What do you think?
Rate this book
Ophelia
Following Ophelia
When Mary Adams sees Millais’ depiction of the tragic Ophelia, a whole new world opens up for her. Determined to find out more about the beautiful girl in the painting, she hears the story of Lizzie Siddal – a girl from a modest background, not unlike her own, who has found fame and fortune against the odds. Mary sets out to become a Pre-Raphaelite muse, too, and reinvents herself as Persephone Lavelle. But as she fights her way to become the new face of London’s glittering art scene, ‘Persephone’ ends up mingling with some of the city’s more nefarious types and is forced to make some impossible choices.
Will Persephone be forced to betray those she loves, and even the person she once was, if she is to achieve her dreams?
Will Persephone be forced to betray those she loves, and even the person she once was, if she is to achieve her dreams?
400 pages, Paperback
First published March 9, 2017
5 people are currently reading
518 people want to read
About the author
Sophia Bennett
122 books258 followersMy name’s Sophia, and I write about girls discovering their inner power. Sometimes they’re fashion designers, sometimes they’re would-be pop stars and sometimes they’re spies. They’re always a lot braver than they know, and I love it when they finally figure that out.
Since I won the Times/Chicken House competition in 2009 my books have been published around the world, from Germany to Brazil and Japan. When I’m not writing them, I tend to be at home in London with my family, or travelling around the place, talking about writing. (More about that here … ) As a writing teacher, I have been a visiting lecturer in writing for children at City University and City Lit, and a Consultant Fellow of the Royal Literary Fund.
Occasionally, people ask me what my advice would be to aspiring writers. Check out my writing tips page, on my website. Write every day, and rewrite even more. Follow your heart.
Since I won the Times/Chicken House competition in 2009 my books have been published around the world, from Germany to Brazil and Japan. When I’m not writing them, I tend to be at home in London with my family, or travelling around the place, talking about writing. (More about that here … ) As a writing teacher, I have been a visiting lecturer in writing for children at City University and City Lit, and a Consultant Fellow of the Royal Literary Fund.
Occasionally, people ask me what my advice would be to aspiring writers. Check out my writing tips page, on my website. Write every day, and rewrite even more. Follow your heart.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 29 of 47 reviews
December 19, 2017
5 Words: Art, family, class, adventure, secrets.
Ever since I first wandered around the Laing Art Gallery as a young teen and set eyes on Isabella and the Pot of Basil, I was in love with an art movement. Much like Mary when she first glimpses Millais' Ophelia, I couldn't stop staring at the Pre-Raphaelite painting in all of its Romantic glory. So when I heard about this book, I was insanely excited. And I had very high expectations.
The writing in this story is very colourful, focused on the imagery and the wider picture. Like a painting, the setting subtly reflects what is happening in the story.
I loved Mary. I loved her past and her present and her hopes for the future. I loved seeing her fight for everything, how large her heart was, how much she cared. She is truly a character to get invested in and when she took on the persona of Persephone, I was as carried away in her antics as she was, and every crash back to earth, to her real life, was with a heavy jolt.
Then we have the glimpses of the Brotherhood themselves, those familiar names from history with their hedonistic ways and their constant search for the beauty in everything. I loved this peek we got at them, how immediately you could feel the hairs on the back of your neck raise with one interaction. If you know anything about the Brotherhood then you'll know they were very close and insular, in love with each other's muses, and they were right proper rebels against the art of the day.
I loved the tiny details that brought the historical setting to life. London was never just noisy and busy and dirty, it was vibrantly described as the filthy, overly populated center that it was. The whole place was brought to life
This book is perfect for fans of YA and history and art. I think that Sophia Bennett's familiar tone means that this would be a fantastic start for fans of contemporary who are looking to try something new. The writing is beautiful and slightly decadent, rich with research and passion.
Edit 19/12/2017: No, YOUR phone background is Ophelia by Millais. This book was so beautiful and I can't wait to reread it before picking back up on Mary's adventures with book two!
Ever since I first wandered around the Laing Art Gallery as a young teen and set eyes on Isabella and the Pot of Basil, I was in love with an art movement. Much like Mary when she first glimpses Millais' Ophelia, I couldn't stop staring at the Pre-Raphaelite painting in all of its Romantic glory. So when I heard about this book, I was insanely excited. And I had very high expectations.
The writing in this story is very colourful, focused on the imagery and the wider picture. Like a painting, the setting subtly reflects what is happening in the story.
I loved Mary. I loved her past and her present and her hopes for the future. I loved seeing her fight for everything, how large her heart was, how much she cared. She is truly a character to get invested in and when she took on the persona of Persephone, I was as carried away in her antics as she was, and every crash back to earth, to her real life, was with a heavy jolt.
