I can surely say Ophelia After All is a book that has claimed its place in my heart forever. A comfort read, as people call it or as I’d like to say, a warm hug to myself.
Frankly, this is the standard for YA contemporaries. Ophelia After All follows a Cuban-Irish seventeen year old Ophelia as she navigates a tumultuous phase nearing the end of high school, of change, identity, friendships and growing up. Today I tell you the reasons I loved this book and hope it gives justice to what I truly feel about it.
a delicate coming of age story
Simply put, reading through Ophelia’s lens is a delight. Setting Ophelia After All to span the last couple months of high school proved to be quite spot on as the story not only addresses the looming worries of the life that awaits Ophelia but also her newfound questions about her sexuality. The inner turmoil that she goes through, trying to hang to the one thing about herself she knows is true, really highlights her character. Everyone around her knows her as ‘boy crazy Ophelia’ but when she unexpectedly finds herself harboring feelings for a girl, she spirals into a state of denial and confusion.
But then there’s the big fear of change, because if everyone knows her as such, what happens when she admits a part of her has changed? How does she come to terms with the change in herself? Will the people around her still find her to be the Ophelia they knew, or thought they knew?
I find that to be the best part of the novel, how Ophelia After All very meticulously brings these feelings to page—the confusion, the self questioning, the fear of change and the slow descent into an understanding. Most coming of age stories I’ve read have characters who are sure of their identities but struggle to come out about it. But Ophelia After All shows the entire internal struggle of Ophelia from the point that question about her sexuality arises right up until she settles on an understanding of her identity, the feeling like that of a caged bird being freed.
Ophelia’s story definitely moved the recently-turned-adult-me to tears. It’s written in such a raw, heartfelt manner that I had no other choice actually. There’s the feel good contemporaries and there are contemporaries like this… that just get you, that deeply resonate with you, that bring light to feelings within you that you didn’t know existed.
a queer friend group
Another wonderful aspect of my whole experience of Ophelia After All is being introduced to Ophelia’s dynamic friend circle. We have a lovely cast of diverse characters, not just racially but also in terms of their identities, who form a strong support system. There are friendships that have lasted since forever, the ones that can pass as acquaintances and the friendships that spark unexpectedly. The background and development of each of these characters gives a depth to the story.
an authentic high school experience
At the core, Ophelia After All centers around prom. But what leads up to it is a mix of merging friend groups, a love triangle and the conversations surrounding the different places these characters will be quite soon. The tide of change that hits these group of friends and their fallouts with Ophelia at the center never feels overdone or some event just to further the plot in a contemporary novel.
Overwhelmed with her emotions—she makes mistakes, detaching herself from her favourite activities, lashing out on people around her—valid, quintessential teenage experiences, but we get to watch Ophelia overcome them all and find her footing among her friends and the plethora of queer labels available to her now. I loved seeing Ophelia’s old friendships become fragile, find new friends who walk her through her hard times and talk her into stability. Seeing these characters interact invoked a melancholic yearning for a friend group as theirs but also provided the comfort in witnessing such friendships however possible. I especially loved Wesley and Agatha.
Staying true to its namesake, Ophelia’s story isn’t perfect or linear. There’s anger, vulnerability and its messy but ultimately its about hoping that the foundation she’s built for herself is strong enough to withstand the changes and hardships, its about believing in the relationships she has to guide her through such moments. Ophelia’s interest in botany and gardening forms beautiful imageries for the stages in her story.
Like a cherry on top, I love how it ended, not like the typical versions of happily ever afters or that Ophelia suddenly has a clarity about herself, just this message that she’s learning herself, that she might never know how to label her sexuality, that she’s valid despite all the uncertainty and self relearning.
A fantastic debut, Ophelia After All is an honest love letter to all confused, questioning queer kids. It assures us of the inevitability of change and reminds us that the love we receive gives us the strength to be true to ourselves. Its a book that made me cry under the intensity of emotions but soothed me throughout and I hope its the same for you.
