Book Review
Reviving Ophelia
Genre: Young Adult
Rating: 
Not
bad, but not good either.
What is the book about?
Reviving Ophelia is a psychology study of different girls living in America.
How does the title relate to the storyline?
Mary Pipher says that girls in modern society are like the character Ophelia from "Hamlet". Ophelia tries to please her father and her lover, and ends up going insane and drowning. Pipher thinks girls are very helpless today and wants to "revive" the so called lost spirits of today's teenagers...but most teenage girls are take-charge, confident Lady Macbeths; or go-with-the-flow, independent Violas; or passionate, free spirited Juliets.
How does the author present the story?
Mary Pipher tells the stories of different girls she has had appointments with. However, she talks as if all girls are very troubled and only shows scenarios of girls with traumatic pasts, addictions, or identity problems. These girls sometimes have really interesting or sad stories, and Pipher relates this to society and history, which can be interesting. But she blames the media way too much for girls' problems.
What would you change to make the story better?
I think I would make it less sensational--Ms Pipher means well and is probably very nice. However, the media is not evil and will not endanger a girls' sexual or mental health, make them alcoholic, turn them bulimic, or send them into depression. Also I might tell more of the girls' stories and include girls from more backgrounds (religious, geographic, ethnic) [editor's note: consider reading 'Ophelia Speaks', which is a teenager's response to 'Reviving Ophelia' and includes submissions by the teens who are dealing with these issues themselves]. Lastly, sometimes the conversations with the girls seemed patronizing.
Would you recommend this book to a friend? Why?
I would recommend this to a friend because even though it had many problems, but it was still interesting to see how adults view teens.
Why did you decide to read this book?
I had heard of it and wanted to know what it was like, because I'm a teenage girl and that's what the book's about.
When I finished reading this book, I felt...
Upset. I was expecting the book to be better.
What type of reader is this book appropriate for?
Teenagers could read this book... maybe 12 and up depending on how mature you are. I think a teenager would get more out of it than an adult, even though I think it was marketed towards grown-ups (in the library it was in the YA section).
Would you ever read another book by this author?
Yes
What is one of the memorable quotes, moments, or themes from this book?
I thought it was interesting when Mary Pipher talked about when she was a teenager.
In your overall opinion, this book is...
A nice escape.
About the Reviewer
What is your favorite book?
Weetzie Bat
If a book is turned into a movie, what are you most likely to do?
Read the book first and then see the movie.
What is your favorite movie?
Steel Magnolias
What color best describes your personality? Why?
Neon green because I'm one of a kind, don't match with everything, and love to have a lot of fun!
Thank you for reading this review! What did you think? Did the author convince you to read the book or not? Do you agree or disagree with this review? Why? Please be respectful in your response!
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