Then we have the glimpses of the Brotherhood themselves, those familiar names from history with their hedonistic ways and their constant search for the beauty in everything. I loved this peek we got at them, how immediately you could feel the hairs on the back of your neck raise with one interaction. If you know anything about the Brotherhood then you'll know they were very close and insular, in love with each other's muses, and they were right proper rebels against the art of the day.
I loved the tiny details that brought the historical setting to life. London was never just noisy and busy and dirty, it was vibrantly described as the filthy, overly populated center that it was. The whole place was brought to life
This book is perfect for fans of YA and history and art. I think that Sophia Bennett's familiar tone means that this would be a fantastic start for fans of contemporary who are looking to try something new. The writing is beautiful and slightly decadent, rich with research and passion.
Edit 19/12/2017: No, YOUR phone background is Ophelia by Millais. This book was so beautiful and I can't wait to reread it before picking back up on Mary's adventures with book two!
February 6, 2017
I received a copy of this book from Netgalley, in return for an honest review.
I LOVED this book. To be honest, I suspected I might, as I have a complete obsession with the Pre-Raphaelites - and was really intrigued by the premise; viewing the art scene of the time from a maid's perspective.
The book follows Mary, a red-haired young woman, who heads to London to work as a maid. Initially, she hates her job (and isn't very good at it), but then her fortunes change when she finds herself under the scrutiny of Felix - a struggling artist.
I won't reveal what happens, but I will say that I was gripped from start to finish. Mary was a really relateable character and I relished her sense of independence - I also loved the ending (without giving too much away, let's just say it's an ending that would please many a feminist - no need for males to support this feisty young female!).
I've already recommended this book to a few people with teen daughters, as it's not only a thoroughly enjoyable romp through Victorian London, but also a great book for introducing Pre-Raphaelite art. I'm delighted to have read it!
I LOVED this book. To be honest, I suspected I might, as I have a complete obsession with the Pre-Raphaelites - and was really intrigued by the premise; viewing the art scene of the time from a maid's perspective.
The book follows Mary, a red-haired young woman, who heads to London to work as a maid. Initially, she hates her job (and isn't very good at it), but then her fortunes change when she finds herself under the scrutiny of Felix - a struggling artist.
I won't reveal what happens, but I will say that I was gripped from start to finish. Mary was a really relateable character and I relished her sense of independence - I also loved the ending (without giving too much away, let's just say it's an ending that would please many a feminist - no need for males to support this feisty young female!).
I've already recommended this book to a few people with teen daughters, as it's not only a thoroughly enjoyable romp through Victorian London, but also a great book for introducing Pre-Raphaelite art. I'm delighted to have read it!
February 7, 2017
A beautiful story of beautiful people creating beautiful things.
I really loved the pacing, the setting, the presence of actual members of the Pre-Raphaelite brotherhood, the passion, the romance...on second thought, what didn't I love? It's been a while since I've completely absorbed a book and been absorbed by it, and I was pleasantly surprised by how purely lovely (and a bit tragic, too) Following Ophelia was.
I really loved the pacing, the setting, the presence of actual members of the Pre-Raphaelite brotherhood, the passion, the romance...on second thought, what didn't I love? It's been a while since I've completely absorbed a book and been absorbed by it, and I was pleasantly surprised by how purely lovely (and a bit tragic, too) Following Ophelia was.
May 15, 2021
Following Ophelia intrigued me enough to want to request it for review, however I wasn't sure how I would go considering I know next to nothing about art in general, let alone anything about the Pre Raphaelite brotherhood. Thankfully, for fellow readers like myself, Following Ophelia is not only fascinating, but very well written and I didn't find it confusing in the slightest!
This book explores the life of Mary Adams who moves to London to become a maid and to follow her cousin Harriet's footsteps. Mary soon realises that she isn't a very good maid and hates her job, but thankfully, she ends up stumbling into the London art scene by reinventing herself as Persephone Lavelle and she becomes an artist's muse after being inspired by Lizzie Siddal.
From the very beginning, you start to fall in love with Mary as a character. She's young, a little naive, and just absolutely in love with the world. Once moving in with the family who hired her, she finds her world expanding beyond the small village she grew up in with her abusive father and siblings. While not exactly a fan of being a maid (who could really say they would be though tbh), she becomes a "new" woman, Persephone, and ends up going to parties, meeting new people and going new places around London. Despite becoming Persephone and being exposed to more of the world, Mary never loses her charm or her kindness and while she learns more about herself, she doesn't lose other parts of herself either, which is quite frankly, one of my favourite things about her character. I also loved how much she questioned the patriarchal society and how frustrated it made her. The arrogance of the men surrounding her frustrated ME although I know and understand that's just how it was back in the 1800's.
While you don't see a lot of it, the relationship between Mary and her cousin Harriet is one of my favourite things about this book and I also really love the growth of the relationship between Mary and the other maid, Annie. I won't go into too much detail into the relationships between them as I really think it's something you should read yourself if you end up picking up this book!
