Eleanor Tremayne’s High Tea with Ophelia is a magnificent work of art. Not only does the author use beautiful poetic language but the plot is compelling. The book follows the story of an orphan, Sabriel Shelley as she overcomes fears and trials, especially in her love life. While the first chapter starts with some background into her childhood, the last chapter ends with a climactic resolution of her struggle with identity and the pursuit of love.

Mostly written from Sabriel’s perspective, this book is as intimate as it is detailed. Since you are privy to her innermost thoughts, it is commonplace to feel like you are Sabriel’s confidant. From page to page, you experience her great loves, greatest grief, and most humorous moments.

You even get extensive insight into the type of literature she loves and how it has shaped her identity. In fact, literature seems to be the focal point of this book, with characters going to great lengths to explain how their favorite literary pieces have shaped them. It seems to be the one thing that binds them all.

Even when the author temporarily switches to the perspectives of the other characters, this is the one thing that remains. Interestingly, there is a specific focus on famous female literary characters like Ophelia and Scarlet O’Hara. Through them, the author extensively explores the theme of feminism, especially its place in romance and relationships.

As such, subjects like the sexual objectification of women and oppressive societal norms come up often. But those are not the only themes that are covered in this book. There are also a lot of discussions on the supernatural and occult. All things considered, this book offers a perfect blend of romance, mysticism, intellectualism, and art.

I particularly like that the author includes a part on Sabriel reading one of the authors previous books (Destiny Revisited), further blurring the line between real life and fiction. It can be a little disorienting when the author jumps from Sabriel’s perspective to that of the other characters but it does help that she indicates whose perspective is about to be explored at the beginning of every chapter. With only a few grammatical issues, the novel was is still enchanting.

High Tea with Ophelia is a highly intelligent novel that deftly explores various issues while consistently entertaining the reader. I recommend this book to anyone who enjoys classic literature or is looking for a thought-provoking contemporary fantasy novel.

Pages: 248 | ASIN: B08MV6Z5VQ