loyally beside him and only remains alive at Hamlet's express insistence. After he has told the world what he knows, however, the hauntings begin; Marcellus again reports the presence of ghosts in the castle. Indeed, all the dead are returned - including Ophelia, who for some reason has taken up residence in a tree and seems particularly communicative.

Horatio, of course, wants to be wherever Hamlet is, and Hamlet wants the same. Since 'the Almighty has fixed his canon against self-slaughter' it looks as if a futile sacrifice is called for - and so Horatio goes off to fight in Fortinbras's war against the Polack, which has the desired effect. He is soon returned, blissfully, to Hamlet's arms.

The story here is very nicely put together, although I must admit there is something a bit comical about poor Ophelia hanging around in a tree waiting for Hamlet to return to her and never realising that he's off elsewhere haunting Horatio. The real quibble I have is the extremely uneven and sometimes impenetrable quasi-Shakespearean dialogue which perhaps could have been simplified to better effect. Having said that, it's emotional honesty rather than verbal tricks which define a good story in my opinion, and this story certainly has it. Thia's steadfast and unassuming Horatio is very much my favourite sort of character; loyal to death and beyond. Her Hamlet ranges from mercurial to inexplicable at times, but then again that's Hamlet for you.

This is a solid and enjoyable piece of work with a lot to recommend it. It will make a useful and welcome addition to anyone's collection of favourite Shakespeare slash.

Link: Undiscovered Country

Title: Undiscovered Country by Thia
Fandom: Hamlet
Pairing: Hamlet/Horatio
Categories: Slash
Length: Medium (9500 words)
Warning: Canonical and extra-canonical death
Rating: Mild - author's rating is R

Author on LJ: just throw words at the page
Website: The author has a separate writing journal and the 'Memories' section of it is linked here

Summary: Ghosts stalk Elsinore; sometimes a traveller returns.

Review: The dead of Elsinore don’t stay dead, particularly if they have something on their minds. Having refused to let Horatio die with him, Hamlet returns to haunt both his dreams and his waking hours - but, like his father before him, is maddeningly elliptical about the world he inhabits and the future of his country.

This is, of course, the continuation of a love affair between Horatio and his Prince which began - at least in the physical sense - when Hamlet found his way back to Denmark after the pirate attack. Lodged at Horatio's expense in a rough dockside tavern the two are free for the first time to express their feelings for one another, although these are not sudden or surprising revelations and indeed this love scene is rather delicately handled.

And, when Hamlet returns to confront his destiny, Horatio stays loyally beside him and only remains alive at Hamlet's express insistence. After he has told the world what he knows, however, the hauntings begin; Marcellus again reports the presence of ghosts in the castle. Indeed, all the dead are returned - including Ophelia, who for some reason has taken up residence in a tree and seems particularly communicative.

Horatio, of course, wants to be wherever Hamlet is, and Hamlet wants the same. Since 'the Almighty has fixed his canon against self-slaughter' it looks as if a futile sacrifice is called for - and so Horatio goes off to fight in Fortinbras's war against the Polack, which has the desired effect. He is soon returned, blissfully, to Hamlet's arms.

The story here is very nicely put together, although I must admit there is something a bit comical about poor Ophelia hanging around in a tree waiting for Hamlet to return to her and never realising that he's off elsewhere haunting Horatio. The real quibble I have is the extremely uneven and sometimes impenetrable quasi-Shakespearean dialogue which perhaps could have been simplified to better effect. Having said that, it's emotional honesty rather than verbal tricks which define a good story in my opinion, and this story certainly has it. Thia's steadfast and unassuming Horatio is very much my favourite sort of character; loyal to death and beyond. Her Hamlet ranges from mercurial to inexplicable at times, but then again that's Hamlet for you.

This is a solid and enjoyable piece of work with a lot to recommend it. It will make a useful and welcome addition to anyone's collection of favourite Shakespeare slash.

