Guest Post by J. I. Radke, author of Rooks and Romanticide
There’s no
avoiding it—Romeo and Juliet
is a classic. The forbidden love/star-crossed lovers theme is one that occurs
time and time again, whether in the traditional Shakespearean sense or in new
relevant fashion. And of course there’s reboots like the movie Romeo + Juliet that take the
old tale for a fun spin. I like to think it’s because the themes and emotions
in Romeo/Juliet are intrinsic parts of the human experience—love and
desperation, logic versus passion, secrecy and loyalty. To name a few. I never
really had a plan, as a writer, to try my hand at reinventing the classic play.
It just sort of happened in a huge collision of inexperienced research. What I
mean is… Okay. Here we go!
avoiding it—Romeo and Juliet
is a classic. The forbidden love/star-crossed lovers theme is one that occurs
time and time again, whether in the traditional Shakespearean sense or in new
relevant fashion. And of course there’s reboots like the movie Romeo + Juliet that take the
old tale for a fun spin. I like to think it’s because the themes and emotions
in Romeo/Juliet are intrinsic parts of the human experience—love and
desperation, logic versus passion, secrecy and loyalty. To name a few. I never
really had a plan, as a writer, to try my hand at reinventing the classic play.
It just sort of happened in a huge collision of inexperienced research. What I
mean is… Okay. Here we go!
I love
literature in its every form—that includes manga (you know, the “backwards”
Japanese visual novels)—and one manga that I absolutely adore and will never
stop obsessing over is Kuroshitsuji (黒執事, or Black Butler.) ROOKS AND ROMANTICIDE at its youngest stage
was…yes…fanfiction for this series. I was seventeen and I’d wanted to do
something different, something new, and I thought it would be fun to reinvent
Romeo/Juliet in a Victorian-type setting. What it became was more of an
“alternate universe” Victorian London, and the gunslinger idea entered when I adapted
the gang mentality of Romeo/Juliet’s fighting families to the era. From there,
it just developed into this amalgamation, this almost-steampunk sort of
culture, and became this great platform on which to explore the two houses
hating each other and to build Cain and Levi’s relationship safe from that
hatred. Mind, that was only the humble beginnings of ROOKS. It’s been five
years since then and I like to think ROOKS has distinguished itself from its
early days… 😉
literature in its every form—that includes manga (you know, the “backwards”
Japanese visual novels)—and one manga that I absolutely adore and will never
stop obsessing over is Kuroshitsuji (黒執事, or Black Butler.) ROOKS AND ROMANTICIDE at its youngest stage
was…yes…fanfiction for this series. I was seventeen and I’d wanted to do
something different, something new, and I thought it would be fun to reinvent
Romeo/Juliet in a Victorian-type setting. What it became was more of an
“alternate universe” Victorian London, and the gunslinger idea entered when I adapted
the gang mentality of Romeo/Juliet’s fighting families to the era. From there,
it just developed into this amalgamation, this almost-steampunk sort of
culture, and became this great platform on which to explore the two houses
hating each other and to build Cain and Levi’s relationship safe from that
hatred. Mind, that was only the humble beginnings of ROOKS. It’s been five
years since then and I like to think ROOKS has distinguished itself from its
early days… 😉
For
whatever reason going mad over organization, I went back to Romeo/Juliet and
formed my own outline around the play’s actual skeleton. Scene by scene, act by
act. I wanted to parallel it as far as plot movement, while tweaking it into
something equally unique. I even structured the story itself like a play—parts
are labeled “acts” and chapters labeled “scenes.”
whatever reason going mad over organization, I went back to Romeo/Juliet and
formed my own outline around the play’s actual skeleton. Scene by scene, act by
act. I wanted to parallel it as far as plot movement, while tweaking it into
something equally unique. I even structured the story itself like a play—parts
are labeled “acts” and chapters labeled “scenes.”
