Hello friends and happy Friday! For those of you who have been partaking in our book club, tea time reads, we’ve loved reading Ophelia After All alongside you! If you’re new — or newer to the blog, we have a book club that’s centered around diverse reads. We’re hosted through Discord and would love you to join us if you haven’t already. This month, and moving forward, we’ll be sharing the discussion questions and our answers ahead of discussions.
Question 1: One of the ways that Ophelia shows her love for those important to her is by naming roses in her garden after them. If you had your own garden, which flowers/plants would you assign to the important people in your life and why?
Caitlyn: Ophelia naming her roses after her friends and the important people in her life is truly one of my favorite things about the book. I think it says so much about her priorities and who she is as a person, I just loved it. As I was reading, it made me think about what flowers or plants I would assign to my friends and family, which is definitely how this question came to be.
Sunflowers remind me of my best friend Helena because they’re warm and bright and bring joy. Helena and I have been best friends for 14 years now (what!?) and I’m so grateful to have her in my life.
I was on the phone with my grandmother on my dad’s side a little while back, and she was saying that she’s not great about drinking water so she’s like a cactus, which lead me to telling her that I would name one of my little cacti after her, so for Grandma D I’d go with a cactus!
For my grandmother on my mother’s side, I would absolutely go with roses. Her name was Rosemary, but we always called her Grandma Rose, so roses are definitely the way to go. Years ago I found a rose scented perfume that reminded me of her and my childhood – so roses have always been associated with my grandmother for me. Actually, I also associate roses with my dad because he often buys roses for my mom a lot, especially on the anniversary of my grandmother’s passing. Roses are a big part of my family in general, so the flowers as a whole remind me of my family. My mom puts a lot of funky flowers in her artwork that kind of remind me of wildflowers, which I feel works well with my mom, so wildflowers make me think of her. They’re quirky. fun, and beautiful while also being very resilient. Just like my mom.
Cossette: Like Caitlyn, I found it incredibly heartwarming how Ophelia named her roses after those she loves. I am the opposite of a green thumb, but if I magically had gardening abilities, I’d attribute orchids to my grandmother, since they were always her favorites.
Mary: The flower assignment in Ophelia After All was one of my favourite things about the book, and I loved seeing how much thought Ophelia put into her answers. It’s a very hard question to answer, but I loved thinking about what I would assign to my friends. My best friend loves peonies, but I definitely think I’d assign daisies to her! I think they’re a lovely flower – pretty, and persistent in the face of harsh weather. Even with some petals missing, daisies are still pretty, and it reminds me of how strong and persistent my best friend is!
Question 2: Ophelia After All has a large ensemble cast; who were your favorites aside from Ophelia?
Caitlyn: Oh man, it’s so hard to pick because I truly love this friend group and the cast of characters that Marie assembled. But, I really do have a soft spot in my heart for Wesley. I love seeing how the friendship between he and Ophelia progresses throughout the story and how supportive of each other they were. I also loved the relationship that Ophelia had with her parents – as someone who has a very close relationship with both her parents, their scenes together really brought me so much joy.
Cossette: Without a doubt, Wesley. He’s just so sweet and supportive, and I really think that we’d get along really well in real life too. I loved how non-judgmental he was, and how he just genuinely wants the best for everyone. I think everyone needs a Wesley in their lives. I also really loved Ophelia’s parents. Ophelia’s close relationship with her parents is something that is so special. It’s rare to read a YA novel where the main character has such an endearing, close relationship with her parents, and it warmed my heart so much. Ophelia’s parents unequivocally support her and love her, and I think that made the story all the more stronger. While they’re not perfect parents, and Ophelia and her parents do get into an argument here and there, they genuinely take the time to understand Ophelia’s point of view.
Mary: I honestly can’t pick a favourite! I loved all of them for different reasons. I think each of Ophelia’s friends were so unique and so lovely to read about that I love them all equally. I love how real they all felt, it was like I was back in high school sitting with my own group of friends at lunch. It really made the reading experience enjoyable, and I can’t wait to eventually reread it so I can experience it again!
Question 3: Ophelia After All isn’t a romance, but has a strong romance plotline. How do you think Ophelia’s crush on Talia serves her personal growth?
Caitlyn: When I think of Ophelia After All I don’t think of it as a romance. I think of it as a coming of age story with romance because really, the story is about Ophelia discovering who she is – and Talia does have a place in that. I loved that through her friendship with Talia, as well as her crush on her, Ophelia is able to really learn who she is and not rely so much on the character traits that others have defined her by.