Link: Undiscovered Country

Title: Romeo and Mercutio: an alternate love story by Harlequin
Fandom: Romeo and Juliet
Pairing: Romeo/Mercutio
Categories: Slash, romance
Length: Medium (11,000 words)
Warning: None
Rating: PG13

Author on LJ: slashweaver
Website: Harlequin's Slash Fic

Summary: Years before this story begins, Romeo gave up on Rosaline and instead committed himself to a love affair with Mercutio; they left Verona Beach. On their return, Romeo meets Juliet for the first time, and is intrigued to find she is working towards ending the long feud between the Montague and Capulet families.

Review: This story is based on the Baz Luhrmann movie Romeo + Juliet which I confess I haven’t seen, but once I looked up the cast list I had more than enough 'visuals' in my mind to make it work. The basic premise is simple enough; Romeo is with Mercutio, Juliet is married to Paris, and somehow they must try to bring peace to their warring community.

In so many versions of the play Juliet is merely collateral damage, swept up in the emotional maelstrom and not really in charge of her own destiny. Here, however, we have a Juliet who is strong enough not only to defy her father but also to persuade Paris, Romeo and eventually even a disbelieving Mercutio that she is sincere in her wish to reconcile the warring families of Montague and Capulet. Her strategy, moreover, is an intriguing one; she sets up a fashion label calculated to appeal to both factions, recruits Romeo as an advisor and some of his cousins as models, and then convinces the sceptical Mercutio to open up a coffee shop next door. Needless to say this eminently sensible plan does not go down particularly well with some of the older members of the community who like their war the way it is, thank you very much, even if they can't remember why it started. It is not long, therefore, before both Romeo and Juliet find themselves cast out by their families and obliged to 'go it alone'.

This is a fascinating twist on an old favourite. I have to say, this is the first and only Juliet I have ever felt would be worth knowing; she is strong and capable and does not bow to even the most extreme emotional blackmail - and obviously enjoys the full support of her slightly less dynamic husband, Paris. In fact Juliet emerges as the star of the story, for me, although Romeo and Mercutio are also very well drawn and make a convincing couple. Rather than a play in which you very often wish you could slap all the main characters and tell them to grow up, what emerges here is an alternative version which has them defying parental expectation and taking control of their own fates with enviable composure.

Rewriting the bard is a fairly dangerous business and it's easy to get it disastrously wrong. Harlequin, however, has avoided all the traps and given us a rendering of Romeo and Juliet which I much prefer to the original. Thank goodness, the whiny emo teens are gone; here instead are young people who know where they're going and won’t let anything stand in their way. "It's Shakespeare, Jim, but not as we know it." Thank goodness!

Link: Romeo and Mercutio: an alternate love story

Title: Romeo and Mercutio: an alternate love story by Harlequin
Fandom: Romeo and Juliet
Pairing: Romeo/Mercutio
Categories: Slash, romance
Length: Medium (11,000 words)
Warning: None
Rating: PG13

Author on LJ: slashweaver
Website: Harlequin's Slash Fic

Summary: Years before this story begins, Romeo gave up on Rosaline and instead committed himself to a love affair with Mercutio; they left Verona Beach. On their return, Romeo meets Juliet for the first time, and is intrigued to find she is working towards ending the long feud between the Montague and Capulet families.

Review: This story is based on the Baz Luhrmann movie Romeo + Juliet which I confess I haven’t seen, but once I looked up the cast list I had more than enough 'visuals' in my mind to make it work. The basic premise is simple enough; Romeo is with Mercutio, Juliet is married to Paris, and somehow they must try to bring peace to their warring community.

In so many versions of the play Juliet is merely collateral damage, swept up in the emotional maelstrom and not really in charge of her own destiny. Here, however, we have a Juliet who is strong enough not only to defy her father but also to persuade Paris, Romeo and eventually even a disbelieving Mercutio that she is sincere in her wish to reconcile the warring families of Montague and Capulet. Her strategy, moreover, is an intriguing one; she sets up a fashion label calculated to appeal to both factions, recruits Romeo as an advisor and some of his cousins as models, and then convinces the sceptical Mercutio to open up a coffee shop next door. Needless to say this eminently sensible plan does not go down particularly well with some of the older members of the community who like their war the way it is, thank you very much, even if they can't remember why it started. It is not long, therefore, before both Romeo and Juliet find themselves cast out by their families and obliged to 'go it alone'.

