If you're like most people, then your favorite character in Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet isn't either of the two eponymous lovers — rather, it's Benvolio. Or maybe Mercutio. In any case, Rachel Caine is retelling the play from Benvolio's perspective, with magic — and here's an exclusive book trailer.
Along with this video, Caine will be unveiling new websites for the Capulet and Montague families in her novel, which is called The Prince of Shadows. It's exciting enough to make you start doing the pilgrim hand dance! Here's the synopsis of the new novel from the author of the Morganville Vampires series:
Two households, both alike in dignity, In fair Verona, where we lay our scene...
In the House of Montague, there's the darling heir apparent—Romeo—but there's also his cousin, Benvolio ... and Ben is the quiet, stable, responsible one who's always trying to keep his relatives out of trouble. Usually unsuccessfully, through no fault of his own.
But Ben has secrets. For the past seven years, he's been refining his skills as the legendary Prince of Shadows, the most notorious thief in Verona—he steals only from the very rich, and (although his motives are known only to him) only from those who threaten or insult House Montague in some way.
When Romeo writes thoroughly unwise (and probably terrible) love poetry to the Lady Rosaline—a Capulet!—Benvolio's family tasks him with retrieving the potentially damaging letters ... but when the Prince of Shadows meets the Lady Rosaline, something happens. Something significant, that will change life in Shakespeare's Verona forever.