Not all YA is created equally. We all know this to be true. Some YA verges on amazing, and some of it really is. Other entries into the YA market are less so, and then there’s that little category called the guilty pleasure book. I mean, you know you’re not going to get anything from the book, you know it’s built on clichés and bad plot devices, and stupid characters, but for one reason or another, you still want to read it. This book is that last category.Honestly, I’ve seen Shakespeare butchered worse than this. YA authors taking liberties with the greatest playwright ever is not a problem. The problem is, however, that when Shakespeare’s characters had pivotal moments and the plot took sharp turns, it was always for a significant reason. There was irony to it, or purpose, or value. This book, unfortunately, seems to feel compelled to kill the same characters Shakespeare did, and hit the same plot markers, simply because it’s based off Hamlet. I wanted this book to be an urban kind of updated or modernized version of how people can find themselves manipulated and go a bit crazy. This book did not have to emulate Shakespeare in any way.To be fair, I liked the first half of the book. I thought the characters were petty and shallow, but I wasn’t asking for much in the first place. Expectations were low. But the end is pretty much a clusterfuck of things happening all at once, with no rhyme or reason. The ending felt rushed, cluttered and uneven. It really fell apart. But this book also wasn’t that hard to read and not the worst I’ve read this week, so I’m not that upset it wasn’t amazing. This book was recommended to me by my sister in-law and I am so glad she did! I loved it! I knew Shakespeare's Hamlet before I read this book and was a fan, (honestly I am a fan of Shakespeare altogether), but this book added a depth to the play that was so touching. Written completely from Ophelia's POV and set in modern day, I love the emotion and new vision the author brought to this work. I completely connected with the characters on an all new level; with Ophelia, definitely with Hamlet, and even Sebastian. I heartily recommend this book!!
What do You think about Falling For Hamlet (2011)?
Fun teen book. I like how the Shakespeare is interwoven into the modern day story.
—wallis
Might be a good intro to Hamlet. I loved the modern twist & point of view.
—Glad81
I have a lot of trepidation about this, but I remain ever hopeful.
—Hannah
I LOVED IT, was hoping she wouldn't kill Hamlet...
—lily
