Ophelia

Author: Lisa Klein
Published Date: 2006
Letter Grade: A

Several years ago, my dad and stepmom redid our computer room, turning it into a library of sorts, and filling it with various books on everything from Chess to Fibromylgia (or however it's spelled.)

One of these books was entitled "Reviving Ophelia." I asked Vicky once why Ophelia needed to be reformed, and she told me about the character from Shakespeare's play "Hamlet."

I watched the movie (Mel Gibson version) for English Lit senior year, and read some of the play, and I still couldn't see why she needed reviving. Therapy, certainly, but I've needed therapy, too. You don't see Vicky writing "Reviving Stephanie," now do you?

Anyway. A few days ago I was in Barnes & Noble (where all great discoveries are made. It was, after all, where I bought my first Animorphs book) and I discovered this book. At last, our dear heroine was about to get her due.

Let me tell you: I adored this book. I adored the story of Ophelia and Hamlet before Hamlet went loco. I adored Horatio. By half way through, I wanted to shake Ophelia and make her see how Horatio felt about her.

But yes. It was interesting. It was a bit thrilling, and there were points I could not foresee. The story, of course, was familiar, but it gave new insight into what might have happened beyond what you can see in the play.

Bits confused me. Edmund, Ophelia's tormentor, popping up at random confused me. I didn't understand the point of that. Also, the end seemed a bit sudden. On Ophelia's part, at any rate, not Horatio's. Perhaps if the epilogue had been longer?

Overall, I thought the book was rather fantastic. And I think it is fairly safe to say that dear Ophelia is fully revived, and we must stop trying to revive her further. Please, the girl has had quite enough. She was the heroine of a Shakespearean tragedy, after all.