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Dating Hamlet: Ophelia's Story
Ophelia lives to tell the tale of what happened at Elsinore
"The nights at Elsinore are longer than anywhere else.
I have stayed awake these many weeks, which has aided me greatly in my portrayal of one who has gone daft. For my skin is pale as fresh daisy petals, and my eyes sink inward, rimmed by bruise-like swells of purple. The servants and courtiers whisper that surely, Ophelia . . . most beautified Ophelia . . . has lost touch."
It isn’t easy dating a prince, especially when that prince is Hamlet. It could easily drive a young girl to madness, or so it would seem.
Since the death of his father, Ophelia’s beloved Hamlet has descended into a deep depression. To make matters worse, the Danish court is filled with lies and deceit. Was Hamlet’s father murdered by King Claudius? Is Polonius truly the father of Laertes? Who can be trusted as a friend? And who is to be feared as an enemy? It is up to clever Ophelia, with the help of her friends, to find a way to save her prince and herself. Only then can she finally reveal the truth about what really happened in the famed castle at Elsinore.
With Shakespeare’s classic play as a frame, Lisa Fiedler gives voice to Ophelia in a gripping novel full of romance, ghosts, and a touch of alchemy.
"The nights at Elsinore are longer than anywhere else.
I have stayed awake these many weeks, which has aided me greatly in my portrayal of one who has gone daft. For my skin is pale as fresh daisy petals, and my eyes sink inward, rimmed by bruise-like swells of purple. The servants and courtiers whisper that surely, Ophelia . . . most beautified Ophelia . . . has lost touch."
It isn’t easy dating a prince, especially when that prince is Hamlet. It could easily drive a young girl to madness, or so it would seem.
Since the death of his father, Ophelia’s beloved Hamlet has descended into a deep depression. To make matters worse, the Danish court is filled with lies and deceit. Was Hamlet’s father murdered by King Claudius? Is Polonius truly the father of Laertes? Who can be trusted as a friend? And who is to be feared as an enemy? It is up to clever Ophelia, with the help of her friends, to find a way to save her prince and herself. Only then can she finally reveal the truth about what really happened in the famed castle at Elsinore.
With Shakespeare’s classic play as a frame, Lisa Fiedler gives voice to Ophelia in a gripping novel full of romance, ghosts, and a touch of alchemy.
192 pages, Hardcover
First published November 1, 2002
2 people are currently reading
384 people want to read
About the author
Lisa Fiedler
24 books78 followersLisa Fiedler is the author of a number of popular young adult novels, including two retellings of a Shakespearean story from the female point of view, Dating Hamlet and Romeo's Ex. She lives in Connecticut with her family.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 51 reviews
February 13, 2012
This book might have been interesting if I could have gotten past the writing. The horrible mixture of almost Elizabethan, overblown flowery language with 21st century "OMG, he's so cute I think I'm gonna die!!!1!" is so jarring that OMG, I think I'm gonna gag!!!!1!!
This is, of course, leaving aside that fact that a with most modern authors who try to write 17th century English, the author gets it wrong. Arguing that a sentence like "You have thy banana" (not an actual sentence from the book, but close enough) was ever correct grammar is a fruitless task.
I'm not averse to people adapting very good literature like Hamlet and putting a fun twist on the story. But I do insist that it be done well. This is not. It reminds me of a quote I heard once with reference to another book: "This is not a book to be lightly tossed aside -- it should be thrown with great force."
This is, of course, leaving aside that fact that a with most modern authors who try to write 17th century English, the author gets it wrong. Arguing that a sentence like "You have thy banana" (not an actual sentence from the book, but close enough) was ever correct grammar is a fruitless task.
I'm not averse to people adapting very good literature like Hamlet and putting a fun twist on the story. But I do insist that it be done well. This is not. It reminds me of a quote I heard once with reference to another book: "This is not a book to be lightly tossed aside -- it should be thrown with great force."
December 15, 2023
There's a lot of retelling in this retelling - as in, Ophelia spends some pages telling Fortinbras what has happened at the end. Other than that, it was easy to read and had some fun lines that Shakespeare probably would have liked. Probably would be less so inclined in regard to the number of deaths in this.
January 7, 2022
This is exactly the story I wanted to make up after reading Hamlet my freshman year of high school. Is the Elizabethan English cheesy and only sort of passable? Yes. Does it tend drop absolutely jarring modern phrases and jokes out of nowhere? Also yes. It was a romp, and I am a sucker for "They were only MOSTLY dead" tropes, so here we are.