I hope
the parallels come through both as throwbacks to the original play and as their
own reinvented scenes. I won’t spoil anything, but I think it’s safe to say
readers can expect certain turns of events just knowing how Romeo/Juliet plays
out—even though there is a lot that is exclusive to ROOKS.
the parallels come through both as throwbacks to the original play and as their
own reinvented scenes. I won’t spoil anything, but I think it’s safe to say
readers can expect certain turns of events just knowing how Romeo/Juliet plays
out—even though there is a lot that is exclusive to ROOKS.
One of
the greatest places of inspiration from Romeo/Juliet was in the
characterization of Levi and Cain. Knowing Romeo/Juliet, looking through it
again, and building my own world for the retelling really made me stop and
think about just what Romeo as a character and as a character mold stands for. What he wants. How that
translates to Levi’s character. Same with Juliet and Cain. In fact, I feel like
some traits of Romeo can be found in Cain at times, and Juliet in Levi, but
that was what was so fun about borrowing and breaking the traditional: really
getting to dig deep into the meaning and thoughts and feelings of two of
literature’s most famous figures, and revitalize them.
the greatest places of inspiration from Romeo/Juliet was in the
characterization of Levi and Cain. Knowing Romeo/Juliet, looking through it
again, and building my own world for the retelling really made me stop and
think about just what Romeo as a character and as a character mold stands for. What he wants. How that
translates to Levi’s character. Same with Juliet and Cain. In fact, I feel like
some traits of Romeo can be found in Cain at times, and Juliet in Levi, but
that was what was so fun about borrowing and breaking the traditional: really
getting to dig deep into the meaning and thoughts and feelings of two of
literature’s most famous figures, and revitalize them.
Same goes
for the feud between the families, too, to be honest. It was a lot of wondering
what loyalty meant, or what sort of void it might be filling. It was a lot of
exploring grief and grudges, and sort of deconstructing the issues at the core
of the classic play. Or maybe it was more about finding new meanings at the
core of the play. In Romeo/Juliet, a lot of outside forces threaten the young
Montague and Capulet—unwanted marriage, murder, feuding families. In ROOKS,
it’s more about internal forces. And that was really pleasing to discover.
for the feud between the families, too, to be honest. It was a lot of wondering
what loyalty meant, or what sort of void it might be filling. It was a lot of
exploring grief and grudges, and sort of deconstructing the issues at the core
of the classic play. Or maybe it was more about finding new meanings at the
core of the play. In Romeo/Juliet, a lot of outside forces threaten the young
Montague and Capulet—unwanted marriage, murder, feuding families. In ROOKS,
it’s more about internal forces. And that was really pleasing to discover.
I could
go on and on about how reinventing the “classic love story” with two men was a
lot of fun… 😉 But to me the difference here is not because of that; it’s
because Cain and Levi are, to put it simply, not Romeo and Juliet. While their
situations and struggles are inspired by Romeo and Juliet, their story is still
all their own. Realistically, it did bring some new conflicts with which to
play, like dealing with homosexuality in a Victorian setting—and with the sons
of noblemen well known to the public eye, all that jazz I love so much to talk
about. ;D
go on and on about how reinventing the “classic love story” with two men was a
lot of fun… 😉 But to me the difference here is not because of that; it’s
because Cain and Levi are, to put it simply, not Romeo and Juliet. While their
situations and struggles are inspired by Romeo and Juliet, their story is still
all their own. Realistically, it did bring some new conflicts with which to
play, like dealing with homosexuality in a Victorian setting—and with the sons
of noblemen well known to the public eye, all that jazz I love so much to talk
about. ;D
It was
really fun being able to pluck key phrases and moments out of the classic play
and put them into ROOKS in a new way—script/play dialogue is so very different from
novel dialogue, after all.
really fun being able to pluck key phrases and moments out of the classic play
and put them into ROOKS in a new way—script/play dialogue is so very different from
novel dialogue, after all.
