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Quick answer: If you loved Romeo and Juliet, read Wuthering Heights, Anna Karenina, The Great Gatsby and Love in the Time of Cholera. All explore passionate, doomed or impossible love in a world that stands against the lovers.
Shakespeare's tragedy follows two young lovers from feuding families in Verona, and it set the standard for tragic romance. The books below offer similar tales of passion and fate, along with retellings and plays that put new twists on the story.
Table of Contents
Quick Picks at a Glance
| Book | Author | Ages | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wuthering Heights | Emily Bronte | Adult | stormy passion |
| Anna Karenina | Leo Tolstoy | Adult | love against society |
| The Great Gatsby | F. Scott Fitzgerald | Adult | dreams and obsession |
| Atonement | Ian McEwan | Adult | love and consequences |
| Love in the Time of Cholera | Gabriel Garcia Marquez | Adult | lifelong love |
| Romeo and/or Juliet | Ryan North | Adult | interactive retelling |
| Juliet's Nurse | Lois Leveen | Adult | retelling |
| Ophelia | Lisa Klein | Teen | Shakespeare retelling |
| Eleanor & Park | Rainbow Rowell | Teen | first love |
| The Fault in Our Stars | John Green | Teen | tragic YA romance |
| Othello | William Shakespeare | All ages | jealousy and tragedy |
| Antony and Cleopatra | William Shakespeare | All ages | epic love |
| Cyrano de Bergerac | Edmond Rostand | All ages | love and words |
| Tess of the d'Urbervilles | Thomas Hardy | Adult | fate and love |
| A Midsummer Night's Dream | William Shakespeare | All ages | lighter love |
1. Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte
Heathcliff and Catherine's obsessive love destroys them and the people around them. Wild, gothic and unforgettable.
Best for: stormy passion.
2. Anna Karenina by Leo Tolstoy
Anna begins a scandalous affair that defies her society. A masterpiece of love and consequence.
Best for: love against society.
3. The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald
Jay Gatsby throws parties in hope of winning back Daisy. Short, glittering and tragic.
Best for: dreams and obsession.
4. Atonement by Ian McEwan
A girl's lie changes the lives of two lovers. Elegant, devastating and beautifully constructed.
Best for: love and consequences.
5. Love in the Time of Cholera by Gabriel Garcia Marquez
A man waits more than fifty years to be with the woman he loves. Lush and romantic.
Best for: lifelong love.
6. Romeo and/or Juliet by Ryan North
A choose-your-own-path retelling of the play with jokes and alternate endings. Funny and inventive.
Best for: interactive retelling.
7. Juliet's Nurse by Lois Leveen
The story of Juliet's nurse, her own tragedies and her view of the Capulets. Rich in period detail.
Best for: retelling.
8. Ophelia by Lisa Klein
Hamlet is retold from Ophelia's point of view. A good choice for readers who love Shakespeare spin-offs.
Best for: Shakespeare retelling.
9. Eleanor & Park by Rainbow Rowell
Two misfits fall in love on a bus in 1986. Tender and sad.
Best for: first love.
10. The Fault in Our Stars by John Green
Hazel and Gus fall in love at a cancer support group. Funny and heartbreaking.
Best for: tragic YA romance.
11. Othello by William Shakespeare
A general's love for Desdemona is poisoned by Iago's lies. A tragedy of jealousy and trust.
Best for: jealousy and tragedy.
12. Antony and Cleopatra by William Shakespeare
The Roman general and the Egyptian queen fall in love as an empire is at stake. Grand and poetic.
Best for: epic love.
13. Cyrano de Bergerac by Edmond Rostand
A witty poet with a large nose helps a handsome friend woo the woman he loves. Funny and moving.
Best for: love and words.
14. Tess of the d'Urbervilles by Thomas Hardy
A young woman's life is shaped by cruelty and fate. A heartbreaking Victorian tragedy.
Best for: fate and love.
15. A Midsummer Night's Dream by William Shakespeare
Lovers in a magical forest tangle in a night of mistaken identities. Comic and romantic.
Best for: lighter love.
How to Choose
For other classics of doomed romance, begin with Wuthering Heights, Anna Karenina or The Great Gatsby. For modern novels with devastating love stories, pick Atonement, Love in the Time of Cholera or The Fault in Our Stars. If you like retellings, try Romeo and/or Juliet, Juliet's Nurse or Ophelia. For more Shakespeare, read Othello, Antony and Cleopatra or A Midsummer Night's Dream. A modern annotated edition can help with the language. If the language of Shakespeare feels hard, read a modern translation side by side with the original, or watch a performance first. Seeing the story acted often makes the lines easier to follow.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is Romeo and Juliet about?
Two teenagers from feuding families fall in love and die because of the hate between their houses.
When was Romeo and Juliet written?
It was written around 1595.
Is Romeo and Juliet appropriate for school?
Yes, it is widely taught in high school.
What is a good modern version of the story?
Romeo and/or Juliet by Ryan North is a funny retelling.
What other Shakespeare plays are about love?
A Midsummer Night's Dream and Much Ado About Nothing.
Is there a movie of Romeo and Juliet?
Yes, several, including the 1968 Zeffirelli film and the 1996 Baz Luhrmann version.
How old are Romeo and Juliet?
Juliet is nearly fourteen, and Romeo is a few years older, although the text does not give an exact age.
What does star-crossed mean?
It refers to people whose fate is doomed by the stars, from the play's prologue.
What is the best edition for students?
An annotated edition with glossary notes is a good choice.
Are there easy retellings for young readers?
Yes. Several illustrated and graphic versions make the story easier for middle-school readers.
Who are the Montagues and Capulets?
They are the two feuding families in Verona whose children fall in love.