Ophelia and her servant Anne run around behind and literally between the scenes of Hamlet to try and make sure everyone (or, at least, the people we care about) gets out of it alive. They're thinly veiled self insert characters - but boy it's a pretty veil. I had a BLAST.
Ophelia and her servant Anne run around behind and literally between the scenes of Hamlet to try and make sure everyone (or, at least, the people we care about) gets out of it alive. They're thinly veiled self insert characters - but boy it's a pretty veil. I had a BLAST.
January 20, 2019
How many individuals that work in a library don't even realize WHAT is in their collection or why? Simply looking at the date published, the number of times checked out, the condition of course are factors. But ever wonder if the number of times checked out is misaligned with a text actually aligning with a curriculum that a school maintains? Unless you are a licensed and degree certified Media Certified Librarian, often, novels do not even get checked for the curriculum alignment factor - and deciding to delve into books I found in our collection, I wanted to answer the question, Why?
Finding Lisa Fiedler's Dating Hamlet - dated 2002, with only four check outs caused a shadow of doubt in my mind - yes, judging the book by its cover you could say. Making a commitment to delve into books that I had doubt about, REALLY delving into and committing to the read, it changed everything.
Being able to look through Ophelia's eyes from beginning to end of Hamlet, identifying COUNTLESS issues of perspectives that young women and men NEED too ponder in a world that objectifies women, this novel was ahead of its time in 2002, and still is based on the excellent narration of Hamlet through a female perspective, this is priceless. What is even better, Fiedler is able to spin a tale that never was told and easily existed that connects to Romeo and Juliet, just as the film Shakespeare in love has distant ties to another Shakespearean tale - Fiedler is able to bring Shakespeare to a modern day, through HER eyes perspective and raise interest from the first page.
If this was one novel overlooked in a collection due to not considering how it aligns with school curriculum and bringing this to the attention of educators and patrons, think of how many more texts exist in the same category? There is so much depth to the role of a Media Specialist Librarian that a volunteer, para, or any untrained individual in Information Science can bring to the world of literacy. When you come across authors such as Lisa Fiedler, you find texts and themes that ring true in today's world no matter the number of circulations. Bravo Lisa Fiedler on an amazing approach to bringing the art, tricks, perspectives, and roles of Shakespeare to women as well.
Finding Lisa Fiedler's Dating Hamlet - dated 2002, with only four check outs caused a shadow of doubt in my mind - yes, judging the book by its cover you could say. Making a commitment to delve into books that I had doubt about, REALLY delving into and committing to the read, it changed everything.
Being able to look through Ophelia's eyes from beginning to end of Hamlet, identifying COUNTLESS issues of perspectives that young women and men NEED too ponder in a world that objectifies women, this novel was ahead of its time in 2002, and still is based on the excellent narration of Hamlet through a female perspective, this is priceless. What is even better, Fiedler is able to spin a tale that never was told and easily existed that connects to Romeo and Juliet, just as the film Shakespeare in love has distant ties to another Shakespearean tale - Fiedler is able to bring Shakespeare to a modern day, through HER eyes perspective and raise interest from the first page.
If this was one novel overlooked in a collection due to not considering how it aligns with school curriculum and bringing this to the attention of educators and patrons, think of how many more texts exist in the same category? There is so much depth to the role of a Media Specialist Librarian that a volunteer, para, or any untrained individual in Information Science can bring to the world of literacy. When you come across authors such as Lisa Fiedler, you find texts and themes that ring true in today's world no matter the number of circulations. Bravo Lisa Fiedler on an amazing approach to bringing the art, tricks, perspectives, and roles of Shakespeare to women as well.
December 24, 2016
What if Hamlet's madness was all an act and Ophelia was in on the whole thing? What if Polonius wasn't really Ophelia's father but the grave digger was? What if Ophelia really did know how to swim? What if Ophelia had access to a plant that, mixed with certain other ingredients, makes a person who ingests it appear to be dead? What if Laertes is only acting when he and the king plot to kill Hamlet? What if Ophelia and Hamlet lived happily ever after?
I really enjoyed this clever read. It's very interesting seeing the major events of the play through Ophelia's eyes. And the fact that the reader knows that Hamlet and Ophelia are conspiring together makes for an entertaining twist on some of those famous scenes.