Frankly, this is the standard for YA contemporaries. Ophelia After All follows a Cuban-Irish seventeen year old Ophelia as she navigates a tumultuous phase nearing the end of high school, of change, identity, friendships and growing up. Today I tell you the reasons I loved this book and hope it gives justice to what I truly feel about it.
a delicate coming of age story
Simply put, reading through Ophelia’s lens is a delight. Setting Ophelia After All to span the last couple months of high school proved to be quite spot on as the story not only addresses the looming worries of the life that awaits Ophelia but also her newfound questions about her sexuality. The inner turmoil that she goes through, trying to hang to the one thing about herself she knows is true, really highlights her character. Everyone around her knows her as ‘boy crazy Ophelia’ but when she unexpectedly finds herself harboring feelings for a girl, she spirals into a state of denial and confusion.
But then there’s the big fear of change, because if everyone knows her as such, what happens when she admits a part of her has changed? How does she come to terms with the change in herself? Will the people around her still find her to be the Ophelia they knew, or thought they knew?
I find that to be the best part of the novel, how Ophelia After All very meticulously brings these feelings to page—the confusion, the self questioning, the fear of change and the slow descent into an understanding. Most coming of age stories I’ve read have characters who are sure of their identities but struggle to come out about it. But Ophelia After All shows the entire internal struggle of Ophelia from the point that question about her sexuality arises right up until she settles on an understanding of her identity, the feeling like that of a caged bird being freed.
Ophelia’s story definitely moved the recently-turned-adult-me to tears. It’s written in such a raw, heartfelt manner that I had no other choice actually. There’s the feel good contemporaries and there are contemporaries like this… that just get you, that deeply resonate with you, that bring light to feelings within you that you didn’t know existed.
a queer friend group
Another wonderful aspect of my whole experience of Ophelia After All is being introduced to Ophelia’s dynamic friend circle. We have a lovely cast of diverse characters, not just racially but also in terms of their identities, who form a strong support system. There are friendships that have lasted since forever, the ones that can pass as acquaintances and the friendships that spark unexpectedly. The background and development of each of these characters gives a depth to the story.
an authentic high school experience
At the core, Ophelia After All centers around prom. But what leads up to it is a mix of merging friend groups, a love triangle and the conversations surrounding the different places these characters will be quite soon. The tide of change that hits these group of friends and their fallouts with Ophelia at the center never feels overdone or some event just to further the plot in a contemporary novel.
Overwhelmed with her emotions—she makes mistakes, detaching herself from her favourite activities, lashing out on people around her—valid, quintessential teenage experiences, but we get to watch Ophelia overcome them all and find her footing among her friends and the plethora of queer labels available to her now. I loved seeing Ophelia’s old friendships become fragile, find new friends who walk her through her hard times and talk her into stability. Seeing these characters interact invoked a melancholic yearning for a friend group as theirs but also provided the comfort in witnessing such friendships however possible. I especially loved Wesley and Agatha.
Staying true to its namesake, Ophelia’s story isn’t perfect or linear. There’s anger, vulnerability and its messy but ultimately its about hoping that the foundation she’s built for herself is strong enough to withstand the changes and hardships, its about believing in the relationships she has to guide her through such moments. Ophelia’s interest in botany and gardening forms beautiful imageries for the stages in her story.
Like a cherry on top, I love how it ended, not like the typical versions of happily ever afters or that Ophelia suddenly has a clarity about herself, just this message that she’s learning herself, that she might never know how to label her sexuality, that she’s valid despite all the uncertainty and self relearning.
A fantastic debut, Ophelia After All is an honest love letter to all confused, questioning queer kids. It assures us of the inevitability of change and reminds us that the love we receive gives us the strength to be true to ourselves. Its a book that made me cry under the intensity of emotions but soothed me throughout and I hope its the same for you.