This is a fascinating twist on an old favourite. I have to say, this is the first and only Juliet I have ever felt would be worth knowing; she is strong and capable and does not bow to even the most extreme emotional blackmail - and obviously enjoys the full support of her slightly less dynamic husband, Paris. In fact Juliet emerges as the star of the story, for me, although Romeo and Mercutio are also very well drawn and make a convincing couple. Rather than a play in which you very often wish you could slap all the main characters and tell them to grow up, what emerges here is an alternative version which has them defying parental expectation and taking control of their own fates with enviable composure.

Rewriting the bard is a fairly dangerous business and it's easy to get it disastrously wrong. Harlequin, however, has avoided all the traps and given us a rendering of Romeo and Juliet which I much prefer to the original. Thank goodness, the whiny emo teens are gone; here instead are young people who know where they're going and won’t let anything stand in their way. "It's Shakespeare, Jim, but not as we know it." Thank goodness!

Link: Romeo and Mercutio: an alternate love story

Title: Romeo and Mercutio: an alternate love story by Harlequin
Fandom: Romeo and Juliet
Pairing: Romeo/Mercutio
Categories: Slash, romance
Length: Medium (11,000 words)
Warning: None
Rating: PG13

Author on LJ: slashweaver
Website: Harlequin's Slash Fic

Summary: Years before this story begins, Romeo gave up on Rosaline and instead committed himself to a love affair with Mercutio; they left Verona Beach. On their return, Romeo meets Juliet for the first time, and is intrigued to find she is working towards ending the long feud between the Montague and Capulet families.

Review: This story is based on the Baz Luhrmann movie Romeo + Juliet which I confess I haven’t seen, but once I looked up the cast list I had more than enough 'visuals' in my mind to make it work. The basic premise is simple enough; Romeo is with Mercutio, Juliet is married to Paris, and somehow they must try to bring peace to their warring community.

In so many versions of the play Juliet is merely collateral damage, swept up in the emotional maelstrom and not really in charge of her own destiny. Here, however, we have a Juliet who is strong enough not only to defy her father but also to persuade Paris, Romeo and eventually even a disbelieving Mercutio that she is sincere in her wish to reconcile the warring families of Montague and Capulet. Her strategy, moreover, is an intriguing one; she sets up a fashion label calculated to appeal to both factions, recruits Romeo as an advisor and some of his cousins as models, and then convinces the sceptical Mercutio to open up a coffee shop next door. Needless to say this eminently sensible plan does not go down particularly well with some of the older members of the community who like their war the way it is, thank you very much, even if they can't remember why it started. It is not long, therefore, before both Romeo and Juliet find themselves cast out by their families and obliged to 'go it alone'.

This is a fascinating twist on an old favourite. I have to say, this is the first and only Juliet I have ever felt would be worth knowing; she is strong and capable and does not bow to even the most extreme emotional blackmail - and obviously enjoys the full support of her slightly less dynamic husband, Paris. In fact Juliet emerges as the star of the story, for me, although Romeo and Mercutio are also very well drawn and make a convincing couple. Rather than a play in which you very often wish you could slap all the main characters and tell them to grow up, what emerges here is an alternative version which has them defying parental expectation and taking control of their own fates with enviable composure.

Rewriting the bard is a fairly dangerous business and it's easy to get it disastrously wrong. Harlequin, however, has avoided all the traps and given us a rendering of Romeo and Juliet which I much prefer to the original. Thank goodness, the whiny emo teens are gone; here instead are young people who know where they're going and won’t let anything stand in their way. "It's Shakespeare, Jim, but not as we know it." Thank goodness!

