Juliet's Nurse: A Novel

Written by Lois Leveen

Narrated by Nicola Barber

The International Bestseller

“Lois Leveen’s richly detailed, fascinating novel offers a wholly original and intriguing take on one of Shakespeare’s most beloved plays” (New York Times bestselling author Jennifer Chiaverini).

In Verona, a city ravaged by plague and political rivalries, a mother mourning the death of her day-old infant enters the household of the powerful Cappelletti family to become the wet-nurse to their newborn baby. As she serves her beloved Juliet over the next fourteen years, the nurse learns the Cappellettis’ darkest secrets. Those secrets—and the nurse’s deep personal grief—erupt across five momentous days of love and loss that destroy a daughter, and a family.

By turns sensual, tragic, and comic, Juliet’s Nurse gives voice to one of literature’s most memorable and distinctive characters, a woman who was both insider and outsider among Verona’s wealthy ruling class. Exploring the romance and intrigue of interwoven loyalties, rivalries, jealousies, and losses only hinted at in Shakespeare’s play, this is a never-before-heard tale of the deepest love in Verona—the love between a grieving woman and the precious child of her heart.

In the tradition of Sarah Dunant, Philippa Gregory, and Geraldine Brooks, Juliet’s Nurse is a rich prequel that reimagines the world’s most cherished tale of love and loss, suffering and survival.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Simon & Schuster Audio
• Release date: Sep 23, 2014
• ISBN: 9781442376335

Lois Leveen

Award-winning author Lois Leveen's work has appeared in the New York Times, on NPR, and in literary journals and anthologies. A former faculty member at UCLA and Reed College, she lives in Portland, Oregon.

Reviews for Juliet's Nurse

[wagner5sarah35 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I enjoyed this retelling of the Romeo and Juliet story until the book's last third, which was essentially a retelling of the Shakespeare play from the nurse's perspective. Before that, however, the author builds a rich backstory around the nurse's character, how she came to be Juliet's nurse, and hints at a few unspoken things about Juliet herself. But once the book arrived at the traditional Skakespeare plot, my interest began to wane. Still, this is overall a very interesting and original take on a tale told many times.

[joeydag · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Romeo and Juliet as told by her nurse - what a concept! The author does a wonderful job of animating the nurse and telling the tale as we know it but from her perspective.

[dbettenson_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Juliet's NurseBy: Lois LeveenSimon & Shuster: 2011Lois Leveen's "Juliet's Nurse" is a dramatic re-envisioning of the great love story of Romeo and Juliet.Set in the 13th century, beekeeper Pietro and his wife lose their lovely baby Susanna at birth, the grieving woman soon takes up a position in the Cappalletti house as baby nurse for the newly born Juliet. Having born and lost a few children in her life, Juliet's nurse soon develops a strong love and bonding with Juliet, which continues to grow - as does the lovely Juliet.However, when Juliet's father decides she must marry, and she has already fallen for the handsome Romeo, life quickly becomes complex and troubling for both Juliet and her nurse. Hidden secrets quickly unravelled, and life will be forever altered in both the Cappalletti house, and for Juliet's Nurse.What a fabulous read to curl up with on a stormy evening!!! I couldn't put it down - and routine life was neglected until I finished the last page of Juliet's Nurse!!I received this ebook for free to review from NetGalley. I am a member of NetGalley, GoodReads, LibraryThing and maintain a book blog at dbettenson.wordpress.com.

[pattymclpn · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I really loved this book. I enjoyed getting to know Juliet’s nurse and the nurse’s husband. I felt that the book was well written and moved along well. The writing style is smooth and there is just enough description to visualize things. The characters were well-developed. We learn about 14th century Verona, Italy and it’s customs. Of course you know that I love historical fiction right? If you don’t like historical fiction this one may not have appeal for you. I was disappointed that the reviews were so divided on this one. Is it another classic? No, but I liked the book for what it was. I enjoyed this one and I am not sorry that I read it. I would read it again. I look forward to hearing from this author in the future. I can’t wait to see what interesting story she comes up with next!! I give this one a 4 out of 5 stars

[karenweyant · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

A retelling of any classic is always problematic, and to venture into the world of Romeo and Juliet would be a true challenge. Yet, this is actually what Lois Leveen does in her newest novel which looks at the tragic love story through the eyes of Juliet's nurse. The book is divided into two parts: the first section details the arrival of the nurse to Juliet's life while the second section of the book looks at the doomed love story between the star-crossed lovers. Strangely enough, it's this second section that is a bit uneven and rushed -- as readers, we barely glimpse the character of Romeo. Still, the book is a worthwhile read -- I now want to go back and read the original play, something I have not done since high school!

[amandacb_1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

I enjoyed this book, very much...up until Juliet became "of age" and the author began using the dialogue from Shakespeare's play instead of the colloquial dialogue utilized for the rest of the novel. It appeared as if the nurse turned into a completely different person -- whereas before, she held her tongue, now with Shakespeare's words stuffed into her character's mouth, she cannot be quiet. This novel could have been fantastic IF the author did not feel the need to jam Shakespeare's words into an otherwise great story, OR if the author began with the middle English dialogue so that it is not so disjointed.

