Perhaps you’ve seen this viral tweet on one of the prominent Twitter parody accounts:

I would assume that most people who saw this tweet laughed at the joke, liked and/or retweeted the tweet and then kept scrolling through Twitter. Well I did that…at first. Then I went out and started researching "srsly Hamlet" and came across the series "OMG Shakespeare" by Brett Wright, and, you guessed it, William Shakespeare.

Being a theatre kid, I am very familiar with Shakespeare. I’ve read various Shakespeare plays throughout English and acting courses, I’ve seen performances of various Shakespeare plays, and I’ve even performed in two different adaptations of Shakespeare plays: "Romeo and Juliet Together (and Alive!) at Last" as Anabell Stackpoole (Juliet) and "Twelfth Night" as Antonio. So naturally, the theatre kid inside of me was intrigued by this new, modern and seemingly comedic adaptation of Shakespeare.

I decided to purchase "YOLO Juliet" to read first because "Romeo and Juliet" is the Shakespeare play that I am the most familiar with. However, even someone with very little knowledge of Shakespeare would be able to understand this book based on the explanation of characters and the storyline available in the book. Having knowledge of the play, however, will probably make the adaptation more comedic because you will be able to notice all of the iMessages and emojis that have replaced Shakespearean English.

I enjoy Shakespeare, however, in my busy schedule I lack both the time and energy to read or reread any Shakespeare plays. This book has allowed me to relive the themes and stories of "Romeo and Juliet" in an easy read. Not only is this an easy read, but also it is relatable to anyone with a smartphone (and love of emojis). By taking Shakespeare and putting it into a relatable, comedic adaptation, Brett Wright has engaged today’s young audience by making people laugh, but also by making people think about Shakespeare.

As you can tell from Act 1, Scene 1, "YOLO Juliet" is not a spectacular work of literature that will be remembered throughout history in the way that "Romeo and Juliet" is. However, the way that Brett Wright has translated the classic metaphors and exquisitely written famous lines from "Romeo and Juliet" into an iMessage conversation that uses more emojis and slang than the average 14 year old girl is truly a remarkable feat.

So if you're looking for a light read this summer while tanning on the beach, consider reading any of the books from the "OMG Shakespeare" collection. Not only will you laugh, but you will be reminded of all of the important quotes and themes that you have probably forgotten from your ninth grade English class, without having to reread a dense Shakespeare play.