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A review by nora96_rei
Ophelia by Lisa M. Klein
3.0
This is an engaging story about a young and strong-willed woman growing up in a society that does not cater to her ideas, hopes or dreams and takes agency in a story that is about her - instead of a story told of men and how they affect the women around them only as an afterthought to their own schemes and charades.
It starts off with a letter telling of the tragedies that took place at the royal court of Denmark - Elsinore Castle. To anybody even vaguely familiar with Shakespeare’s work this will come to no surprise. Basically everybody’s dead and Horatio is sad to inform Ophelia of said deaths.
The look we get into her upbringing and childhood adjacent to the court without a mother but a father who’s ambitions overshadow his judgement and familial obligations seems like a historically accurate telling of experiences and expectations placed upon women of the time.
All the same Ophelia raises in stature and joins the Queen’s ladies in waiting, also finding a mother figure to look up to while she also studies under the oldest lady in waiting Elnore the remedies and medicines of flowers, herbs and roots.
Ophelia being a very learned young woman’s soon catches the attention of young prince Hamlet and his loyal shadow Horatio with her banter and discussions of philosophy and ethics. These meetings become more frequent and as they steal time away from prying eyes their courting begins, commences and leads to a secret wedding in the woods disguised as common people without stature witnessed only by their guard and friend Horatio.
Then obviously tragedy upon tragedy ransacks the Castle - murder, ghosts, theatre groups, vows of love and revenge, mania and madness follow. Basically Shakespeare’s Hamlet but told from Ophelia’s perspective who worries for Hamlet’s sanity and well-being while hiding her own knowledge and aid in his plan of revenge against now King Claudius.
Events unfold and Ophelia finally departs from the source material to make her own path in a world who can never know her truth.
Told in an “old-time-y” feeling language and dialogue (yet WAY more easily to understand than the original) this tale is one of love, loss and loneliness yet the protagonist strives to overcome her past to forge a new future and I must say it was a lot of fun to read.
Some reviews shun the third part of this book.
Basically the first tells of Ophelia’s childhood, the second recounts the events of “Hamlet” and the third explores her life afterwards.
Would recommend to anyone who is a fan of Shakespeare’s tragedies, reader of strong women’s stories and people who like books about life at court and intrigue, struggle to fit in, self-discovery, and love.
Even more Spoilery Spoilers:
In the third part we see Ophelia faking her death and escaping Denmark with the help of trustworthy Horatio fleeing to a convent in France.
Apparently some religious readers might take affront to the portrayal of some parts of this. Although myself as an atheist reader can only say that I had no problem with this part.
Some might find her struggles with faith boring but I found them to be rooted in her character’s arc and they concluded nicely at the end.
Also trigger warning (?) she gives birth towards the end and it is described as quite painful but she is blacked out for most of it so I didn’t think it was that harrowing...
I appreciated the lessons Ophelia took away from her trials and like the way the story comes to an “end”.
It starts off with a letter telling of the tragedies that took place at the royal court of Denmark - Elsinore Castle. To anybody even vaguely familiar with Shakespeare’s work this will come to no surprise. Basically everybody’s dead and Horatio is sad to inform Ophelia of said deaths.
The look we get into her upbringing and childhood adjacent to the court without a mother but a father who’s ambitions overshadow his judgement and familial obligations seems like a historically accurate telling of experiences and expectations placed upon women of the time.
All the same Ophelia raises in stature and joins the Queen’s ladies in waiting, also finding a mother figure to look up to while she also studies under the oldest lady in waiting Elnore the remedies and medicines of flowers, herbs and roots.
Ophelia being a very learned young woman’s soon catches the attention of young prince Hamlet and his loyal shadow Horatio with her banter and discussions of philosophy and ethics. These meetings become more frequent and as they steal time away from prying eyes their courting begins, commences and leads to a secret wedding in the woods disguised as common people without stature witnessed only by their guard and friend Horatio.
Then obviously tragedy upon tragedy ransacks the Castle - murder, ghosts, theatre groups, vows of love and revenge, mania and madness follow. Basically Shakespeare’s Hamlet but told from Ophelia’s perspective who worries for Hamlet’s sanity and well-being while hiding her own knowledge and aid in his plan of revenge against now King Claudius.
Events unfold and Ophelia finally departs from the source material to make her own path in a world who can never know her truth.
Told in an “old-time-y” feeling language and dialogue (yet WAY more easily to understand than the original) this tale is one of love, loss and loneliness yet the protagonist strives to overcome her past to forge a new future and I must say it was a lot of fun to read.
Some reviews shun the third part of this book.
Basically the first tells of Ophelia’s childhood, the second recounts the events of “Hamlet” and the third explores her life afterwards.
Would recommend to anyone who is a fan of Shakespeare’s tragedies, reader of strong women’s stories and people who like books about life at court and intrigue, struggle to fit in, self-discovery, and love.
Even more Spoilery Spoilers:
In the third part we see Ophelia faking her death and escaping Denmark with the help of trustworthy Horatio fleeing to a convent in France.
Apparently some religious readers might take affront to the portrayal of some parts of this. Although myself as an atheist reader can only say that I had no problem with this part.
Some might find her struggles with faith boring but I found them to be rooted in her character’s arc and they concluded nicely at the end.
Also trigger warning (?) she gives birth towards the end and it is described as quite painful but she is blacked out for most of it so I didn’t think it was that harrowing...
I appreciated the lessons Ophelia took away from her trials and like the way the story comes to an “end”.