[dpappas_25 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This is grief's great trick: you think you have faced the worst of it, not dreaming of all that is yet to come.I, like many others, had to read Romeo and Juliet back in high school. When I first read the book I fell in love with it and couldn't get enough of the star-crossed lovers (oh how young I was). Unfortunately once I grew up from being that starry-eyed girl, I began to like the book less and think it not so romantic as I used to. I decided to request Juliet's Nurse from NetGalley because even though I'm no longer a starry-eyed girl I thought it would be absolutely fascinating to read Lois Leveen's interpretation into the background of Juliet's nurse. This is a wonderful tale filled with love, loss, and a woman's drive to protect the only person she has left in the world, a girl named Juliet.The woman that Leveen creates from the clues that Shakespeare leaves about Juliet's nurse is a woman easy to connect with, love, and at times become frustrated with. Angelica, Juliet's wet nurse, comes into Juliet's life already having experienced great loss and she clings to Juliet to stave off some of her grief. Angelica not only becomes close with Juliet but also with Juliet's cousin Tybalt. With these two children she discover the joy she hasn't had since she lost her beloved children.I absolutely loved Angelica's husband, Pietro. He brought such joy (most of the time) and humor to this story. You couldn't help but want the best for such a kindhearted and loveable man. At this stage in my life I have to say that I loved Angelica and Pietro's relationship way more than Romeo and Juliet. Ultimately I am angry at what happens to Pietro and how Angelica eventually treats him. Pietro had such a goodness to him that no other character truly seemed to have that he became my favorite character in this book.This book covers the events after Juliet is born and some of her childhood and then it jumps to the events covered in Romeo and Juliet. Once it jumped ahead it seemed like the book changed in writing style because some of Shakespeare's dialogue was included (obviously) and that really differs from the dialogue of the first part. The second part was definitely more Shakespearean than the first part but it was fascinating getting to see these familiar events from the point-of-view of Angelica.What Leveen has created with this book is a look into the life of a mysterious but important character of Romeo and Juliet. It may be difficult to do but I felt that she did Shakespeare justice and I would highly recommend this book to all those out there that have read Romeo and Juliet and liked it or to all those out there who want to see the story from another point-of-view.

[schatje_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

The narrator of this novel is Angelica, Juliet’s nurse. We learn her life story, especially her years in the employ of the Cappelletti family until Juliet’s death. In Shakespeare’s play, the Nurse is a comic figure, but though she continues to have a bawdy sense of humour in this novel, she is also someone who has experienced hardship and great sorrow. Nothing in the novel contradicts her personality as outlined in the play, but more of her traits are revealed and her motivations for her actions are made clear. It is not only the Nurse’s character that is developed. New insights are offered into Tybalt, Lady Cappelletti (Capulet), Prince Cansignorio (Escalus), Paris, and Friar Laurence, amongst others. For readers familiar with Shakespeare’s play, this character development will be especially interesting. The novel also provides insight into life in 14th-century Verona. The Nurse, because of her unique position, can describe the life of the working poor, but she can also show the lifestyle of the wealthiest members of society. Using such a well-known play as the basis for a novel is a risky endeavour. What can be added? The author does, however, provide one major plot twist concerning Juliet’s birth. What I did look for and did not find was a better explanation for the family feud. It is not even mentioned in the first part of the novel, and that lack of foreshadowing I found to be a flaw. I was also disconcerted to read that Lord Montecche (Montague) is the father of seven sons. Perhaps I am mistaken, but I believe Romeo is an only child. Certainly the death of an only child adds to the tragic dimensions.The author inserts phrases from Shakespeare into the novel. Often, however, those phrases are used by other than the characters in the play. For example, in the play, Juliet describes her love for Romeo as being “as boundless as the sea.” In the novel, it is the Nurse who uses that phrase to describe Juliet’s capacity to love. In the novel, Tybalt describes Romeo’s offering Rosaline “gold enough to seduce a saint” whereas in the play, Romeo himself uses that phrase to describe his attempts to woo Rosaline. The problem with incorporating Shakespeare’s dialogue is that the novel is inconsistently poetic. Until the novel picks up where the play begins, the diction is much less lyrical. Occasionally the Shakespearean allusions are more indirect: the Nurse refers to hearing “the songs of the nightingales” and then “the first morning lark’s insistent chirps” thereby foreshadowing Romeo and Juliet’s disagreement the morning after their marriage. Sometimes reference is made to other of Shakespeare’s plays; for instance, the Nurse is given a special kerchief by her husband; the entire episode is like Othello’s gifting of a handkerchief to Desdemona. This novel provides an original prequel to Shakespeare’s play. It is sometimes needlessly repetitive (e.g. the Nurse’s sexual romps with her husband, Lord Cappelletto’s desire to gain the favour of the Prince, the Friar’s interest in people’s sexual activities) but it develops the personality of one of the most interesting characters in Shakespeare’s tragedy.Note: I received an ARC of the book from the publisher via NetGalley.