The romantic relationship between Mary and Felix on the other hand, was something I could totally get on board with, but struggled to *really* get behind. I just wish we had seen more of the two interacting beyond stolen glances and Felix painting as Mary modelled. We know they kiss lots, but we don't often see many of the pair's interactions as they happen, rather we hear about them from Mary's perspective after the fact (this might really appeal to some readers though!).
The world was portrayed beautifully, and this is really a product of excellent writing. Sophia Bennett describes each location with enough imagery, but not in *too* much unnecessary detail! The art is described so vividly and beautifully, I ended up intrigued enough several times while reading, to look up each of the art pieces mentioned just so I could learn more about them and see what they actually look like!
The plot itself was much better than I anticipated (admittedly, I wasn't sure what to expect given the synopsis), it's very much character driven, however with the well developed characters and relationship growth between so many of the characters, Bennett delivers a compelling plot which had me feeling an array of emotions.
Overall, Following Ophelia was an excellent and surprising novel with an unexpected plot twist! The characters were easy to love (even the ones you disliked!) and the way Sophia Bennett writes both her world and her characters is wonderful, fun and incredibly vivid. If you like historical fiction and don't mind character driven novels, I definitely recommend Following Ophelia!
(I also just discovered the sequel comes out really soon and I'm SO HAPPY I don't have to wait too long!)
This book explores the life of Mary Adams who moves to London to become a maid and to follow her cousin Harriet's footsteps. Mary soon realises that she isn't a very good maid and hates her job, but thankfully, she ends up stumbling into the London art scene by reinventing herself as Persephone Lavelle and she becomes an artist's muse after being inspired by Lizzie Siddal.
From the very beginning, you start to fall in love with Mary as a character. She's young, a little naive, and just absolutely in love with the world. Once moving in with the family who hired her, she finds her world expanding beyond the small village she grew up in with her abusive father and siblings. While not exactly a fan of being a maid (who could really say they would be though tbh), she becomes a "new" woman, Persephone, and ends up going to parties, meeting new people and going new places around London. Despite becoming Persephone and being exposed to more of the world, Mary never loses her charm or her kindness and while she learns more about herself, she doesn't lose other parts of herself either, which is quite frankly, one of my favourite things about her character. I also loved how much she questioned the patriarchal society and how frustrated it made her. The arrogance of the men surrounding her frustrated ME although I know and understand that's just how it was back in the 1800's.
While you don't see a lot of it, the relationship between Mary and her cousin Harriet is one of my favourite things about this book and I also really love the growth of the relationship between Mary and the other maid, Annie. I won't go into too much detail into the relationships between them as I really think it's something you should read yourself if you end up picking up this book!
The romantic relationship between Mary and Felix on the other hand, was something I could totally get on board with, but struggled to *really* get behind. I just wish we had seen more of the two interacting beyond stolen glances and Felix painting as Mary modelled. We know they kiss lots, but we don't often see many of the pair's interactions as they happen, rather we hear about them from Mary's perspective after the fact (this might really appeal to some readers though!).
The world was portrayed beautifully, and this is really a product of excellent writing. Sophia Bennett describes each location with enough imagery, but not in *too* much unnecessary detail! The art is described so vividly and beautifully, I ended up intrigued enough several times while reading, to look up each of the art pieces mentioned just so I could learn more about them and see what they actually look like!
The plot itself was much better than I anticipated (admittedly, I wasn't sure what to expect given the synopsis), it's very much character driven, however with the well developed characters and relationship growth between so many of the characters, Bennett delivers a compelling plot which had me feeling an array of emotions.
Overall, Following Ophelia was an excellent and surprising novel with an unexpected plot twist! The characters were easy to love (even the ones you disliked!) and the way Sophia Bennett writes both her world and her characters is wonderful, fun and incredibly vivid. If you like historical fiction and don't mind character driven novels, I definitely recommend Following Ophelia!
(I also just discovered the sequel comes out really soon and I'm SO HAPPY I don't have to wait too long!)
February 28, 2018
I received a copy of this book for review via NetGalley.
I picked this one because the description was on the same lines as another book I read last year―Wings over Delft (which was of course in a whole different time period and setting, and really a completely different story as well). This one tells of sixteen-year-old Mary Adams who arrives in London to work as a scullery maid, a job she isn’t really cut out for, but which is the only option available to her as she has lost her previous situation. But along the way, she catches the eye of a group of young pre-Raphaelite painters, many of whom wish to paint her. When one of them convinces her to be his model, Mary begins a double life of sorts, maid by-day, and artist’s model whenever she is needed. Her ‘second’ life takes her into society, parties, meetings with famous artists, Dante Gabriel Rossetti and Millais among them, and she is soon the talk of the town. Soon enough she begins dreaming of a better life, and the path to achieving it seems open before her. But when trouble creeps into her life in more than one form, she must take some difficult decisions which might take life in a completely different direction.
