Review Detail
4.7 9
Young Adult Fiction
1078
Ophelia Gets to Act (Out)
(Updated: June 26, 2026)
Overall rating
3.0
Plot
3.0
Characters
N/A
Writing Style
N/A
Illustrations/Photos (if applicable)
N/A
Reader reviewed by Steph Su
Shakespeares tragedy, Hamlet, is practically required reading for every English student. But how much is really known about Ophelia, Hamlets girl, who goes mad and commits suicide in the original play?
Lisa Klein offers us a different perspective on the undeveloped Shakespearean character. Ophelia is a strong-willed and beautiful young woman living in the often treacherous world of court intrigue. For the most part shunned and used by her father and brother, the once tomboyish and willful Ophelia grows into a lady with wit and passion under the wings of court women such as Queen Gertrude. Yet she sometimes feels separate from the rest of the ladies when they speak of things such as love and marriage.
That is, of course, until she crosses paths with Prince Hamlet. Their attraction for one another is undeniable, and Ophelia soon finds herself spiraling downwards into love. But when, after the suspicious death of his father the king, Hamlets passion for Ophelia turns into a dreadful passion for revenge, Ophelia must carve out her own path, with or without her love, if she wants to live.
Review
It is refreshing to have one of Shakespeares usually passive female characters retold as a strong personality. Ophelia is very much a modern woman stuck in the early seventeenth century; you can find hearty doses of feminism and religious zeal in many passages throughout. Supporting characters, however, are incompletely sketched, and I never felt any real connection with Ophelia and Hamlets love for one another.
About half of the book focuses on what actually occurs in the play; the rest is about Ophelias attempt to survive away from Elsinore. Because she ends up at a convent, the second half of the book is very much focused on religion and finding peace with oneself, so much so that at times it can begin to sound preachy. Likewise, Ophelia seemed to approach the reliving of her past at arms length, and that, I think, unfortunately detracted from the storys intimacy and appeal.
Overall, however, Ophelia is an interesting way to reapproach a familiar piece of literature. If youre looking for something pro-feminism with period language that sounds genuine, pick this one up.
Shakespeares tragedy, Hamlet, is practically required reading for every English student. But how much is really known about Ophelia, Hamlets girl, who goes mad and commits suicide in the original play?
Lisa Klein offers us a different perspective on the undeveloped Shakespearean character. Ophelia is a strong-willed and beautiful young woman living in the often treacherous world of court intrigue. For the most part shunned and used by her father and brother, the once tomboyish and willful Ophelia grows into a lady with wit and passion under the wings of court women such as Queen Gertrude. Yet she sometimes feels separate from the rest of the ladies when they speak of things such as love and marriage.
That is, of course, until she crosses paths with Prince Hamlet. Their attraction for one another is undeniable, and Ophelia soon finds herself spiraling downwards into love. But when, after the suspicious death of his father the king, Hamlets passion for Ophelia turns into a dreadful passion for revenge, Ophelia must carve out her own path, with or without her love, if she wants to live.
Review
It is refreshing to have one of Shakespeares usually passive female characters retold as a strong personality. Ophelia is very much a modern woman stuck in the early seventeenth century; you can find hearty doses of feminism and religious zeal in many passages throughout. Supporting characters, however, are incompletely sketched, and I never felt any real connection with Ophelia and Hamlets love for one another.
About half of the book focuses on what actually occurs in the play; the rest is about Ophelias attempt to survive away from Elsinore. Because she ends up at a convent, the second half of the book is very much focused on religion and finding peace with oneself, so much so that at times it can begin to sound preachy. Likewise, Ophelia seemed to approach the reliving of her past at arms length, and that, I think, unfortunately detracted from the storys intimacy and appeal.
Overall, however, Ophelia is an interesting way to reapproach a familiar piece of literature. If youre looking for something pro-feminism with period language that sounds genuine, pick this one up.
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