I really enjoyed this clever read. It's very interesting seeing the major events of the play through Ophelia's eyes. And the fact that the reader knows that Hamlet and Ophelia are conspiring together makes for an entertaining twist on some of those famous scenes.
March 20, 2023
Shakespeare's Hamlet usually reduces students to tears, as they cannot understand why he simply does not just get on with it and murder the old stoat, as the Ghost bade him do.
"Dating Hamlet" takes the angst off Hamlet, and rearranges the plot to give Ophelia a heavier part to play, and she is really behind the whole scheme of Hamlet pretending to be mad. While it has its moments, and is entertaining to an extent, there are occasions when I found myself wondering where it was going. Since it is meant to be a YA novel, unlike the play it is based on, it gives everyone a disturbingly happy ending.
Do I really want that?
"Dating Hamlet" takes the angst off Hamlet, and rearranges the plot to give Ophelia a heavier part to play, and she is really behind the whole scheme of Hamlet pretending to be mad. While it has its moments, and is entertaining to an extent, there are occasions when I found myself wondering where it was going. Since it is meant to be a YA novel, unlike the play it is based on, it gives everyone a disturbingly happy ending.
Do I really want that?
November 29, 2020
I appreciate a good “retelling in a minor voice.” And Hamlet is my favorite Shakespeare play to read and discuss. This slight attempt, however, left me quite unsatisfied. It is an odd blend of anachronistic and Elizabethan in diction, which is confusing, but the biggest sin here is a retooling of the story that moves the needle from tragedy to comedy. Not a fan.
October 8, 2024
Read this in middle school and I remember loving it. So much so that I found it written in a book log I made back then of books I wanted to read or reread. I believe it was my first TBR list! I’m slowly working my way through the list and sadly this one was not five stars for my adult read, but it was for my middle school read!
July 19, 2019
I would not be reading this if it wasn’t for a class focused on methods of adaptation of Shakespeare. Charming in parts, but overly simplistic in a way that does even the YA target audience a disservice. Not a fan of the Strong Female Character TM thing going on, either.
May 7, 2017
......... well
July 22, 2017
Layla,melody
November 16, 2022
It was good if you don’t take it too seriously.
March 20, 2024
Cute little story!
December 2, 2024
Thought i would hate this because im ngl I don’t love Hamlet, but this was so cutie and fun!!!
October 28, 2024
With an obvious love for and knowledge of Shakespeare, the author dodges nimbly among the well-known characters of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark to give us a throbbing love story. It brims with romance and defiance as Ophelia plots and schemes behind the scenes to ensure a happy ending for her and her beloved prince.
Hamlet is indecisive in killing his uncle Claudius, just as the Bard wrote him. However, he has a good reason. He’s got only the word of a specter as proof that Claudius killed the previous King Hamlet; that’s not the sort of thing that holds up in a court of law, is it? However, with the help of the wily Ophelia, Hamlet is certain he can force a kind of confession out of the treacherous Claudius.
Here is a feminist retelling of Shakespeare’s most famous play, with a few surprises tossed into it. Ophelia is far from being a willing pawn of her overzealous father and overprotective brother Laertes. She’s tempestuous, vengeful, cunning and gifted with potions. It is this latter talent that is the linchpin of her plans.
This story reminded me strongly of the film Ophelia with Daisy Ridley in the titular role. However, the film hewed to the original’s tragic ending as the overweening pride of the various males led to their individual downfalls. Since the Laertes and Hamlet of Ms. Fiedler are willing to take direction from the clever Ophelia, their outcome is much happier.
For people who like a feminist re-ordering of Shakespeare’s melancholy Dane, Dating Hamlet: Ophelia’s Story is excellent fare.
Hamlet is indecisive in killing his uncle Claudius, just as the Bard wrote him. However, he has a good reason. He’s got only the word of a specter as proof that Claudius killed the previous King Hamlet; that’s not the sort of thing that holds up in a court of law, is it? However, with the help of the wily Ophelia, Hamlet is certain he can force a kind of confession out of the treacherous Claudius.
Here is a feminist retelling of Shakespeare’s most famous play, with a few surprises tossed into it. Ophelia is far from being a willing pawn of her overzealous father and overprotective brother Laertes. She’s tempestuous, vengeful, cunning and gifted with potions. It is this latter talent that is the linchpin of her plans.