I found this book to be a fast-paced, engrossing read, pretty much from the start. Mary was a likeable character, coming across as a believable sixteen-year-old, and one finds oneself rooting for her throughout. The other characters too develop realistically rather than as ‘storybook’ ones―people one likes may not always turn out as one expects them to (although that doesn’t necessarily make them ‘bad’ people, just people), and friendship and help at times comes from completely unexpected quarters. And that indeed is what can be said about the plot and the story as well. I enjoyed the world of art that the book takes us into―although it doesn’t go into it in depth (I couldn’t help comparing it on this count with Wings over Delft); while it creates the atmosphere of the world of art/artists, it remains a light read. What adds to the atmosphere the book creates, and lends it more authenticity, is the combination of both fictional and historical figures (the artists, their muses) in the story which was another element I really enjoyed about it. While I do like reading books on art etc. (the Great Artists Series, especially since it gives one a good introduction to different artists and their works, styles, etc.), the pre-Raphaelite movement was not one I was familiar with, and reading this led me to look into it, and the paintings mentioned in the book. But it is not only art, poetry and poets, and Greek mythology are also elements around which the story is woven. But at the centre of it all is Mary’s story of course, which I found interesting throughout, and it would be fun to see what the next leg of her adventures leads her into (we already know where!).
I picked this one because the description was on the same lines as another book I read last year―Wings over Delft (which was of course in a whole different time period and setting, and really a completely different story as well). This one tells of sixteen-year-old Mary Adams who arrives in London to work as a scullery maid, a job she isn’t really cut out for, but which is the only option available to her as she has lost her previous situation. But along the way, she catches the eye of a group of young pre-Raphaelite painters, many of whom wish to paint her. When one of them convinces her to be his model, Mary begins a double life of sorts, maid by-day, and artist’s model whenever she is needed. Her ‘second’ life takes her into society, parties, meetings with famous artists, Dante Gabriel Rossetti and Millais among them, and she is soon the talk of the town. Soon enough she begins dreaming of a better life, and the path to achieving it seems open before her. But when trouble creeps into her life in more than one form, she must take some difficult decisions which might take life in a completely different direction.
I found this book to be a fast-paced, engrossing read, pretty much from the start. Mary was a likeable character, coming across as a believable sixteen-year-old, and one finds oneself rooting for her throughout. The other characters too develop realistically rather than as ‘storybook’ ones―people one likes may not always turn out as one expects them to (although that doesn’t necessarily make them ‘bad’ people, just people), and friendship and help at times comes from completely unexpected quarters. And that indeed is what can be said about the plot and the story as well. I enjoyed the world of art that the book takes us into―although it doesn’t go into it in depth (I couldn’t help comparing it on this count with Wings over Delft); while it creates the atmosphere of the world of art/artists, it remains a light read. What adds to the atmosphere the book creates, and lends it more authenticity, is the combination of both fictional and historical figures (the artists, their muses) in the story which was another element I really enjoyed about it. While I do like reading books on art etc. (the Great Artists Series, especially since it gives one a good introduction to different artists and their works, styles, etc.), the pre-Raphaelite movement was not one I was familiar with, and reading this led me to look into it, and the paintings mentioned in the book. But it is not only art, poetry and poets, and Greek mythology are also elements around which the story is woven. But at the centre of it all is Mary’s story of course, which I found interesting throughout, and it would be fun to see what the next leg of her adventures leads her into (we already know where!).
Read
March 6, 2017Following Ophelia paints a vivid tapestry of the world of the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood, familiar to anyone who has seen Desperate Romantics (one of my favourites!). New and old characters are equally charming, and Mary(/Persephone) caught my heart straight away. She holds her own in a new and intimidating world of flamboyant, talented men brilliantly. I was completely convinced by her as a character and could happily read a whole series about her. Thank god there is going to be one! I can't wait for the next book in this series!
March 16, 2018
Honestly, my favourite serious. Can't put the book down even for a minute. The characters were enchanting and don't even get me started on the beauty of the writing. On to the next book in the series now.
November 22, 2017
“Following Ophelia” is a well-written novel about a young maid becoming a Pre-Raphaelites painter’s muse. I thoroughly enjoyed the novel, not only because it is beautifully written, but also because it manages to seamlessly interweave an interesting plot about Mary finding her place in the society of the Victorian era with more serious social themes and commentaries.
Mary is a sympathetic protagonist because she not only believably represents a young woman of her era but also has a strong moral compass. I really liked how romance wasn’t really at the forefront of the novel and how Mary’s more fleshed out relationships were with the other women of the novel.
Overall, I loved the writing, the plot, and the characters and the only reason I’m not giving it five stars is that I hope the next installment in the series will be even better.
Mary is a sympathetic protagonist because she not only believably represents a young woman of her era but also has a strong moral compass. I really liked how romance wasn’t really at the forefront of the novel and how Mary’s more fleshed out relationships were with the other women of the novel.
