Ophelia - Softcover

Klein, Lisa M.

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0747587337 ISBN 13: 9780747587330

Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing PLC, 2006

Synopsis

Unusual book

About this title

About the Author:

Lisa Klein is a former professor of English who lives in Columbus, Ohio with her husband and two sons. This is her first work of fiction.

From School Library Journal:

Grade 8 Up—Using Hamlet as the basis for her tale, Klein relates the familiar events from the play, with Ophelia as the focal point. Thus, readers see the social-climbing Polonius as a negligent father, the queenly Gertrude as a concerned and observant mentor, the bewildered Hamlet as a fervent lover, and Horatio as a loyal friend who loves Ophelia from afar. But the novel goes beyond the life of the play for, instead of dying, Ophelia secretly weds Hamlet, escapes Elsinore (taking refuge in a convent in France), bears Hamlet's son, and reunites romantically with Horatio to bring the story full circle. Easy to follow and moving at a rapid pace, the story introduces new characters who add depth to the tale. Klein sets the story in the Elizabethan era rather than in the medieval time frame of the original play; her detail-rich text conveys considerable information about courtly life, intrigue, and the societal mores of the times. She includes adapted versions of some of Shakespeare's best-known lines to keep the flavor of the Bard's work; however, the changes in the language may strike a discordant note with purists and with those who prefer the poetic text. Nonetheless, this is a successful and engaging story that is more thought-provoking than Lisa Fiedler's Dating Hamlet (Holt, 2002), as it deals with issues of justice more than revenge, with wholeness of character more than romance. It is sure to be popular with young women struggling with issues of honor, betrayal, and finding one's path.—Nancy Menaldi-Scanlan, LaSalle Academy, Providence, RI
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About this edition

• Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing PLC
• Publication date: 2006
• ISBN 10: 0747587337
• ISBN 13: 9780747587330
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 336