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mel_muses's review against another edition
4.5
”Maybe I don’t know myself with the same certainty I’ve always claimed.”
Ophelia After All follows Ophelia Rojas, a senior in high school, who’s always let herself be defined by the things she does. She’s described as “boy-crazy” and dedicates herself in her spare time to her rose garden, when she’s not at school or hanging out with her friends. But then she gets a crush on a girl in her class, and Ophelia starts doubting who she is… Has she changed? Does she even want to change?
Ophelia After All has taken queer booksta by a chokehold, and I am happy to report that it is very well-deserved. This book is everything I was expecting it to be. It’s coming of age at its finest, it’s a book where our messy protagonist gets in her head and doesn’t always know what the best choice is. It’s a book with bits of Cuban culture, a biracial protagonist, and a lovable group of friends. It’s a book with rose gardening, Shakespeare references, crushes, and even a taste of a love triangle. It’s a book that feels real and has snuck into so many of our hearts.
Ophelia is a character who’s scared of letting people see her how she is. She has this great group of friends — people she’s known for years — but that doesn’t keep her doubts from seeping in. She doesn’t know who she can even share these feelings with, and that’s a feeling I know all too well (albeit for different reasons). Where Ophelia gets crush after crush, I haven’t gotten one. And while at first I felt like this was distancing myself from her, I’ve come to realize that the inner turmoil is similar. We (Ophelia and I) don’t know how to express ourselves when the things we feel are so different than what we expect and what we want for ourselves. It’s this that connected me to Ophelia.
We need more books like this, with a book not centered on a romance, but on coming of age. We often see the two intertwined, which is fun, but also not always accurate. People need to see themselves as who they are before they can let others take a peek. I want more books with characters who don’t do the right thing the first, second, or even third time they express themselves. We need messy friendships, messy feelings, messy love. That’s what makes this book real.
Content Warnings: mentions of underage drinking and vaping, mentions of sex, cut-off use of a homophobic slur (challenged), condemned homophobia, discussion of anti-Blackness within a mixed-race Latine family (challenged)
Content Warnings
Graphic: Homophobia
Moderate: Racism and Xenophobia
yasidiaz's review
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
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
4.0
Ophelia After All is the story of a Cuban-American girl who has always been known to be a little boy-crazy (well, more like a lot) but it all changes when suddenly she finds herself thinking about Talia, a girl in her government class. Suddenly, Ophelia is scared about what this must mean for her and the expectations others have on her.
This book took me by surprise. I don’t know exactly what I was expecting, but it certainly wasn’t what I got. And I am not saying this as a negative, instead, I see it as a positive. It made the book interesting and drove its message home.
I consider this a book about questioning, and coming to terms with our sexuality. How does that feel like, how does that look like? In a way, it reminds me a bit of Aristotle and Dante, especially how Ari struggled with his feelings for Dante. But that is where all the similarities start and end.
Ophelia After All is a book about not being afraid of change and discovering new things about ourselves. It is about friendship and family. It is about realizing that romantic love is not the end and all. That high school is not the end of the world.
I related a lot to Ophelia’s struggle, I was very much like her when I was in my Junior year of high school and even before. I have always been known to be a hopeless romantic, always having crushes on guys, but also on girls, I just didn’t want to acknowledge the latter. It sat at the back of my head for years, that’s why I say I accepted that I am bi at 17 instead of ‘realized’ because I always knew. I was just afraid to say it. I always knew I was queer, I was just afraid of how that would change everything.
But I also saw a lot of myself in Talia. From being Puerto Rican, for having a Black parent and the colorism in our community, to dealing with homophobic relatives. Although Talia not having Cuban food until Ophelia takes her to a Cuban restaurant feels wrong because our foods are so intertwined that I cannot believe that to be true. I love her and how she still tried to be there for Ophelia, knowing she has also been where Ophelia currently is.
This is a great book, but compared to my other favorites this year, I felt I wanted more. I wasn’t exactly sure why. I just didn’t find myself screaming and squealing the same way I usually do.At first, I thought it was my disappointment when I realized that Talia and Ophelia weren’t going to end up together, but I was having that thought even before that twist. Plus, I am a big advocate that happy endings don't always mean the MC getting the love interest. Actually, I am glad they didn’t end up together because it helped Ophelia grow more as a person. However, if you do expect them to end together… Well, this might not be the book for you. But I still urge you to give it a try.
I recommend this book for people looking for a fun book about self-discovery, expectations, and those struggling with not feeling queer enough or even Latine enough. This is another book I wish younger me had the opportunity (and courage because even if this had come out in 2015 I would have probably avoided it) to read this book, thus, I suggest this to those who are in a familiar place as 15-16-year-old Yasi, or even those who once were.
This book took me by surprise. I don’t know exactly what I was expecting, but it certainly wasn’t what I got. And I am not saying this as a negative, instead, I see it as a positive. It made the book interesting and drove its message home.