Overall, I loved the writing, the plot, and the characters and the only reason I’m not giving it five stars is that I hope the next installment in the series will be even better.
July 21, 2017
In one word: Clumsy.
I got to 18% through the story and didn't care about any of the characters. Also, didn't feel that it rejected the blurb, though I can see where that would be coming from.
Either way, I put it down one night to go to bed and forgot to look at it again for 2 weeks. Kind of says it all to me.
I received a copy of this book for free from Netgalley, in exchange for an honest review.
I got to 18% through the story and didn't care about any of the characters. Also, didn't feel that it rejected the blurb, though I can see where that would be coming from.
Either way, I put it down one night to go to bed and forgot to look at it again for 2 weeks. Kind of says it all to me.
I received a copy of this book for free from Netgalley, in exchange for an honest review.
September 7, 2017
I hadn't really dived into YA historical fiction before so this was quite a suprising treat. It was initially a cover buy because I mean HELLO. GOREGOUS.
I'm so glad that it was great on the inside too as well as being stunning to look at and I actually think that's kind of significant to the story.
I didn't really know what to expect going into this book, but just briefly, it is about a young girl called Mary who gets called by her cousin to work in Victorian London, to hopefully gain a better quality of life. A very simple plot, but a beautiful one nonetheless. This isn't as straight forward as one might expect. Mary lives a very interesting life, espeically for a girl of lower class at this time. I will say, that makes it a little bit unbelievable, but it made for a wonderful story.
On an aestheic note, the quality of this book is so beautiful. The cover is really thick and shiny and the pages are luxuriously thick and smooth too, so it made it really lovely to read from. I'll have to look more into this publishing house and see if any of their other books appeal to me.
The characters were really lovely to read from, which may sound strange because not everyone was lovely in the slightest (personality wise). But I think I feel that way because it kind of reminds me of Jacqueline Wilson and how I'd imagine her Hetty Feather series to be, in some respects.
Mary was such a character. I was rooting for her every step of the way, even when she did reckless things. I think I just found her to be inspiring that as a young woman in that day and age, she wasn't willing to just be a servant. She strove to make more of her life and she certainly did it. It was from one extreme to another and often left me seeing parallels with the story of Cinderella. I was so happy when Mary was able to speak all the things she couldn't before and loved some of the bonding moments we saw between characters.
I thought that was such a lovely way to be described. I think if I was in that moment I would have felt all types of emotions haha!
This story got me feeling a variety of emotions from elation to dismay and worry as to how everything would turn out in the end and if anything could really be salvaged in such little time. I am satisfied with the ending and I sort of got a happily ever after but it was a rather bitter sweet feeling. The story is split into three parts: the peacock dress, the white dress and lastly; the unravelling. I like how that final part associates with the dresses and how much Mary adores fashion but also has a literal sense to this part of the tale as well.
Random, I know, but I like how it actually includes the cut out newspaper article in similar format. It's always nice to have something to break up regular text formats a bit.
I adored all of the artistic themes within this story and how it was interwoven with real people of the period. It flowed really well and makes me want to learn more about the Ophelia portrait (which has always mesmerised me) and the Pre-Raphaelite art wave. I love how it came full circle, with the mentioning of the salty sea and with the water in general because I would say that seemed to be a running (haha, running water, pun not intended) theme.
Although I read this for a readathon (#AYEARATHON) and the theme was ''standalones'', I only found out on the last page that this is due to have a sequel. I honestly couldn't find anything that hinted at that, but to be honest, I'm quite excited for it, even if it does spoil my readathon theme.
I now wish that I did decide to visit some of these art museums for my birthday treat next week, as reading this has inspired me. It's also got me excited to finally watch the film Effie Gray and carry on with the TV series Victoria on ITV.
Anyway, this was a lovely story with an interesting plot, enchanting moments and beautifully published too.
Pick it up, give it a go and enjoy! >(^_^)<
Gén
I'm so glad that it was great on the inside too as well as being stunning to look at and I actually think that's kind of significant to the story.
I didn't really know what to expect going into this book, but just briefly, it is about a young girl called Mary who gets called by her cousin to work in Victorian London, to hopefully gain a better quality of life. A very simple plot, but a beautiful one nonetheless. This isn't as straight forward as one might expect. Mary lives a very interesting life, espeically for a girl of lower class at this time. I will say, that makes it a little bit unbelievable, but it made for a wonderful story.
On an aestheic note, the quality of this book is so beautiful. The cover is really thick and shiny and the pages are luxuriously thick and smooth too, so it made it really lovely to read from. I'll have to look more into this publishing house and see if any of their other books appeal to me.
The characters were really lovely to read from, which may sound strange because not everyone was lovely in the slightest (personality wise). But I think I feel that way because it kind of reminds me of Jacqueline Wilson and how I'd imagine her Hetty Feather series to be, in some respects.