This story reminded me strongly of the film Ophelia with Daisy Ridley in the titular role. However, the film hewed to the original’s tragic ending as the overweening pride of the various males led to their individual downfalls. Since the Laertes and Hamlet of Ms. Fiedler are willing to take direction from the clever Ophelia, their outcome is much happier.
For people who like a feminist re-ordering of Shakespeare’s melancholy Dane, Dating Hamlet: Ophelia’s Story is excellent fare.
June 26, 2015
If you don't want to view spoilers... well, come on, people. This play's been out for hundred's of years, it's not like this story's anything new. There is a few spoilers for the novel itself, but honestly, this book isn't really worth your time, so don't bother shielding your eyes.
It feels like the author couldn't take the tragedy that was the original, and went out of her way to write a version in which no one died except the king who deserved to. It really removes all tension from the novel when she re-writes those dramatic scenes, Ophelia's funeral, the climax where everyone lay dying in the court, knowing that they'll all be just fine and dandy in the next chapter. This is also reflected, albeit on a smaller scale, with the reveal that Polonius is not actually Ophelia and Laertes's father, but rather the grave-keeper! Because, you know, it's impossible to be related to a backwards thinking, idiotic jerk! Face it Fiedler; sometimes good people are born from bad parents.
And don't get me started on Ophelia's character. Can you say, Mary Sue?
Let's list the guys who all have feelings for Ophelia or lust after her in one way or another;
Hamlet (well, obviously)
Bartholomew (you know, that cool guard in the first scene of the play, turned rapist in this book? Not cool, Fiedler. Not cool.)
King Claudius (Yes, Claudius. Fiedler felt the need to make him even more of a fiend by making him an aggressive sexual predator who rips Ophelia's dress off and stares at her breasts.)
Random Maid #1 (Yes, when Ophelia sneaks back into the court disguised as a guy after faking her death, some random lady comes onto her.)
Fortinbras
After Fortinbras flirts with her, I rolled my eyes and walked away from the book. It seems like every character who isn't related to her, apart from Horatio, (who is given a love interest all his own in the made up character Anne) have the hots for Ophelia, and it's ridiculous! There's only so many times you can make other characters fall for your protagonist before your reader's suspension of disbelief is stretched to the breaking point! And don't forget the fact that Ophelia has no negative qualities whatsoever. She's smart, daring, confident, friendly, charismatic... give me a break!
I'll give the author this, she did manage to keep me interested throughout the story, I was intrigued in how she would change the original and how things would be wrapped up. Unfortunately, she chose the most ridiculous path and let everyone live except Claudius, completely removing the tragic element of the original and just making the whole thing feel empty and cheap.
So, just don't bother with this one. It's just not worth it.
It feels like the author couldn't take the tragedy that was the original, and went out of her way to write a version in which no one died except the king who deserved to. It really removes all tension from the novel when she re-writes those dramatic scenes, Ophelia's funeral, the climax where everyone lay dying in the court, knowing that they'll all be just fine and dandy in the next chapter. This is also reflected, albeit on a smaller scale, with the reveal that Polonius is not actually Ophelia and Laertes's father, but rather the grave-keeper! Because, you know, it's impossible to be related to a backwards thinking, idiotic jerk! Face it Fiedler; sometimes good people are born from bad parents.
And don't get me started on Ophelia's character. Can you say, Mary Sue?
Let's list the guys who all have feelings for Ophelia or lust after her in one way or another;
Hamlet (well, obviously)
Bartholomew (you know, that cool guard in the first scene of the play, turned rapist in this book? Not cool, Fiedler. Not cool.)
King Claudius (Yes, Claudius. Fiedler felt the need to make him even more of a fiend by making him an aggressive sexual predator who rips Ophelia's dress off and stares at her breasts.)
Random Maid #1 (Yes, when Ophelia sneaks back into the court disguised as a guy after faking her death, some random lady comes onto her.)
Fortinbras
After Fortinbras flirts with her, I rolled my eyes and walked away from the book. It seems like every character who isn't related to her, apart from Horatio, (who is given a love interest all his own in the made up character Anne) have the hots for Ophelia, and it's ridiculous! There's only so many times you can make other characters fall for your protagonist before your reader's suspension of disbelief is stretched to the breaking point! And don't forget the fact that Ophelia has no negative qualities whatsoever. She's smart, daring, confident, friendly, charismatic... give me a break!