I consider this a book about questioning, and coming to terms with our sexuality. How does that feel like, how does that look like? In a way, it reminds me a bit of Aristotle and Dante, especially how Ari struggled with his feelings for Dante. But that is where all the similarities start and end.
Ophelia After All is a book about not being afraid of change and discovering new things about ourselves. It is about friendship and family. It is about realizing that romantic love is not the end and all. That high school is not the end of the world.
I related a lot to Ophelia’s struggle, I was very much like her when I was in my Junior year of high school and even before. I have always been known to be a hopeless romantic, always having crushes on guys, but also on girls, I just didn’t want to acknowledge the latter. It sat at the back of my head for years, that’s why I say I accepted that I am bi at 17 instead of ‘realized’ because I always knew. I was just afraid to say it. I always knew I was queer, I was just afraid of how that would change everything.
But I also saw a lot of myself in Talia. From being Puerto Rican, for having a Black parent and the colorism in our community, to dealing with homophobic relatives. Although Talia not having Cuban food until Ophelia takes her to a Cuban restaurant feels wrong because our foods are so intertwined that I cannot believe that to be true. I love her and how she still tried to be there for Ophelia, knowing she has also been where Ophelia currently is.
This is a great book, but compared to my other favorites this year, I felt I wanted more. I wasn’t exactly sure why. I just didn’t find myself screaming and squealing the same way I usually do.
I recommend this book for people looking for a fun book about self-discovery, expectations, and those struggling with not feeling queer enough or even Latine enough. This is another book I wish younger me had the opportunity (and courage because even if this had come out in 2015 I would have probably avoided it) to read this book, thus, I suggest this to those who are in a familiar place as 15-16-year-old Yasi, or even those who once were.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Homophobia
Minor: Racism
ghostlyprince's review
emotional
inspiring
reflective
slow-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
Content Warnings
Graphic: Homophobia, Outing, and Lesbophobia
Moderate: Body shaming, Bullying, and Abandonment
Minor: Biphobia, Pregnancy, Racism, Acephobia/Arophobia, Abortion, and Misogyny
runes_reads's review
emotional
funny
inspiring
slow-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
This book had so many great characters, with so much great character development! I loved seeing the main cast interact together, the friend group especially. Ophelia as a character was wonderful, I adored and related to her so much.
This is a great starter LGBTQ story, the book gave some definitions and explanations for different terms. It really show what it's like to figure out sexuality, and the book really captured the how in high school everything feels so much. It showed how high school can be so emotional and terrifying, with hormones and trying to figure out who you are at that age. I would say this is a YA book, maybe late middle grade, there are brief mentions of sex.
Spoilers:
I cried like a baby when Ophelia had that conversation in the car with her mom after being picked up from the LGBTQ center. I loved the ending, Sammie going to therapy was great. I really liked how Ophelia acknowledged that her and Lindsay probably wouldn't stay friends, and how that was okay. I adored Ophelia's character, she felt so alive and relatable. Agatha was definitely a great friend, I wish I had a friend like that at that age lol. I loved the part where Ophelia dumped her drink on that asshole, that was 10/10, very cathartic.
This is a great starter LGBTQ story, the book gave some definitions and explanations for different terms. It really show what it's like to figure out sexuality, and the book really captured the how in high school everything feels so much. It showed how high school can be so emotional and terrifying, with hormones and trying to figure out who you are at that age. I would say this is a YA book, maybe late middle grade, there are brief mentions of sex.
Spoilers:
Content Warnings
Graphic: Homophobia, Lesbophobia, Racism, Biphobia, and Religious bigotry
Moderate: Outing
Minor: Alcohol, Islamophobia, and Infidelity
booksngrannies's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
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
5.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Homophobia
Minor: Biphobia and Racism
shania_siobhan's review
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Homophobia and Lesbophobia
Minor: Racism
therainbowshelf's review against another edition
emotional
informative
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
A pretty good sexuality discovery and friendship-building narrative. I'd say this was perfectly average and sweet. Loved the gardening detail of Ophelia's life. I wish the characters were a bit more fleshed out, but enjoyed having characters with various sexualities, as well as with undefined/unlabeled ones. I don't often find books where a character is allowed to experience their sexuality and not find a label that fits.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Biphobia, Lesbophobia, and Homophobia
Moderate: Racism
Minor: Islamophobia
nerdysread's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
slow-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 thought it was going to be a cute coming of age rom-com. Well, nope. I cried. It broke my heart and put it back together
PS: Ophelia is a messy girl
PS: Ophelia is a messy girl
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racism, Homophobia, and Lesbophobia
Moderate: Outing and Toxic relationship
Minor: Acephobia/Arophobia and Islamophobia
thebookpaiges's review
emotional
hopeful
lighthearted
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
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Lesbophobia, Racism, and Homophobia
Moderate: Biphobia and Acephobia/Arophobia
lettuce_read's review against another edition
- 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
Content Warnings
Graphic: Homophobia
Moderate: Racism