Mary was such a character. I was rooting for her every step of the way, even when she did reckless things. I think I just found her to be inspiring that as a young woman in that day and age, she wasn't willing to just be a servant. She strove to make more of her life and she certainly did it. It was from one extreme to another and often left me seeing parallels with the story of Cinderella. I was so happy when Mary was able to speak all the things she couldn't before and loved some of the bonding moments we saw between characters.
''I think you'd kiss the way you look,'' he murmured.
''Tired?'' Mary teased.
He shook his head. ''On fire.''
I thought that was such a lovely way to be described. I think if I was in that moment I would have felt all types of emotions haha!
This story got me feeling a variety of emotions from elation to dismay and worry as to how everything would turn out in the end and if anything could really be salvaged in such little time. I am satisfied with the ending and I sort of got a happily ever after but it was a rather bitter sweet feeling. The story is split into three parts: the peacock dress, the white dress and lastly; the unravelling. I like how that final part associates with the dresses and how much Mary adores fashion but also has a literal sense to this part of the tale as well.
Random, I know, but I like how it actually includes the cut out newspaper article in similar format. It's always nice to have something to break up regular text formats a bit.
I adored all of the artistic themes within this story and how it was interwoven with real people of the period. It flowed really well and makes me want to learn more about the Ophelia portrait (which has always mesmerised me) and the Pre-Raphaelite art wave. I love how it came full circle, with the mentioning of the salty sea and with the water in general because I would say that seemed to be a running (haha, running water, pun not intended) theme.
Although I read this for a readathon (#AYEARATHON) and the theme was ''standalones'', I only found out on the last page that this is due to have a sequel. I honestly couldn't find anything that hinted at that, but to be honest, I'm quite excited for it, even if it does spoil my readathon theme.
I now wish that I did decide to visit some of these art museums for my birthday treat next week, as reading this has inspired me. It's also got me excited to finally watch the film Effie Gray and carry on with the TV series Victoria on ITV.
Anyway, this was a lovely story with an interesting plot, enchanting moments and beautifully published too.
Pick it up, give it a go and enjoy! >(^_^)<
Gén
September 24, 2017
"You seem like someone who's made for adventures"
That felt so much more real to her,and true, than 'made for laying tables', or 'made for cleaning grates'. The impossible had just happened and they made it seem easy.
A lovingly-researched look at a young girl from Kent who comes to London to be a housemaid and becomes a painter's muse. Realistic, flawed characters and a protagonist who is determined to forge her own way.
Looking out for the sequel now!
That felt so much more real to her,and true, than 'made for laying tables', or 'made for cleaning grates'. The impossible had just happened and they made it seem easy.
A lovingly-researched look at a young girl from Kent who comes to London to be a housemaid and becomes a painter's muse. Realistic, flawed characters and a protagonist who is determined to forge her own way.
Looking out for the sequel now!
January 19, 2018
Loved this book from page one. If you are looking for a good historical fiction book for teens - this is it !Mary Adams is our main character- poor but beautiful , destined to be a scullery maid ?! Not really ! It's not long until she attracts attention with her beauty, and her own love of art leads her away from her awful duties . Victorian London at its best, you will fall in love with Mary/Persphone !
March 13, 2019
Excellent, entertaining YA fiction.
Read it as part of my reading around the Victorian era Pre-Raphaelite brotherhood artists.
An excellent Pre-Raphaelite brotherhood artists exhibition is on at The Australian National Gallery at the moment and I've enjoyed reading around the subject of the artists, their art and their era.
Read it as part of my reading around the Victorian era Pre-Raphaelite brotherhood artists.
An excellent Pre-Raphaelite brotherhood artists exhibition is on at The Australian National Gallery at the moment and I've enjoyed reading around the subject of the artists, their art and their era.
March 18, 2025
Following Ophelia was a really good read. It’s fast-paced, and I flew through it because I was so keen to find out what would happen next. I loved how it follows Mary, a country girl trying to find her way in the city, and how it shows her coming of age while facing some pretty harsh truths about life. As a maid, a lover, and often treated like an object, she deals with all kinds of challenges—there’s deceit (of course), ambition, and the constant struggle to stay true to herself. I really felt for her and can only hope things work out in her favour. I’m super keen to read the next book and follow her journey to Italy—can’t wait to see where life takes her next.
November 10, 2018
Following Opehlia follows a housemaid who becomes a Pre-Raphaelite painter's muse. She is determined to reinvent herself as Persephone Lavelle and becomes the new face of the London art scene. However, she struggles to balance her two lives and she is forced to make some hard choices.
Following Opehlia was kind of just an okay read for me, and it definitely didn't really wow me at all. I have to admit, I did like the historical setting, and most of the time I also liked the relationships between the women in the story. But, unfortunately, it did also feature a little bit of the 'not like other girls' trope, which kind of got flipped towards the end but yeah. Mary does have some nice development throughout the book too, especially regarding her relationships with other women so I liked that. I also really liked the theme of family too. Overall, I would recommend if you have an interest in art and historical fiction.
