Ophelia and Hamlet

The thing about this book that caught my eye was that it is a retelling of the story of Hamlet by William Shakespeare, but from the perspective of Ophelia. I feel like Ophelia is very much a side character in the original play and I felt like it was about time we got to hear her side of the story.

Ophelia by Lisa Klein

"He is Hamlet, Prince of Denmark; she is simply Ophelia. If you think you know their story, think again."

I loved this book because I was able to identify key plot points within the story of Hamlet but the story is uniquely about Ophelia. We learn about her upbringing and what leads her to be the way she is. We learn more about Hamlet and his relationship with the young, beautiful Ophelia. 

"Lisa Klein's Ophelia tells the story of a young woman falling love, searching for her place in the world, and finding the strength to survive. Sharp and literary, dark and romantic, this dramatic story holds readers in its grip until the final, heartrending scene."

Once I picked this book up, it was hard for me to put down, I wanted to continue finding out more and more about Ophelia and the royal court of Denmark. Even though I know that story of Hamlet is very well known to me, I kept wanting to know what was going to happen next. It's very well written and I feel like I was able to relate to the character of Ophelia and the things that she was going through.

I'm looking to read some more retellings of fairy tales or well-known stories. Do you have any recommendations of other similar books? I would love to hear from anyone that has suggestions!