I’ve heard so many great things about this book from so many people, so I was so excited to read it. Once I finally got my copy, I flew through it! A heartwarming story, Ophelia After All explores the confusion of realizing your sexuality and the pains of growing up.
Ophelia’s journey is a complex one, where she’s both discovering her sexuality and trying to figure out how this realization fits into her life. Although she’s aware that she’s a romantic, she’s known for being boy-crazy, so how can she have feelings for a girl? It was heartwarming to follow her growth, as she realizes that the person she has been doesn’t always have to be the person that she is. She’s always growing and always evolving, as is every person, especially as a teenager.
I also liked the characters! Sammie and Ophelia have been best friends and next-door neighbors forever, and they’re always there for each other. However, her inner struggles are ones that she can’t share with him. Instead, she finds an unexpected friend in Wesley, whom she’s always found aloof, particularly because Sammie has a feud with him. I also liked seeing how caring and supportive Agatha was, when Ophelia finally opens up to her.
I suppose I thought this was a romance, although that was my mistake. Instead, this book is a contemporary coming-of-age, a profound journey of self-realization. It’s messy, in the way that teenagers are, and also so genuine. Not in a way that every person will relate to it but in a way that feels so real, that you can’t help but feel what Ophelia feels even if you don’t relate to it.
There is also a lot of representation in this story. Ophelia is half-Cuban and half-Irish, ultimately identifying with queer. Talia is bisexual and Afro-Puerto Rican, both of which affects how her extended family treats her. Sammie is Muslim and Pakistani American, and Wesley is biromantic asexual and Korean American.
Ophelia After All was a gorgeous story, full of love and heart. I liked the characters and the writing, and I’m excited to read more from this author. If you’re in the market for a heartwarming contemporary, I definitely recommend Ophelia After All.
Ophelia’s journey is a complex one, where she’s both discovering her sexuality and trying to figure out how this realization fits into her life. Although she’s aware that she’s a romantic, she’s known for being boy-crazy, so how can she have feelings for a girl? It was heartwarming to follow her growth, as she realizes that the person she has been doesn’t always have to be the person that she is. She’s always growing and always evolving, as is every person, especially as a teenager.
I also liked the characters! Sammie and Ophelia have been best friends and next-door neighbors forever, and they’re always there for each other. However, her inner struggles are ones that she can’t share with him. Instead, she finds an unexpected friend in Wesley, whom she’s always found aloof, particularly because Sammie has a feud with him. I also liked seeing how caring and supportive Agatha was, when Ophelia finally opens up to her.
I suppose I thought this was a romance, although that was my mistake. Instead, this book is a contemporary coming-of-age, a profound journey of self-realization. It’s messy, in the way that teenagers are, and also so genuine. Not in a way that every person will relate to it but in a way that feels so real, that you can’t help but feel what Ophelia feels even if you don’t relate to it.
There is also a lot of representation in this story. Ophelia is half-Cuban and half-Irish, ultimately identifying with queer. Talia is bisexual and Afro-Puerto Rican, both of which affects how her extended family treats her. Sammie is Muslim and Pakistani American, and Wesley is biromantic asexual and Korean American.
Ophelia After All was a gorgeous story, full of love and heart. I liked the characters and the writing, and I’m excited to read more from this author. If you’re in the market for a heartwarming contemporary, I definitely recommend Ophelia After All.