Reviews with content warning for Mental illness - Ophelia After All

wow, just wow. this book was so, so, phenomenally good in so so many different ways. i think part of the reason it meant so much to me was that i seemed to have read it at the perfect time in my life. not only had i just finished a research paper on different portrayals of hamlet's ophelia, but i also was feeling so many of the same feelings and going through similar things as ophelia and her friends. being able to see such beautiful, messy, and realistic characters that are so well-written and developed means so much to me. the part i think that i loved most was how

it didn't work out with ophelia and talia romantically. like i loved how the author showcased that to illustrate that unrequited crushes are part of being a teenager! also, being in a relationship, especially when it is clear that the character may not be quite ready, is not a requirement for a happy ending!! so big props to this book for highlighting this, even when that's not exactly common within this genre!

if that doesn't yet convince you to read this book, i will also mention the great representation this book has alongside its amazing themes and lessons. i especially liked how ophelia chose not to label her sexuality as that isn't something often depicted in media. i also read this book in a week (which is actually a short amount of time for me as a slow reader) which further proves how much i loved this book!! so go pick up this book and see its beauty for yourself <3

Content Warnings

luananki's review

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emotional funny hopeful inspiring medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

i don’t know how to put into words that i absolutely love this book. there wasn’t a single page i didn’t fall in love with. i did not want the story to end.

there is so much representation and not only queer representation but also the struggle of being an interracial child, i related to ophelia a lot.

her not being able to open up and basically pushing everyone away even though she clearly needed someone to talk to and her being scared of destroying the “perfect” imagery her friends and family created of her in their heads and her feeling like she doesn’t truly belong with any culture.

i get her, on almost every level.

wes is (like the author mentions in the acknowledgments) a precious cinnamon roll. i’m so glad he became friends with ophelia

and supported her even though they didn’t even really know each other in the beginning.

he also sounds like a very comforting person to be around. the development of their relationship was one of the thinks i enjoyed the most throughout this book.

i had fun with every single character. their friend group made so much sense. all of them felt real because they all had their own ongoing struggles and flaws to deal with. the emphasis on healthy communication, saying sorry and that queer relationships are about more than having sex, as well as friendship and that no relationship is more important than the other make me so happy.

sammie and agatha are amazing and also lindsay (i appreciate the relationship between her and ophelia so much, it’s sort of painful but also very real) and o’s parents and the youth center and the unexpected aro and ace representation - loved it

i was expecting it to be a full on romance book but i’m even happier it turned out the way it did. the ending fits the story perfectly.

this was a treat in so many ways. i wish i had this when i was younger.

i will hopefully come back to this one day and decide to reread because good queer latine representation is really something i need more of.

thank you racquel marie for writing this story and thank god for booktok for getting this on my fyp <3

Content Warnings

booksbutmakeitgay's review against another edition

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funny hopeful informative inspiring lighthearted reflective fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

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