--- product_id: 12248858 title: "Prince of Shadows: A Novel of Romeo and Juliet" price: "1349309₫" currency: VND in_stock: true reviews_count: 8 url: https://www.desertcart.vn/products/12248858-prince-of-shadows-a-novel-of-romeo-and-juliet store_origin: VN region: Vietnam --- # Prince of Shadows: A Novel of Romeo and Juliet **Price:** 1349309₫ **Availability:** ✅ In Stock ## Quick Answers - **What is this?** Prince of Shadows: A Novel of Romeo and Juliet - **How much does it cost?** 1349309₫ with free shipping - **Is it available?** Yes, in stock and ready to ship - **Where can I buy it?** [www.desertcart.vn](https://www.desertcart.vn/products/12248858-prince-of-shadows-a-novel-of-romeo-and-juliet) ## Best For - Customers looking for quality international products ## Why This Product - Free international shipping included - Worldwide delivery with tracking - 15-day hassle-free returns ## Description desertcart.com: Prince of Shadows: A Novel of Romeo and Juliet: 9780451414427: Caine, Rachel: Books Review: Excellent retelling that adds depth to Shakespeare - I’m a long-time fan of Rachel Caine, but when this book came out because I struggled with it. I had last looked at Romeo and Juliet in junior high school decades ago. In Prince of Shadows, the story is told through Romeo’s kinsman Benvolio, a very secondary character and Rosaline, Juliet’s cousin who doesn’t have a line in Shakespeare. Romeo and, especially, Juliet are fairly minor characters. So the first time around, I struggled badly with keeping plot and character straight and put the book aside. Then this semester I took a Shakespeare class that included Romeo and Juliet. When I opened Prince of Shadow again, I got it. In some ways, Caine’s telling captures the futility and hatred of the feud between the families better than the play by showing us the anguish of those caught up in it. The body count of Prince of Shadows is even higher than in Romeo and Juliet. Some of the dead were evil, some innocent, but many just people caught in tragedy. The book generally follows Shakespeare‘s story. There’s a tragic homosexual love that, while it feels real, also feels too modern for Verona. There’s a curse that I thought took away from Shakespeare’s question of whether the lovers were doomed by fate or by generations of hate. The book ends somewhat more happily than the play (though Romeo and Juliet still do die). But I was left with the same feeling of a powerful story full of love, sadness and futility as I left with the play. I’ve read Rachel Caine thinks this is one of her favorite books even though it wasn’t a commercial success. It is indeed absolutely one of her best pieces of characterization, setting and use of language, and I’ve read just about everything she’s written. Just make sure you’re well familiar with the play before you read it. Review: I love Shakespeare, etc - I thought about 5 stars for this one, because it had all the elements of a book that usually really works for me. It was well written, it had interesting, multi-layered characters, it had a compelling plot that was a different take on an old classic, I love Shakespeare, etc. But I ended up on 4 stars. I think that it got a bit repetitive what with all the tragic pining and all. Nevertheless, I recommend it. It's a retelling of Romeo and Juliet told from Benvolio, Romeo's cousin's point-of-view. It fleshed out some of the well known characters from the play such as Mercutio as well as defined its own story. I felt myself wishing there was a bit more of Romeo and Juliet and the lines from that beloved play. As it is, I think we're only afforded a glimpse of Juliet. Really the story centers around Mercutio and Benvolio, and Romeo and Juliet's tale is but a sub-plot. I also thought it brave to keep the important religious and cultural contexts; I thought for sure that Rosaline would be made out to have modern-day sensibilities which might have been satisfying but is ultimately false and therefore annoying to me. Women of this era were oppressed. They were cloistered away for their own "protection" but really were often abused and neglected at the hands of their relatives. They were often forced into ignorance by withheld education, and were often used as pawns to gain wealth or prestige. I'm not a fan of revisionist history. Bound to repeat it and all that. So, to sum up-- Likes: Benvolio is a likable character. The thief/Prince of Shadows aspect of his character was interesting and entertaining. I liked Mercutio and thought the whole idea of his homosexuality and the cultural response to it as an explanation for his going off the deep end interesting. I liked Rosaline and was pulling for her and Benvolio to have a happy ending after all the tragedy. Didn't work as well for me: I was hoping for more of Romeo and Juliet, as well as the Shakespearian language that makes the play it's based on so beautiful and powerful. At times it was almost melodramatic, though I realize it is a tragedy. Still a great book and recommended. ## Technical Specifications | Specification | Value | |---------------|-------| | Best Sellers Rank | #591,671 in Books ( See Top 100 in Books ) #563 in Teen & Young Adult Historical Romance #977 in Teen & Young Adult Fantasy Romance #1,210 in Teen & Young Adult Sword & Sorcery Fantasy | | Customer Reviews | 4.4 out of 5 stars 163 Reviews | ## Images ![Prince of Shadows: A Novel of Romeo and Juliet - Image 1](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/81wg-zl1VBL.jpg) ## Customer Reviews ### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Excellent