I'll give the author this, she did manage to keep me interested throughout the story, I was intrigued in how she would change the original and how things would be wrapped up. Unfortunately, she chose the most ridiculous path and let everyone live except Claudius, completely removing the tragic element of the original and just making the whole thing feel empty and cheap.
So, just don't bother with this one. It's just not worth it.
May 24, 2008
Ophelia never was one of my favorite Shakespearean heroines (perhaps because my acting teachers were often suggesting i play her~and i was always a little partial to Juliet~ever since we first read the play in ninth grade English). I always saw Ophelia as a bit weak and victim-like~i suppose i'm not the only one~and named a cat i got after my other "tough" cat Tiny disappeared when a roommate let her out into a strange neighborhood (i saw the cat as somewhat weak~that cat later became my baby who no other cat~at first~would ever match and i never knew if i came to see the character of Ophelia differently because of the cat or because of a re-reading of Hamlet...)
Of course any re-writing of the master (and Hamlet always has been one of my favorite plays~i actually always wanted to play Hamlet) is going to leave a few detractors and there were definitely aspects of Lisa Fiedler's Dating Hamlet: Ophelia's Story that left me none too happy (i.e. certain changes to Polonius and the gravedigger~but what can you do really?) Ophelia isn't quite the strong, feminist character you might hope for (she was still quite head over heels for Hamlet~but she is a teenager after all~also living in eleventh century Denmark) but she can definitely hold her own (and even has some career aspirations~maybe she is a bit of a feminist after all...~i mean she does act for herself, what more is there?). She does manage quite a few of the behind-the-scenes plot machinations for herself and you can also see why there might be a bit of a real romance for her and the Danish prince (he's not quite as wishy-washy as some have played him, either.) Some stuff that i was thinking sounded a bit like another Shakespeare plot was explained slightly (if a bit too cutely, pertly, patly, etc) at the end.
All in all, a quick (and isn't that what most of us want from a young adult novel, anyway?) breezy, enjoyable read (especially if you're a fan of the bard).
Of course any re-writing of the master (and Hamlet always has been one of my favorite plays~i actually always wanted to play Hamlet) is going to leave a few detractors and there were definitely aspects of Lisa Fiedler's Dating Hamlet: Ophelia's Story that left me none too happy (i.e. certain changes to Polonius and the gravedigger~but what can you do really?) Ophelia isn't quite the strong, feminist character you might hope for (she was still quite head over heels for Hamlet~but she is a teenager after all~also living in eleventh century Denmark) but she can definitely hold her own (and even has some career aspirations~maybe she is a bit of a feminist after all...~i mean she does act for herself, what more is there?). She does manage quite a few of the behind-the-scenes plot machinations for herself and you can also see why there might be a bit of a real romance for her and the Danish prince (he's not quite as wishy-washy as some have played him, either.) Some stuff that i was thinking sounded a bit like another Shakespeare plot was explained slightly (if a bit too cutely, pertly, patly, etc) at the end.
All in all, a quick (and isn't that what most of us want from a young adult novel, anyway?) breezy, enjoyable read (especially if you're a fan of the bard).
May 24, 2007
The School Library Journal review on the back of this book claims that, "Fans of the Bard will applaud this highly imaginative, lyrical text that plays with the story without damaging it."
The review is a BIG FAT LIE, for I have never seen a retelling damage the original story as much as this one has massacred Hamlet. In an attempt to make the telling "feminist," Lisa made EVERYTHING about Hamlet into an act. The premise of this book is that Ophelia and Hamlet together devised Hamlet's madness -- meaning that when we see Hamlet in scenes which *don't* appear in the play, he's a typical, teen romance, pretty boy, everything else being a clever 'act'. Ophelia then proceeds to fake her own madness, fake her own death, AND manipulate a way for Hamlet to fake his own death. So of course, nearly everyone who was dead at the end of Hamlet was alive at the end of this book. And THEN the author had to make the book into a "crossover" story with Romeo and Juliet, by which point I was just gagging. The only characters that I even recognized from the play were Claudius and Gertrude, whom Lisa left relatively untouched.
