Every once in a while you want to read a book that reflects who you are, your insecurities, and how it impacts the way you approach the world. For queer young adults, that representation has been few and far between, and mostly restricted to heartbroken white lesbian and gay teens. While these past stories were also important, I feel "Ophelia After All" shows where YA queer fiction is and should be headed, to telling the experiences of diverse protagonists that also reside outside the lesbian and gay label.
I loved reading the interactions between Ophelia and her friends, and more importantly, I loved the way that the story was not so much about the romance, but about Ophelia's bond with said friends and reluctance to fear of growing apart while transitioning to adulthood. I know the author is younger, and I feel that gave her an advantage since the dialogue did not seem forced or contrived the way some YA authors tend to be. It felt more authentic, and allowed me to have fun with and connect with the characters as well.
I also appreciated the additional representation in the book outside of Ophelia. As someone who identifies as ace and rarely sees characters that match my orientation, seeing a character that shared my background made me feel a bit more seen, something I feel that a lot of other younger characters can resonate with. Overall, I love "Ophelia After All" for what it signals, a transition point to more varied stories and opportunities for greater self-reflection among queer teens.
I loved reading the interactions between Ophelia and her friends, and more importantly, I loved the way that the story was not so much about the romance, but about Ophelia's bond with said friends and reluctance to fear of growing apart while transitioning to adulthood. I know the author is younger, and I feel that gave her an advantage since the dialogue did not seem forced or contrived the way some YA authors tend to be. It felt more authentic, and allowed me to have fun with and connect with the characters as well.
I also appreciated the additional representation in the book outside of Ophelia. As someone who identifies as ace and rarely sees characters that match my orientation, seeing a character that shared my background made me feel a bit more seen, something I feel that a lot of other younger characters can resonate with. Overall, I love "Ophelia After All" for what it signals, a transition point to more varied stories and opportunities for greater self-reflection among queer teens.