Falling for Hamlet - Book Review

Title ~ Falling for Hamlet
Series ~ Single Title
Author ~ Michelle Ray
Release Date ~ July 5, 2011
Age Group ~ Young Adult
Publisher ~ Poppy
Source ~ Little Brown Books for Young Readers

GOODREADS SUMMARY

Meet Ophelia: a blonde, beautiful high-school senior and long-time girlfriend of Prince Hamlet of Denmark. Her life is dominated not only by her boyfriend's fame and his overbearing family, but also by the paparazzi who hound them wherever they go. As the devastatingly handsome Hamlet spirals into madness after the mysterious death of his father, the King, Ophelia rides out his crazy roller coaster life, and lives to tell about it. In live television interviews, of course.

Passion, romance, drama, humor, and tragedy intertwine in this compulsively readable debut novel, told by a strong-willed, modern-day Ophelia.

REVIEW

Falling for Hamlet puts a modern spin on Shakespeare’s classic. I read a children’s version of the original, but I don’t think it is necessary. There is one very big spoilery plot difference between the two, but they are otherwise similar. Michelle Ray does such a great job of taking the old and mixing it with the new.

This story is all about the characters and these characters are something else! Their relationships, downfalls, jealousies, crushes, and revenge are all on display. I am going to give a little insight into a few of the main characters to give you an idea of what I mean.

Hamlet – He’s actually Prince Hamlet of Denmark and he is spoiled rotten. While he lives a very public life because of his celebrity, Hamlet seems rather normal at the beginning. That all changes after his father dies, and Hamlet slowly transforms into a crazed maniac. His mental state is a sort of marker to the mood of everyone else.

Ophelia – She has a bit of a split personality. Most of the time, Ophelia is smart and strong. As soon as Hamlet is involved though, she does not look out for her own well-being and instead she focuses only on Hamlet. It was a bit maddening! Ophelia could be witty and sarcastic when being interviewed by the paparazzi and the police. Her sense of humor is great!

Claudius – This guy is pure evil and a great antagonist. He could stir the pot and make life miserable for everyone in his path. Claudius is surely a character you love to hate. I hear dramatic music in my mind whenever I read one of his scenes.

Horatio – The ying to Claudius’ yang. Horatio is a loyal friend to both Ophelia and Hamlet. With so much turmoil, it was refreshing that someone kept control and remained true to the end.

Falling for Hamlet is a great mix of murder mystery, love story, and celebrity in-the-spotlight. Enjoy!

RATING

5 Loved

COVER COMMENTS

Edgy with a touch of royalty. The cover shows how Hamlet and Ophelia are just typical teens even though he is a royal. The black-and-white plays nicely with the bright red throne peeking in. “First comes love, then comes madness” describes the plot perfectly!