I think that in order to do a retelling, you really DO need to love the original work, but I would only recommend this retelling to people who hate Hamlet and want to see everything about it cheapened. The fact that Lisa managed to write a whole novel in Elizabethan English does not make up for the fact that it sucked.
The review is a BIG FAT LIE, for I have never seen a retelling damage the original story as much as this one has massacred Hamlet. In an attempt to make the telling "feminist," Lisa made EVERYTHING about Hamlet into an act. The premise of this book is that Ophelia and Hamlet together devised Hamlet's madness -- meaning that when we see Hamlet in scenes which *don't* appear in the play, he's a typical, teen romance, pretty boy, everything else being a clever 'act'. Ophelia then proceeds to fake her own madness, fake her own death, AND manipulate a way for Hamlet to fake his own death. So of course, nearly everyone who was dead at the end of Hamlet was alive at the end of this book. And THEN the author had to make the book into a "crossover" story with Romeo and Juliet, by which point I was just gagging. The only characters that I even recognized from the play were Claudius and Gertrude, whom Lisa left relatively untouched.
I think that in order to do a retelling, you really DO need to love the original work, but I would only recommend this retelling to people who hate Hamlet and want to see everything about it cheapened. The fact that Lisa managed to write a whole novel in Elizabethan English does not make up for the fact that it sucked.
September 26, 2007
jujur niyh gw ga pernah bener-bener baca buku ini sendiri dengan mata kepala gw...tapi cuma dengan kuping aja..jadi, dulu pas jaman SD kelas empat di Surabaya tetangga gw seneng bgt nyeritain tentang Ophelia ini...secara nama anaknya aja Ophelia...dulu sih pernah dipinjemin bukunya...cuma secara gw masih SD kaga minat bgt sama yang kaya ginian...
untung bokapnya kak Feli (panggilan anaknya yg namanya Ophelia) itu suka bacain gw or nyeritain gw tentang Ophelia-nya Hamlet ini... udah lupa sih ceritanya... yang paling gw inget sih bokapnya kak Feli suka minjemin gw kaset2 drama romeo n juliet dan sejenisnya dalam bahasa indonesia...wuih keren deh...
huhuhu..jadi rindu masa kecil di surabaya nih??? (lho??ko ga nyambung sama review bukunya ya????)
intinya cerita ini bagus...cuma..yaaaaaa...gitu deh...
lagi2 soal kepedihan cinta..
untung bokapnya kak Feli (panggilan anaknya yg namanya Ophelia) itu suka bacain gw or nyeritain gw tentang Ophelia-nya Hamlet ini... udah lupa sih ceritanya... yang paling gw inget sih bokapnya kak Feli suka minjemin gw kaset2 drama romeo n juliet dan sejenisnya dalam bahasa indonesia...wuih keren deh...
huhuhu..jadi rindu masa kecil di surabaya nih??? (lho??ko ga nyambung sama review bukunya ya????)
intinya cerita ini bagus...cuma..yaaaaaa...gitu deh...
lagi2 soal kepedihan cinta..
August 3, 2010
It was great reading Hamlet from Ophelia's point of view. A few things were unrealistic, but that didn't really take away from the plot. I did enjoy that Fiedler attempted to write in "Shakespeare speak" and keep the feel of the original (didn't always work). The end was a bit too happy (and a bit cheesy (let's go to Verona and meet up with your buddy Romeo and change that tragidy also)), and throughout the novel there were mentions of future inventions/style (wouldn't it be great if I could wear these pants all the time?) which did detract from the rest of the book.
I guess I'm a purist and want the ending to be the same.
I guess I'm a purist and want the ending to be the same.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 29, 2009
It's the feminist version of Hamlet, complete with drug-induced halucinations, secret dads, almost-rape, and poison-that-isn't-really-poison (a la Romeo and Juliet).
The English teacher in me was at once intrigued and horrified by the liberties taken with the text of the play. It was daring - interesting - to give Hamlet and Ophelia a happy ending, solely based on Ophelia's cunning and brilliance. But really, I'm not sure I ever wanted Hamlet to get a happy ending. I never really liked him enough for that.
All that being said, I certainly enjoyed the book, despite its many oddities, and wouldn't mind seeing what else the author has done.
The English teacher in me was at once intrigued and horrified by the liberties taken with the text of the play. It was daring - interesting - to give Hamlet and Ophelia a happy ending, solely based on Ophelia's cunning and brilliance. But really, I'm not sure I ever wanted Hamlet to get a happy ending. I never really liked him enough for that.