Following Opehlia was kind of just an okay read for me, and it definitely didn't really wow me at all. I have to admit, I did like the historical setting, and most of the time I also liked the relationships between the women in the story. But, unfortunately, it did also feature a little bit of the 'not like other girls' trope, which kind of got flipped towards the end but yeah. Mary does have some nice development throughout the book too, especially regarding her relationships with other women so I liked that. I also really liked the theme of family too. Overall, I would recommend if you have an interest in art and historical fiction.
May 13, 2017
I loved this book. It’s wonderfully well written and sweeps the reader along with a lush myriad of texture and colour. Every time I was forced to put it down, I couldn’t wait to pick it up again. I loved Mary’s character and enjoyed her transformation into Persephone, but also worried for her as it was obvious she was going to have to leave her old life behind in way that would make it impossible for her to go back – not easy for a woman of her class. Which brings me to the other aspect of this book that I loved – the author shows us how restrictive life was for most women, not matter how rich and privileged.
I think a sequel is in the works, which I’m really looking forward to as I want to see what Mary/Persephone does next.
I think a sequel is in the works, which I’m really looking forward to as I want to see what Mary/Persephone does next.
January 2, 2018
Almost a rags to riches story set when being a single woman was near on impossible. Enjoyed the mix of feminism and romance. My thirteen year old daughter gobbled it up and so did I (at 44!)
December 10, 2017
I really enjoyed it. I love really good historical YA.
March 12, 2017
I finished Following Ophelia nearly three weeks ago and it's still in my head. I don't often read YA historical fiction, mostly because I can never find anything I like but Following Ophelia by the wonderful Sophia Bennett will be a tough act to follow (no pun intended...) I completely and utterly fell in love with Mary, the other characters, the artists, the setting and the history. In short, it was quite simply the perfect book for me to read!
There's long been an association between art and literature, from Millais and Ophelia to Sophia and Ophelia and Sophia has tapped into this perfectly with such a deft touch. The story may be historical but it reads with a contemporary tone and could easily be talking about today.
Mary is thrown into a completely different way of life when she becomes a servant in a large house in London after working as a seamstress, her employers are both progressive and closed off at the same time. Philip Aitken is wonderful in that he encourages Mary's interest in art and history without wondering why. Meeting artists and other members of the Brotherhood Mary is immersed in yet another completely different world when she meets artist Felix Dawson, deciding that she too can be like Lizzie Siddal and also starting to fall in love for the first time too. Drawn into what could be a dangerous game for a servant at the time Mary becomes Persephone Lavelle, living the life of an artist's model and making the most of the freedom this brings her.
Mary is an amazing character, full of life and wanting more for herself than was probably reasonable to expect at the time, not afraid to stand up for herself or others if they need help nut powerless to stop both people and events that overtake all the glorious things she has done and seen. Sophia Bennett has written an intriguing glimpse into the world of the Pre-Raphaelites, mixing both fact and fiction to create a page-turning story of a servant and her journey to becoming something more.
I'm still not entirely sure what it was that made me fall so completely in love with Following Ophelia, Mary, Felix and the amazing group of artists and debutantes that she becomes Persephone with. It could be my own obsession with that time period and the Pre-Raphaelites or that fact that Sophia has managed to take a significant period of time in the art world and make it sound contemporary. Either way, I cannot wait to for the sequel which was very recently announced, Unveiling Venus (love that title and the cover I've seen! Can I read it now please?) and I'm off to buy a paperback copy of the book as the story of Following Ophelia is a keeper.
There's long been an association between art and literature, from Millais and Ophelia to Sophia and Ophelia and Sophia has tapped into this perfectly with such a deft touch. The story may be historical but it reads with a contemporary tone and could easily be talking about today.
Mary is thrown into a completely different way of life when she becomes a servant in a large house in London after working as a seamstress, her employers are both progressive and closed off at the same time. Philip Aitken is wonderful in that he encourages Mary's interest in art and history without wondering why. Meeting artists and other members of the Brotherhood Mary is immersed in yet another completely different world when she meets artist Felix Dawson, deciding that she too can be like Lizzie Siddal and also starting to fall in love for the first time too. Drawn into what could be a dangerous game for a servant at the time Mary becomes Persephone Lavelle, living the life of an artist's model and making the most of the freedom this brings her.
Mary is an amazing character, full of life and wanting more for herself than was probably reasonable to expect at the time, not afraid to stand up for herself or others if they need help nut powerless to stop both people and events that overtake all the glorious things she has done and seen. Sophia Bennett has written an intriguing glimpse into the world of the Pre-Raphaelites, mixing both fact and fiction to create a page-turning story of a servant and her journey to becoming something more.