Link: Romeo and Mercutio: an alternate love story

Title: Romeo and Mercutio: an alternate love story by Harlequin
Fandom: Romeo and Juliet
Pairing: Romeo/Mercutio
Categories: Slash, romance
Length: Medium (11,000 words)
Warning: None
Rating: PG13

Author on LJ: slashweaver
Website: Harlequin's Slash Fic

Summary: Years before this story begins, Romeo gave up on Rosaline and instead committed himself to a love affair with Mercutio; they left Verona Beach. On their return, Romeo meets Juliet for the first time, and is intrigued to find she is working towards ending the long feud between the Montague and Capulet families.

Review: This story is based on the Baz Luhrmann movie Romeo + Juliet which I confess I haven’t seen, but once I looked up the cast list I had more than enough 'visuals' in my mind to make it work. The basic premise is simple enough; Romeo is with Mercutio, Juliet is married to Paris, and somehow they must try to bring peace to their warring community.

In so many versions of the play Juliet is merely collateral damage, swept up in the emotional maelstrom and not really in charge of her own destiny. Here, however, we have a Juliet who is strong enough not only to defy her father but also to persuade Paris, Romeo and eventually even a disbelieving Mercutio that she is sincere in her wish to reconcile the warring families of Montague and Capulet. Her strategy, moreover, is an intriguing one; she sets up a fashion label calculated to appeal to both factions, recruits Romeo as an advisor and some of his cousins as models, and then convinces the sceptical Mercutio to open up a coffee shop next door. Needless to say this eminently sensible plan does not go down particularly well with some of the older members of the community who like their war the way it is, thank you very much, even if they can't remember why it started. It is not long, therefore, before both Romeo and Juliet find themselves cast out by their families and obliged to 'go it alone'.

This is a fascinating twist on an old favourite. I have to say, this is the first and only Juliet I have ever felt would be worth knowing; she is strong and capable and does not bow to even the most extreme emotional blackmail - and obviously enjoys the full support of her slightly less dynamic husband, Paris. In fact Juliet emerges as the star of the story, for me, although Romeo and Mercutio are also very well drawn and make a convincing couple. Rather than a play in which you very often wish you could slap all the main characters and tell them to grow up, what emerges here is an alternative version which has them defying parental expectation and taking control of their own fates with enviable composure.

Rewriting the bard is a fairly dangerous business and it's easy to get it disastrously wrong. Harlequin, however, has avoided all the traps and given us a rendering of Romeo and Juliet which I much prefer to the original. Thank goodness, the whiny emo teens are gone; here instead are young people who know where they're going and won’t let anything stand in their way. "It's Shakespeare, Jim, but not as we know it." Thank goodness!

Link: Romeo and Mercutio: an alternate love story

Title: Romeo and Mercutio: an alternate love story by Harlequin
Fandom: Romeo and Juliet
Pairing: Romeo/Mercutio
Categories: Slash, romance
Length: Medium (11,000 words)
Warning: None
Rating: PG13

Author on LJ: slashweaver
Website: Harlequin's Slash Fic

Summary: Years before this story begins, Romeo gave up on Rosaline and instead committed himself to a love affair with Mercutio; they left Verona Beach. On their return, Romeo meets Juliet for the first time, and is intrigued to find she is working towards ending the long feud between the Montague and Capulet families.

Review: This story is based on the Baz Luhrmann movie Romeo + Juliet which I confess I haven’t seen, but once I looked up the cast list I had more than enough 'visuals' in my mind to make it work. The basic premise is simple enough; Romeo is with Mercutio, Juliet is married to Paris, and somehow they must try to bring peace to their warring community.

In so many versions of the play Juliet is merely collateral damage, swept up in the emotional maelstrom and not really in charge of her own destiny. Here, however, we have a Juliet who is strong enough not only to defy her father but also to persuade Paris, Romeo and eventually even a disbelieving Mercutio that she is sincere in her wish to reconcile the warring families of Montague and Capulet. Her strategy, moreover, is an intriguing one; she sets up a fashion label calculated to appeal to both factions, recruits Romeo as an advisor and some of his cousins as models, and then convinces the sceptical Mercutio to open up a coffee shop next door. Needless to say this eminently sensible plan does not go down particularly well with some of the older members of the community who like their war the way it is, thank you very much, even if they can't remember why it started. It is not long, therefore, before both Romeo and Juliet find themselves cast out by their families and obliged to 'go it alone'.

