Themes of R&J as depicted in Discworld

I recently read Terry Pratchett's Unseen Academicals.  One of the most striking things about the book was Pratchett's retelling of various scenes from Romeo and Juliet.  And I'm not talking the balcony scene.  The most moving of the scenes was his retelling of Mercutio's death— complete with thugs, wizards,  a werewolf, and an orc. What struck me most was that by pulling out the plot and basic structure while disguising the overly familiar characters you can see the themes and tensions of the play more clearly.  I should note, this seems to work better for literature, rather than performance, where if you get to far from the original you usually impose your own themes on what is there, rather than shed light on the issues at play.  Some of the themes that came thru in Unseen Academicals' treatment of the story (which are certainly present in the original, but frequently take a back seat) are: the power of labels, the senselessness of violence/revenge, the impressionableness of children and the need for parents to set a good example (aka 'bad parenting'), and the dangers of mob rule.  Honor, familial and personal, gets a special focus, because instead of families at war, Pratchett depicts sports teams supporters.

Here's where I put specific illustrations, but I gave the book back to my dad already. So, you'll have to read it for yourself.  And, if you're a stickler for reading books in order, you'll have to read the other 30ish Discworld books that precede it.

Summer Classics- The Phantom of the Opera

Every American who has ever been enrolled in grade school (at least in recent decades) will remember summer reading.  I doubt it is unique to America either.  After twelve years of associating warm weather and vacation with classic literature, I find myself yearning for books written in old-fashioned language by dead authors (more than the usual) as the weather warms up.  This year I'm starting early.

Gaston Leroux is known for only one work, and even then most people won't recognize his name.  The Phantom of the Opera is better known for the plays, movies, and other adaptations than as a gripping novel of mystery and suspense.  Which it is, or would be if everyone didn't already know the ending.  Like any famous story ( The Mousetrap excepted), there is less suspense as the reader anticipates each scene before it happens.  Fortunately, enough plot is unique to the novel, that even knowing the end, the reader gets lost in the labyrinth of the Opera house.  And the stellar imagery makes this a thrilling read if you are alone in a large house at night.....

It should be noted that the spirit of the book is excellently captured in Andrew Lloyd Weber's popular musical, no matter what anyone may say to the contrary.

A little over 200 pages, there is little unnecessary description that most modern readers would balk at.  A nod to The Hunchback of Notre Dame combined with a detective novel and ghost story, Phantom is none of the above.  It is a thriller, and it does.

Appropriate for most ages, although I do not recommend it as a bedtime story.  This book is extremely accessible and everyone should read it.