I'm still not entirely sure what it was that made me fall so completely in love with Following Ophelia, Mary, Felix and the amazing group of artists and debutantes that she becomes Persephone with. It could be my own obsession with that time period and the Pre-Raphaelites or that fact that Sophia has managed to take a significant period of time in the art world and make it sound contemporary. Either way, I cannot wait to for the sequel which was very recently announced, Unveiling Venus (love that title and the cover I've seen! Can I read it now please?) and I'm off to buy a paperback copy of the book as the story of Following Ophelia is a keeper.
July 27, 2018
This book felt kind of pointless to me. I gobbled it up because I love Victoriana and the arts, but the writing was... cheesy, to say the least. And do we really need another book so full of ghastly, backward misogyny, now? Is it wrong to expect more from writing done now and set in the past? It felt like the author had just received as deep a lesson on Victorian London as Sweeney Todd and regurgitated the bland, undeveloped details in place of exposition. The concept was intriguing, the execution and resolution incredibly disappointing. What is the lesson here? Cheat and lie with abandon despite your precarious position, get found out, have a childish breakdown over one night because you can't attain your unattainable crush, get rescued by another sap who fancies you and abandon any principles or integrity you had left to keep living your lie elsewhere? Like... what? The plot and motivational turns were totally unearned and carelessly dumped in. At one point I think the author even forgot what she'd called a servant and changed it? Please save yourself the time.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 11, 2018
I received this as a free ebook via NetGalley; this does not affect my review.
I enjoyed Following Ophelia; I think it's a nice introduction to historical fiction for young people who may not have tried it before, or those looking for a romantic story with less love interest and more finding oneself. It is a classic rags-to-riches story, but I'm glad that it makes the point that women's lives were - and still are - so very precarious. Being an independent woman in this time period required either inherited money or a powerful patron, either of which could be lost very quickly, and Mary/Persephone skates the edge of losing everything through the whole book, so you're caught up in her story needing to know what happens next. I already had a copy of Unveiling Venus, but if I hadn't, I would have been waiting for it to come out.
I enjoyed Following Ophelia; I think it's a nice introduction to historical fiction for young people who may not have tried it before, or those looking for a romantic story with less love interest and more finding oneself. It is a classic rags-to-riches story, but I'm glad that it makes the point that women's lives were - and still are - so very precarious. Being an independent woman in this time period required either inherited money or a powerful patron, either of which could be lost very quickly, and Mary/Persephone skates the edge of losing everything through the whole book, so you're caught up in her story needing to know what happens next. I already had a copy of Unveiling Venus, but if I hadn't, I would have been waiting for it to come out.
Read
October 16, 2025Following Ophelia paints a vivid tapestry of the world of the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood, familiar to anyone who has seen Desperate Romantics (one of my favourites!). New and old characters are equally charming, and Mary(/Persephone) caught my heart straight away. She holds her own in a new and intimidating world of flamboyant, talented men brilliantly. I was completely convinced by her as a character and could happily read a whole series about her. Thank god there is going to be one! I can't wait for the next book in this series!
March 31, 2018
Dit boek gaat over kunst en hoe muzes kunstenaars kunnen betoveren. Het is geschreven vanuit een 'scullery maid' en het gaat over haar ervaring in Londen. Mary is bijzonder. Zo bijzonder dat ze de andere kant van Londen ziet. Hoe ze de stoffen van de kleding van de elite beschrijft, de huizen en de omgang met de kunstenaars, de prerafaëlieten....ik houd ervan!
June 27, 2018
Mary Adams takes a job as a housemaid in London and somehow ends up as a model for pre-Raphaelite artist Felix Dawson but his patron, a wealthy widow is jealous of her impact on him and her life does not turn out quite how she imagines. Implausible but entertaining though the characters are never really fleshed out and it ends rather abruptly.
May 26, 2022
(3.5 ⭐️)
Following Ophelia didn’t leave me feeling gripped by the story however the way Bennett writes and brings to life Victorian London, the streets, the fashions and the society was a real gem to read especially as someone intrigued by such a time which I feel is enough to inspire me to pick up the sequel however I am hoping for a little more excitement and anticipation in it!
Following Ophelia didn’t leave me feeling gripped by the story however the way Bennett writes and brings to life Victorian London, the streets, the fashions and the society was a real gem to read especially as someone intrigued by such a time which I feel is enough to inspire me to pick up the sequel however I am hoping for a little more excitement and anticipation in it!
April 15, 2018
i was interested in this but it just lacked credibility, there's no way a maid would be out gadding about like this, it was an eye-roller for me and i wished i'd not wasted my time with it. so many books so little time and all that...
April 15, 2020
Sophia Bennett is a great writer and this was very enjoyable, particularly the art references and the sense of place. What a lie Mary Adams, the main character, lived, I just knew it was going to unravel on her, but it also freed her and I look forward to her adventures in Venice in the sequel.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 12, 2017
Lacked credibility but a good story
Displaying 1 - 29 of 47 reviews