retelling that adds depth to Shakespeare *by C***N on November 30, 2018* I’m a long-time fan of Rachel Caine, but when this book came out because I struggled with it. I had last looked at Romeo and Juliet in junior high school decades ago. In Prince of Shadows, the story is told through Romeo’s kinsman Benvolio, a very secondary character and Rosaline, Juliet’s cousin who doesn’t have a line in Shakespeare. Romeo and, especially, Juliet are fairly minor characters. So the first time around, I struggled badly with keeping plot and character straight and put the book aside. Then this semester I took a Shakespeare class that included Romeo and Juliet. When I opened Prince of Shadow again, I got it. In some ways, Caine’s telling captures the futility and hatred of the feud between the families better than the play by showing us the anguish of those caught up in it. The body count of Prince of Shadows is even higher than in Romeo and Juliet. Some of the dead were evil, some innocent, but many just people caught in tragedy. The book generally follows Shakespeare‘s story. There’s a tragic homosexual love that, while it feels real, also feels too modern for Verona. There’s a curse that I thought took away from Shakespeare’s question of whether the lovers were doomed by fate or by generations of hate. The book ends somewhat more happily than the play (though Romeo and Juliet still do die). But I was left with the same feeling of a powerful story full of love, sadness and futility as I left with the play. I’ve read Rachel Caine thinks this is one of her favorite books even though it wasn’t a commercial success. It is indeed absolutely one of her best pieces of characterization, setting and use of language, and I’ve read just about everything she’s written. Just make sure you’re well familiar with the play before you read it. ### ⭐⭐⭐⭐ I love Shakespeare, etc *by S***2 on July 22, 2014* I thought about 5 stars for this one, because it had all the elements of a book that usually really works for me. It was well written, it had interesting, multi-layered characters, it had a compelling plot that was a different take on an old classic, I love Shakespeare, etc. But I ended up on 4 stars. I think that it got a bit repetitive what with all the tragic pining and all. Nevertheless, I recommend it. It's a retelling of Romeo and Juliet told from Benvolio, Romeo's cousin's point-of-view. It fleshed out some of the well known characters from the play such as Mercutio as well as defined its own story. I felt myself wishing there was a bit more of Romeo and Juliet and the lines from that beloved play. As it is, I think we're only afforded a glimpse of Juliet. Really the story centers around Mercutio and Benvolio, and Romeo and Juliet's tale is but a sub-plot. I also thought it brave to keep the important religious and cultural contexts; I thought for sure that Rosaline would be made out to have modern-day sensibilities which might have been satisfying but is ultimately false and therefore annoying to me. Women of this era were oppressed. They were cloistered away for their own "protection" but really were often abused and neglected at the hands of their relatives. They were often forced into ignorance by withheld education, and were often used as pawns to gain wealth or prestige. I'm not a fan of revisionist history. Bound to repeat it and all that. So, to sum up-- Likes: Benvolio is a likable character. The thief/Prince of Shadows aspect of his character was interesting and entertaining. I liked Mercutio and thought the whole idea of his homosexuality and the cultural response to it as an explanation for his going off the deep end interesting. I liked Rosaline and was pulling for her and Benvolio to have a happy ending after all the tragedy. Didn't work as well for me: I was hoping for more of Romeo and Juliet, as well as the Shakespearian language that makes the play it's based on so beautiful and powerful. At times it was almost melodramatic, though I realize it is a tragedy. Still a great book and recommended. ### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Fall in love with the Prince of Shadows! *by M***M on February 26, 2014* Wow! I have to confess I didn't expect much from the writer of the Morganville Vampires series, but this book exceeded all my expectations and then some. Beautifully drawing the complicated web of familial politics ensnaring the main characters growing up in Verona, Caine has written a romantic, witty, thrilling kind of book in which the famous play is made clear in relevant and current ways. The twist? It is told from Benvolio Montague's point of view. Highly recommended reading, especially if you are attending Romeo and Juliet this summer. And ABSOLUTELY PERFECT for getting your tween or teen ready to read, see or act in that play! --- ## Why Shop on Desertcart? - 🛒 **Trusted by 1.3+ Million Shoppers** — Serving international shoppers since 2016 - 🌍 **Shop Globally** — Access 737+ million products across 21 categories - 💰 **No Hidden Fees** — All customs, duties, and taxes included in the price - 🔄 **15-Day Free Returns** — Hassle-free returns (30 days for PRO members) - 🔒 **Secure Payments** — Trusted payment options with buyer protection - ⭐ **TrustPilot Rated 4.5/5** — Based on 8,000+ happy customer reviews **Shop now:** [https://www.desertcart.vn/products/12248858-prince-of-shadows-a-novel-of-romeo-and-juliet](https://www.desertcart.vn/products/12248858-prince-of-shadows-a-novel-of-romeo-and-juliet) --- *Product available on Desertcart Vietnam* *Store origin: VN* *Last updated: 2026-05-20*