Forgetting Ophelia: A Novel by Julie C. Gardner – Review by Francis O’Sullivan

Forgetting Ophelia: A Novel by Julie C. Gardner
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Forgetting Ophelia is a wonderful novel by Julie C. Gardner. It tells the story of Lia, a young woman whose life is turned upside down by a series of sudden and unexpected events.
I really liked that, although there is romance in the book, the focus is much more on a variety of relationships including friendships and parent/child relationships. With a fairly large cast of characters, we get so many different relationships explored. It’s fascinating, and often moving.
Forgetting Ophelia is about change. As she rebuilds her life, Lia decides what to keep and what to let go of, how to stay the same and how to move on. This makes for a very uplifting read!
As a teacher, I particularly enjoyed reading about how great Lia is with her pupils! Although most of the story takes place away from the classroom, her support and care for each of her pupils contributes to making her a loveable character.
Gardner makes it easy for the reader to keep up with the large cast of characters by bringing them up in relation to their context and reminding us of how they relate to Lia. I found the characters really interesting and varied. I particularly liked Caleb, who is very observant and only speaks when he feels he has something worth saying.
For me, this is a five star read. I’d recommend it to fans of writers such as Cecelia Ahern and anyone who feels trapped in their life.

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