And I
guess I’ll end with that. Here’s a tidbit!
guess I’ll end with that. Here’s a tidbit!
ROOKS AND
ROMANTICIDE – ACT ONE, SCENE FIVE
ROMANTICIDE – ACT ONE, SCENE FIVE
“A name, what is a name?” Levi
sighed. There was no catch to this. He’d always gone by his middle name,
anyway, and surely the Earl would never make the connection to his formal first
name should he speak it.
sighed. There was no catch to this. He’d always gone by his middle name,
anyway, and surely the Earl would never make the connection to his formal first
name should he speak it.
He said, “A rose would smell the
same if called anything else, wouldn’t it? Names are as dangerous as the guns
we wave. With a man’s name you hold so much power over him—but if you should
need a name for me, you can call me Levi—and I swear by the moon above in the
sky—”
same if called anything else, wouldn’t it? Names are as dangerous as the guns
we wave. With a man’s name you hold so much power over him—but if you should
need a name for me, you can call me Levi—and I swear by the moon above in the
sky—”
“Oh God, who are you? Romeo?” The
Earl’s voice was thick with disgust, but his eyes danced.
Earl’s voice was thick with disgust, but his eyes danced.
Levi was slightly offended. He’d
thought that had been a grand play of words.
thought that had been a grand play of words.
“The moon is powerful,” he insisted,
offering the Earl a frank frown. The Earl’s expression didn’t waver. He
returned the stare, stubborn and smug in his austerity. Levi sighed. “What do
you suggest I swear by, then?”
offering the Earl a frank frown. The Earl’s expression didn’t waver. He
returned the stare, stubborn and smug in his austerity. Levi sighed. “What do
you suggest I swear by, then?”
“Your life.”
About the Author:
J. I. Radke goes by a variety of handles and pseudonyms, most commonly “themissinglenk” and/or “white silver and mercury.”
Once upon a time he wanted to be a marine biologist because of
sharks. That lasted a year or so. Now he is an English/Creative Writing
and History double major (emphasis on 18th/19th c. Western Europe,
Classic mythology, and the history/psychology/theory of masculinity and
sexuality), minoring in Russian Studies.
Radke writes ghost stories, romance novels, transgressive fiction,
and “fanfic” that’s sometimes all of that in one. He doesn’t favor
polemics, but he does believe in passionate speeches, discussions, and
intellectual debates (best ones after midnight under the stars). He also
believes in ghost hunting, swimming in coves with bioluminescent algae,
zodiac/Tarot/moon cycles, sushi, Phad Thai, and pizza. He doesn’t do
quite as well with Ferris wheels.
Born in New Jersey but raised all over the U.S., Seattle is home to Radke.
Maybe one of these days he’ll embellish this bio with a very clever quote from some respected historical figure or another.
I love that the author was so inspired by Romeo and Juliet, it is definitely a favorite when it comes to star crossed lovers! Wonderful guest post!
Great inspiration indeed, thanks for sharing!
A well written guest post! Awesome!
Haniya
booknauthors.blogspot.com
A well written guest post! Awesome!
Haniya
booknauthors.blogspot.com
Great post! I've never been a fan of Romeo and Juliet – I just can't get into it. :/
xx
You can't go wrong being inspired by Romeo and Juliet, I still love it after all these years.
Sounds very interesting and I loved learning about how the story evolved from fan fiction to what it is today. Awesome! 🙂
~Jess
Ahh, I absolutely love Black Butler! It's really intriguing that Black Butler and Romeo and Juliet were inspirations, I'm definitely curious about this one!
Great post Lauren! J.I. Radke sounds like the type of author/person I would love to have over for tea or coffee simply because of the massive amount of knowledge he has! I've always wanted to major in History, I can only imagine the amount of stories he would share. My son presently aspires to be a marine biologist too!
I love Romeo & Juliet. It sounds like the author was creative in her retelling. Great Guest Post Lauren 🙂
Lindy@ A Bookish Escape