This is a fascinating twist on an old favourite. I have to say, this is the first and only Juliet I have ever felt would be worth knowing; she is strong and capable and does not bow to even the most extreme emotional blackmail - and obviously enjoys the full support of her slightly less dynamic husband, Paris. In fact Juliet emerges as the star of the story, for me, although Romeo and Mercutio are also very well drawn and make a convincing couple. Rather than a play in which you very often wish you could slap all the main characters and tell them to grow up, what emerges here is an alternative version which has them defying parental expectation and taking control of their own fates with enviable composure.

Rewriting the bard is a fairly dangerous business and it's easy to get it disastrously wrong. Harlequin, however, has avoided all the traps and given us a rendering of Romeo and Juliet which I much prefer to the original. Thank goodness, the whiny emo teens are gone; here instead are young people who know where they're going and won’t let anything stand in their way. "It's Shakespeare, Jim, but not as we know it." Thank goodness!

Link: Romeo and Mercutio: an alternate love story

Title: Romeo and Mercutio: an alternate love story by Harlequin
Fandom: Romeo and Juliet
Pairing: Romeo/Mercutio
Categories: Slash, romance
Length: Medium (11,000 words)
Warning: None
Rating: PG13

Author on LJ: slashweaver
Website: Harlequin's Slash Fic

Summary: Years before this story begins, Romeo gave up on Rosaline and instead committed himself to a love affair with Mercutio; they left Verona Beach. On their return, Romeo meets Juliet for the first time, and is intrigued to find she is working towards ending the long feud between the Montague and Capulet families.

Review: This story is based on the Baz Luhrmann movie Romeo + Juliet which I confess I haven’t seen, but once I looked up the cast list I had more than enough 'visuals' in my mind to make it work. The basic premise is simple enough; Romeo is with Mercutio, Juliet is married to Paris, and somehow they must try to bring peace to their warring community.

In so many versions of the play Juliet is merely collateral damage, swept up in the emotional maelstrom and not really in charge of her own destiny. Here, however, we have a Juliet who is strong enough not only to defy her father but also to persuade Paris, Romeo and eventually even a disbelieving Mercutio that she is sincere in her wish to reconcile the warring families of Montague and Capulet. Her strategy, moreover, is an intriguing one; she sets up a fashion label calculated to appeal to both factions, recruits Romeo as an advisor and some of his cousins as models, and then convinces the sceptical Mercutio to open up a coffee shop next door. Needless to say this eminently sensible plan does not go down particularly well with some of the older members of the community who like their war the way it is, thank you very much, even if they can't remember why it started. It is not long, therefore, before both Romeo and Juliet find themselves cast out by their families and obliged to 'go it alone'.

This is a fascinating twist on an old favourite. I have to say, this is the first and only Juliet I have ever felt would be worth knowing; she is strong and capable and does not bow to even the most extreme emotional blackmail - and obviously enjoys the full support of her slightly less dynamic husband, Paris. In fact Juliet emerges as the star of the story, for me, although Romeo and Mercutio are also very well drawn and make a convincing couple. Rather than a play in which you very often wish you could slap all the main characters and tell them to grow up, what emerges here is an alternative version which has them defying parental expectation and taking control of their own fates with enviable composure.

Rewriting the bard is a fairly dangerous business and it's easy to get it disastrously wrong. Harlequin, however, has avoided all the traps and given us a rendering of Romeo and Juliet which I much prefer to the original. Thank goodness, the whiny emo teens are gone; here instead are young people who know where they're going and won’t let anything stand in their way. "It's Shakespeare, Jim, but not as we know it." Thank goodness!

Link: Romeo and Mercutio: an alternate love story