Falling for Hamlet
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4.3 • 19 Ratings
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- $7.99
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- $7.99
Publisher Description
Passion, romance, drama, humor, and tragedy intertwine in this compulsively readable Hamlet retelling, from the perspective of a strong-willed, modern-day Ophelia.
Meet Ophelia, high school senior, daughter of the Danish king's most trusted adviser, and longtime girlfriend of Prince Hamlet of Denmark. She lives a glamorous life and has a royal social circle, and her beautiful face is splashed across magazines and television screens. But it comes with a price--her life is ruled not only by Hamlet's fame and his overbearing royal family but also by the paparazzi who hound them wherever they go.
After the sudden and suspicious death of his father, the king, the devastatingly handsome Hamlet spirals dangerously toward madness, and Ophelia finds herself torn, with no one to turn to. All Ophelia wants is to live a normal life. But when you date a prince, you have to play your part. Ophelia rides out this crazy roller coaster life, and lives to tell her story in live television interviews.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
First-time author Ray's ambitious endeavor retelling Hamlet's tale in a contemporary, pop culture context through the voice of a more liberal and strong-willed Ophelia is most likely to appeal to those dissatisfied with the original heroine's lack of backbone. The book's depiction of the verbally abused girlfriend and her crazed beau is tied to commentary about celebrity culture: the scandals that leak out of the Danish court are accompanied by media frenzies that will be familiar to modern readers. But details about the lives of the rich and famous draw focus away from the psychological unraveling of the two main characters. The juxtaposed narratives dialogue between Ophelia and a team of investigators, flashbacks spurred by an Oprahesque talk-show host's questions are distracting, and references to the original ("He was scrawling To Be' and Not to Be' over and over. What's that?' I asked. That is the question.' ") come off as contrived as the climax of the tragedy, which occurs during a lacrosse game. This self-consciously hip tale contains all of the bloodshed but none of the subtlety of its antecedent. Ages 14 up.
Customer Reviews
Heart Pounding
This book was amazing! It kept me on the edge of my seat, the biggest surprise of all is the twisted (but still tragic) ending! A must read, even if it is very different from the actual Hamlet.