Cossette: I wish that Ophelia After All wasn’t constantly shelved or labeled as romance, but rather the coming of age story that it is. As someone who is queer, I really loved how Ophelia’s crush on Talia was described, and how it allows her to unlock and explore that part of herself.
Mary: I definitely agree with Cossette in that it shouldn’t be shelved or labeled as a romance. I loved seeing how Ophelia’s crush on Talia made mer more confident in herself, and grow into the person she was meant to become. And I loved that, despite the romance not necessarily going anywhere, Ophelia doesn’t lose that strength or development because the romance is gone.
Question 4: There are a lot of really lovely and heartwarming scenes in Ophelia After All, which scene(s) resonated with you the most?
Caitlyn: There were a lot of scenes that I absolutely loved, but the one that really sticks out to me is when Ophelia’s mom tells her why she named her Ophelia. I won’t lie, I think this scene especially resonates with me because of my love of Shakespeare (also, Marie is completely right about Juliet and the misconception of her character, but now is not the time for that discussion), but I just thought this moment between Ophelia and her mom was so beautiful. In fact, it’s a scene I keep thinking about long after I’ve finished the book.
Cossette: I’m torn; there are a couple that really stand out to me. In no particular order: Ophelia and her mother making up, Ophelia’s conversations with Wesley about labels and identity, and lastly, when Sammie and Agatha ask Ophelia to prom. They all stood out to me for different reasons, and I really wish that I had a book like Ophelia After All when I was younger.
Mary: I really can’t place a singular scene! I think this entire book is heartwarming. It would be unfair to choose just one when there are so many good ones.
Question 5: What songs did you think of while reading Ophelia After All? Create a 4-6 song playlist!
Caitlyn: This question makes me so excited because I LOVE assigning songs to my favorite books/characters!
I have to put Ophelia by the Lumineers on this list because every time I say the title I start singing it. Sunflower Vol. 6 by Harry Styles comes to mind because I could absolutely see Ophelia playing it while she tends to the flowers in her garden! I totally think that Ophelia would listen to Enchanted by Taylor Swift and think of Talia, especially after they reconnect. I also think that there are definitely some lyrics in Unruly Heart from The Prom that would really resonate with Ophelia!
Cossette: I immediately thought of She by Dodie, John Hughes Movie by Maisie Peters and A Place in this World by Taylor Swift for this question, but because I’m me, I also had to pair Ophelia After All with a musical song. One that came to mind was Marry Me a Little from Company.
Mary: This is a hard question! I definitely agree with what Cossette and Caitlyn have already chosen – She by Dodie is such an amazing choice! Honestly the song I kept thinking of while reading this book is A Night to Remember from High School Musical 3: Senior Year, just because of the prom excitement!
Question 6: If you could write a sequel to Ophelia After All, what are some things/moments you’d like to see happen that didn’t happen in book one?
Caitlyn: I felt super satisfied with the ending of Ophelia After All, but I do think that this group would absolutely get into some shenanigans whenever they’re all together so I think it would be super fun to have a sequel that was split into four different sections, focusing on each summer when the group was back together while on break from school.
Cossette: I think Ophelia After All wraps up pretty nicely, but I would love to read a spin off about Ophelia in college, or maybe a story following some of her other friends!
Mary: I’d love to see what they get up to in the break before college starts, and even in their first college semesters!
Question 7: What other books/movies/etc. Would you recommend to people who liked OAA?
Caitlyn: If you want a book with great and fun friend dynamics, I would recommend Morgan Matson’s The Unexpected Everything which has one of my favorite YA friend groups. I’d also recommend A Cuban Girl’s Guide to Tea and Tomorrow by Laura Taylor Namey as it has similar feelings of finding comfort in people and places that are important to you.
Cossette: I’d recommend Sophie Gonzales’ Perfect on Paper, which is another book I wish I had gotten to read when I was figuring out my own sexuality. If you liked the gardening aspect of Ophelia After All, I’d recommend Kalynn Bayron’s This Poison Heart, which has some The Secret Garden meets Greek mythology vibes.
Mary: This is another question where I agree with what Caitlyn and Cossette have said! I think readers of this book might also enjoy Fat Chance, Charlie Vega by Crystal Maldonado because it has a similar friendship dynamic!