All that being said, I certainly enjoyed the book, despite its many oddities, and wouldn't mind seeing what else the author has done.
January 2, 2011
This retelling of Shakespeare's classic tragedy gives the coveted position of protaganist not to the troubled prince of Denmark but to the plays much lamented victim Ophelia Hamlet's love interest.
The story starts out slow as most of the book is exactly like Shakespeare's play only from Ophelia's point of view. I would have to say the real action dosn't start until about Act four. When Hamlet is sent off to England it is left in Ophielia's hands to turn the inevitable tragedy into if not a comedy then at least Melodrama.
Can Ophelia prevent her story from ending the way that Hamlet's friend Romeo's did?
To Read or Not to Read that is the Question.
The story starts out slow as most of the book is exactly like Shakespeare's play only from Ophelia's point of view. I would have to say the real action dosn't start until about Act four. When Hamlet is sent off to England it is left in Ophielia's hands to turn the inevitable tragedy into if not a comedy then at least Melodrama.
Can Ophelia prevent her story from ending the way that Hamlet's friend Romeo's did?
To Read or Not to Read that is the Question.
July 30, 2008
Since I'm currently reading Ophelia, I had to add this one to my shelf that I read awhile ago. It's a fun take on Hamlet (well, can the story of Hamlet ever be FUN?)--let's change that to a clever take on the story of Hamlet. In this version, Ophelia is in on everything and the events of the story (and characters, for that matter) aren't what they seem. She cleverly uses pieces of dialog and events from the actual play but twists them into a new and original plot. I absolutely loved this book--Hamlet is my favorite tragedy and it was nice to see Ophelia play a central role.
November 24, 2008
If you are not familiar with Shakespeare's Hamlet, its unlikely that you will understand the finer nuances of Dating Hamlet: Ophelia's Story by Lisa Fiedler. And that's a shame, because Ophelia's take-charge attitude makes a huge difference in the plot. Suffice it to say that in Shakespeare's version, pretty much everybody ends up dead, while in Fiedler's version, only the obviously awful people buy the farm; plus, instead of stuffed shirt Polonius as a father, Ophelia learns that her real dad is a very lively grave-digger!
April 25, 2009
This book began my foray into reading stories of this type, novels based on Shakespeare plays. I picked it up at a library book sale and it was well worth the buck. I'd say it may be even worth the full price but I'm pretty sure you can get it cheaper somewhere else.Who's got a need for a new hobby? Maybe me but of well. Anyways, this book is Hamlet from Ophelia's point of view and let me tell you. If you like alternate endings, this may be the book for you.
August 24, 2009
I loved this clever retelling of Hamlet that gave it an entirely different and strangely plausible ending. I was so taken with this one that I suggested it for a f2f book discussion group- we read it in combination with Hamlet and Rosenkrantz & Guildenstern Are Dead. This would be great for a high school English class to read for Shakespeare studies with a challenge for students to come up with other alternate outcomes for the play.
June 9, 2011
I thought this was such an amazing idea for a book. It didn't live up to the potential for me. I actually became rather bored. A blurb on the jacket claims that Fiedler plays with the original without ruining it. I highly disagree. I think she ruined everything Shakespear was trying to accomplish. For one thing--everyone lives! Ha, ha--they were all just pretending to be crazy and to die. Joke's on you! The evil uncle dies, but everyone else was just faking it. No tragedy involved.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 20, 2008
Unlike Fiedler's other book, Dating Hamlet is told from Ophelia's point-of-view only. It also comes before Romeo's Ex (though reading them out of order isn't a huge deal).
I rather like Lisa Fiedler's way of retelling Shakespearean stories with humor (and with wonderful background). I'd like to see these novels made into movies.
I rather like Lisa Fiedler's way of retelling Shakespearean stories with humor (and with wonderful background). I'd like to see these novels made into movies.
August 4, 2008
Teens who like Shakespeare's play Hamlet, should read this. It's Ophelia's side of the story (she only faked her suicide so she's alive to tell the tale). And Ophelia does narrate all that happens in the Bard's famous play. This is great fun.
February 9, 2009
This was a fun book. I read it right after I finished reading Hamlet in English, so the puns seemed fresh, the dialogue was right on par, and the fresh perspective was really endearing. I would recommend it for a quick read.
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