Customer Reviews

Rosemary and Juliet

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2 star:		(1)
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If you'd like to read a predictable cutesy romance, this is not the right book for you. I thought that it was a young adult book when I first started to read it, and I guess if this country was not retarded and hypocritical about young people and sexual identity, maybe it would be recommended reading in high schools. Romey is a lonely young woman coming out and Julie is the daughter of conservative Christians. They meet and the book is both a coming out story as well as the story of the unlikely romance between these two young women.
There is nothing formulaic about this novel, and it's not standard romance fare. It's full of plot surprises and has a remarkable ending you won't forget quickly. Ms. Maclean belongs to the handful of lesbian authors who have their own unique style and who can write as well as anyone in the mainstream - authors like Cameron Abbott, Jennifer Fulton, Marianne Martin and Emma Donohue, who all step outside the norms for the typical lesbian novel in their own different ways. I was really impressed with Rosemary and Juliet and if you enjoy reading books that are just a bit more challenging and thoughtful, try this one.

In the small California community of Divido, high school student Romey Arden is the only out lesbian teenage student. The day she came out-with the support of her ex-hippie, heterosexual, single parent mother-was the day a lot of the kids began shunning her. But not Elliot, the only other gay student. And not Amina, a straight girlfriend who sticks by her through thick and thin. Romey still feels isolated, particularly because there are no other lesbian kids to hang out with. Amina and Elliot are dear to her, but she wonders if she'll ever meet that special young woman.

Julie Wright is unknown to Romey. A gifted singer and student, Julie is home-schooled by her deeply devout Christian parents. When the book opens, Julie's dad, reverend of the Divido Bible Church, is at the local school board meeting damning homosexual teachers. Meanwhile, his only child is at home lying on her bed letting "moonshine in the window and along her body. She felt that liquid sensation, new to her these past months, blushing over her again. She had a private name for it: Yearning" (p. 23). Nearly age 15, she is "old enough to understand what her dad's sermons had to say about her own life. To Julie, the sermon said that this new Yearning was her own special blessing, chosen for her by Jesus. Its mystery would be revealed in time, or not. Either way, she would thank Jesus for the inner joy bestowed upon her, welcome Yearning, and protect it" (p. 26).

It is inevitable that Julie and Romey should meet, and despite their youth, they both feel the "Yearning." At first seeing one another requires only a little sneaking around, but soon they are facing major obstacles. It doesn't take long before Julie's parents do everything they can to keep the two apart. But the depth of feeling that develops between the two girls can't be denied. Their actions set off a string of unexpected events that shock everyone in town and cause change and disaster. And with so much against them, can the love of these young women survive?

MacLean uses beautiful language and a tight plot that moves along with all due speed toward the startling denouement. The novel's structure and prose are flawless. One of my favorite scenes contains this description: "Romey ran into the soft night. With every stride, she sensed the moment when both of her feet were off the ground, that moment she was airborne. It was a way to trick relentless old gravity, which, unlike a parent, never lets its attention wander for even half a second, but obsessively keeps you pinned down. Without engine or wings, for moment after moment, perhaps a fifth of every stride, a minute out of every five, twelve whole minute out of every running hour, she was flying. Gliding on air" (p. 64). The novel is packed full of fine writing. It's by turns serious and also funny in places. With a fine group of secondary characters, this book has it all: compelling plot, unpredictable storyline, and a knockout ending.

The mark of a truly fantastic story is that when you finish reading the book, off and on for days you remember the characters and explore alternatives for each person's future. When you are finished with this expert debut novel, you will find ROSEMARY AND JULIET has left an indelible mark in your memory. Don't miss this one. ~Lori L. Lake, independent reviewer, Midwest Book Review

I just finished this book and it's wonderful---tender, compelling, sad and hopeful.... Judy MacLean's writing really drew me in and made me eager for more. The first part of the book felt ethereal like a fairytale... then it got sad and tragic... and the end is hopeful, strong. I highly recommend this book to anyone looking for a great novel to curl up to, get lost in, and emerge changed.

There ae no stock villians or heroes in Judy MacLean's book. From the fundmentalist preacher to the head of an abortion clinic, they are all fully realized human beings. The two girls, at first tentative then committed, are heart-breaking. You'll cross your fingers and hope they make it.

DAZZLING. . . . This beautifully written book is LYRICAL AND EXCITING, FUNNY AND FIERCE, WITH LOTS OF DRAMA AND ADVENTURE swirling around the central story of budding young love between daughters of dueling ideologies-Christian fundamentalism and feminism. This is the most fun book I've read in forever-a total page turner! It'll make you laugh and cry, as well as look at the ugliness of homophobic violence. I guarantee that you, too, will fall in love with Romey and Julie-and with their love for each other."

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I am always looking for good lesbian fiction and this book isn't on that list. I know teenagers are all about dreams and hormones, whether they are gay or straight. I get that. But so much of this book just didn't ring true. In the first place, Julie at 14 was too young to be having sex with anyone, period, and I found it highly unlikely that even though she was lonely, she would just throw herself into Romey's arms, literally and figuratively, immediately after meeting her. I do not think that Julie's immediate acceptance of Romey's being lesbian, and then coming to that realization about herself, with only about five minutes of soul searching, was at all realistic with the constant homophobia she had been indoctrinated with since birth. It just wouldn't be thrown aside that easily, especially for such a young girl. Virginia's experience, while scary and sad, seemed much more authentic.

As far as Romey goes, I found her thought processes to border on the offensive. It was a pity that her ever so progressive mother never taught her to respect herself and her own body enough not to want to give it to the first person who came by, or that a teenager does not die if they haven't had sex by the time they are 18. I was appalled at her comment to Amina, who had been cruelly exploited by much older boys..( I guess that had not heard of statutory rape laws in that tiny town...) that "at least she wasn't still a virgin," like they had done her some kind of favor by raping her? This from Amina's supposed best friend? It of course is great that Romey's mother was supportive of her being lesbian but it seemed like she didn't care whether Romey had any values. So Romey was having sex, is that all that is required to be a good lesbian? It doesn't matter what kind of person you are, or who you are having sex with? Did Romey's mother give any thought to Julie's being too young? Is all that is required to be "supportive," is just to let the kids screw like minks, whether they are emotionally ready or not? Whether there would be serious consequences or not, as there was for Julie? I wondered if Romey's mother would feel any differently if she was the parent of either a 14 year old girl or the 18 year old boyfriend.

I also found it a little hard to believe that Nick worked his way up to murder and still his family was able to talk the law out of any penalty for him.

I absolutely do not feel that this book carries enough positive messages to the kids that might read it.

This wonderful coming-of-age novel has everything-memorable characters, a great plot, suspense, drama, and humor. . . . LYRICAL, POLITICAL, AND SEXY."(...)

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