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A review by asparagusisreading
Ophelia After All by Racquel Marie
challenging
emotional
funny
hopeful
informative
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
5.0
Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher, MacMillan Children's Publishing Group and Feiwel & Friends, and the author, Racquel Marie, for thinking of me and sending an e-arc copy of this book to read and review.
Rep: multiple characters within the LGBT+ community (queer, aromantic, bisexual, asexual, biromantic, pansexual, lesbian), Cuban, Black-Puerto Rican, and Korean characters
TW+CW (from the author): mentions of underage drinking and vaping, topical mentions of sex, cut-off use of a homophobic slur (challenged), condemned homophobia, discussion of anti-Blackness within a mixed race Latine family (challenged), cursing,
OPHELIA AFTER ALL is Racquel Marie's debut contemporary novel that follows the perspective of high-school senior, Ophelia Rojas, as she's going through her final years of high school. Ophelia has grown up to be known as the boy-crazy, rose obsessed, Latine girl but things start to change when she finds herself increasingly intrigued by Talia. Suddenly, Ophelia is unsure about herself and what these thoughts mean. What happens if she's no longer the boy-crazy Ophelia that everyone has come to know? What if the changes within her change how others view her? How does she figure out what exactly these feelings mean and accept them for herself? I don't know if I have all of the proper words to describe my feelings. Throughout the book, I was emotional. There were chapters when I was crying, laughing, smiling, cheering, and yelling as I read about the characters. I couldn't help but connect to the characters and good for the best for them. It was like I was reading bits of myself in the characters personality's and my own self/queer discovery. There were moments when I was like "oh I've definitely done that" or "oof." This book had me in tears with the last 25% after watching Ophelia go through the difficult process of discovering who she is and who she can be, watching the characters respond to her, and offer their advice and support. It was difficult at times due to the vulnerability of the story and Ophelia realizing that it will not be an easy journey. She discovers that we are not defined by some parts of ourselves, we can change and others may or may not be okay with that change, the most important part of that is being okay with ourselves changing. Racquel carefully demonstrated Ophelia discovering her queerness in a way that feels unique in comparison to other stories, memorable to readers, and important to those that would need it. I really enjoyed that the Ophelia and Talia didn't get together. in the end. In many other queer romance books, the main character discovers themselves and ends up in a relationship with the love interest at the end. It showed that not all people going through their queer journey immediately falls in love or ends up in a relationship by the end. I also enjoyed the addition of the various races and sexualities. They didn't feel like they were added just to have them there. Instead, it felt like they were supposed to be there.
Overall, I really enjoyed reading Ophelia After All and can't wait to have a physical copy in my hands to annotate again and reread. It's a book that I know I'll reread over the years in search of the perfection that it is or the comfort and security that it gave me. It was messy, it was cheesy, but most of it all was beautiful. I'm giving it a glowing 5 stars, putting in a few preorders, and recommending to a few friends that I think would really enjoy it.
Rep: multiple characters within the LGBT+ community (queer, aromantic, bisexual, asexual, biromantic, pansexual, lesbian), Cuban, Black-Puerto Rican, and Korean characters
TW+CW (from the author): mentions of underage drinking and vaping, topical mentions of sex, cut-off use of a homophobic slur (challenged), condemned homophobia, discussion of anti-Blackness within a mixed race Latine family (challenged), cursing,
OPHELIA AFTER ALL is Racquel Marie's debut contemporary novel that follows the perspective of high-school senior, Ophelia Rojas, as she's going through her final years of high school. Ophelia has grown up to be known as the boy-crazy, rose obsessed, Latine girl but things start to change when she finds herself increasingly intrigued by Talia. Suddenly, Ophelia is unsure about herself and what these thoughts mean. What happens if she's no longer the boy-crazy Ophelia that everyone has come to know? What if the changes within her change how others view her? How does she figure out what exactly these feelings mean and accept them for herself? I don't know if I have all of the proper words to describe my feelings. Throughout the book, I was emotional. There were chapters when I was crying, laughing, smiling, cheering, and yelling as I read about the characters. I couldn't help but connect to the characters and good for the best for them. It was like I was reading bits of myself in the characters personality's and my own self/queer discovery. There were moments when I was like "oh I've definitely done that" or "oof." This book had me in tears with the last 25% after watching Ophelia go through the difficult process of discovering who she is and who she can be, watching the characters respond to her, and offer their advice and support. It was difficult at times due to the vulnerability of the story and Ophelia realizing that it will not be an easy journey. She discovers that we are not defined by some parts of ourselves, we can change and others may or may not be okay with that change, the most important part of that is being okay with ourselves changing. Racquel carefully demonstrated Ophelia discovering her queerness in a way that feels unique in comparison to other stories, memorable to readers, and important to those that would need it. I really enjoyed that the Ophelia and Talia didn't get together. in the end. In many other queer romance books, the main character discovers themselves and ends up in a relationship with the love interest at the end. It showed that not all people going through their queer journey immediately falls in love or ends up in a relationship by the end. I also enjoyed the addition of the various races and sexualities. They didn't feel like they were added just to have them there. Instead, it felt like they were supposed to be there.
Overall, I really enjoyed reading Ophelia After All and can't wait to have a physical copy in my hands to annotate again and reread. It's a book that I know I'll reread over the years in search of the perfection that it is or the comfort and security that it gave me. It was messy, it was cheesy, but most of it all was beautiful. I'm giving it a glowing 5 stars, putting in a few preorders, and recommending to a few friends that I think would really enjoy it.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Cursing, Homophobia, Lesbophobia, and Racism
Minor: Alcohol and Drug use