A riveting read that paints a vivid picture of the Pre-Raphaelite artistic demi-monde and miałeś you root for the protagonist.

Following Opehlia follows a housemaid who becomes a Pre-Raphaelite painter's muse. She is determined to reinvent herself as Persephone Lavelle and becomes the new face of the London art scene. However, she struggles to balance her two lives and she is forced to make some hard choices.

Following Opehlia was kind of just an okay read for me, and it definitely didn't really wow me at all. I have to admit, I did like the historical setting, and most of the time I also liked the relationships between the women in the story. But, unfortunately, it did also feature a little bit of the 'not like other girls' trope, which kind of got flipped towards the end but yeah. Mary does have some nice development throughout the book too, especially regarding her relationships with other women so I liked that. I also really liked the theme of family too. Overall, I would recommend if you have an interest in art and historical fiction.

very well paced book, great setting and nice characters... but somehow something was just not working for me. Maybe the slightly over the top feeling i got from the book or the sometimes slightly clumsy feeling moments sprinkled throughout the book.
Overall still a nice historical fiction that is something for every reader that does not read a lot of historical fiction.
And a still a good read for everyone that reads a lot of historical fiction, through it will than not be the best or most unique read.

Unfortunately this just wasn’t a book for me, I did not manage to finish it, But what I did read was very well written.

I received a copy of this book for review via NetGalley.
I picked this one because the description was on the same lines as another book I read last year―Wings over Delft (which was of course in a whole different time period and setting, and really a completely different story as well). This one tells of sixteen-year-old Mary Adams who arrives in London to work as a scullery maid, a job she isn’t really cut out for, but which is the only option available to her as she has lost her previous situation. But along the way, she catches the eye of a group of young pre-Raphaelite painters, many of whom wish to paint her. When one of them convinces her to be his model, Mary begins a double life of sorts, maid by-day, and artist’s model whenever she is needed. Her ‘second’ life takes her into society, parties, meetings with famous artists, Dante Gabriel Rossetti and Millais among them, and she is soon the talk of the town. Soon enough she begins dreaming of a better life, and the path to achieving it seems open before her. But when trouble creeps into her life in more than one form, she must take some difficult decisions which might take life in a completely different direction.

I found this book to be a fast-paced, engrossing read, pretty much from the start. Mary was a likeable character, coming across as a believable sixteen-year-old, and one finds oneself rooting for her throughout. The other characters too develop realistically rather than as ‘storybook’ ones―people one likes may not always turn out as one expects them to (although that doesn’t necessarily make them ‘bad’ people, just people), and friendship and help at times comes from completely unexpected quarters. And that indeed is what can be said about the plot and the story as well. I enjoyed the world of art that the book takes us into―although it doesn’t go into it in depth (I couldn’t help comparing it on this count with Wings over Delft); while it creates the atmosphere of the world of art/artists, it remains a light read. What adds to the atmosphere the book creates, and lends it more authenticity, is the combination of both fictional and historical figures (the artists, their muses) in the story which was another element I really enjoyed about it. While I do like reading books on art etc. (the Great Artists Series, especially since it gives one a good introduction to different artists and their works, styles, etc.), the pre-Raphaelite movement was not one I was familiar with, and reading this led me to look into it, and the paintings mentioned in the book. But it is not only art, poetry and poets, and Greek mythology are also elements around which the story is woven. But at the centre of it all is Mary’s story of course, which I found interesting throughout, and it would be fun to see what the next leg of her adventures leads her into (we already know where!).

Historical fiction with a decent splash of paint, Following Ophelia sets the scene for us as Mary takes up a position in London, working as a housemaid for a middle-class family. However, her pre-Raphaelite looks catch the eye of the local art scene, and she soon begins living a double life, as an artist's muse. Meeting an enthusiastic, obsessive artist, she soon finds that the world she has fallen into is not all that it seems, and intrigue lurks not far beneath the surface.
Richly drawn, and with some solid historical research backing it up, I felt like the weakest part of Following Ophelia was, sadly, the characters. Mary didn't click with me at all, so I felt no sympathy or empathy for her, in any of her endeavours. But I think that was definitely that it didn't click for me. This sweeping romance is sure to delight artists and romance fans alike, with references to pre-Rapahelite greats and a story interwoven with the movement, there's plenty to satisfy every romantic at heart.

“Following Ophelia” is a well-written novel about a young maid becoming a Pre-Raphaelites painter’s muse. I thoroughly enjoyed the novel, not only because it is beautifully written, but also because it manages to seamlessly interweave an interesting plot about Mary finding her place in the society of the Victorian era with more serious social themes and commentaries.
Mary is a sympathetic protagonist because she not only believably represents a young woman of her era but also has a strong moral compass. I really liked how romance wasn’t really at the forefront of the novel and how Mary’s more fleshed out relationships were with the other women of the novel.
Overall, I loved the writing, the plot, and the characters and the only reason I’m not giving it five stars is that I hope the next installment in the series will be even better.

I found myself really enjoying this which surprised me to no end - sometimes, I find shoehorning historical characters into fictional works (unless I intentionally choose a historical piece of fiction such as The Other Boleyn Girl) can be very difficult and very messily done. I think what Sophia Bennett manages here, therefore, is pretty wonderful.

Mary moves to London to be a domestic servant and ends up getting swept up in the artistic world of the Pre-Raphaelite brotherhood (an aspect of Art History that fascinates me no end). I thought I was going to find this book difficult going but actually found myself desperate to reach the end. I was a little disappointed to find out it was going to be part of a series rather than a stand-alone book; which only became apparent when there were more questions with only 10% left to go on the ebook.

I would recommend it nonetheless - if you enjoy intrigue, class, Victorian fiction and art, this might be for you. With no awkward historical interjections in sight.

In one word: Clumsy.
I got to 18% through the story and didn't care about any of the characters. Also, didn't feel that it rejected the blurb, though I can see where that would be coming from.
Either way, I put it down one night to go to bed and forgot to look at it again for 2 weeks. Kind of says it all to me.

I’m a huge fan of the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood - the art, the movement and the TV show from a couple of years ago - so I was really excited to get my hands on this. But my iffy relationship with historical fiction strikes again. And honestly, it was really rather slow and I just had no motivation to push through.

I feel this book really captured the feel of the Pre-Raphaelite spirit for me. Having had a small interest in the paintings and general history of the Pre-Raphaelites, I'm far from an expert, but I know a bit about them and I just felt that this was a good introduction to the artistic movement.

Though I did feel that the whole scandal of it was a little tamed down. Obviously for younger readers, a lot of the things the brotherhood got up to would have been too much, but Mary was engaging in her own scandal as if it was nothing. For any girl to become and artist's model was a hugely massive scandal.Yet Mary was more worried about getting found out and losing her job. Her reputation was a small worry in her mind, but she didn't seem to think about the fact that even if she didn't do anything, people would assume she had.

Aside from this one thing, the book was brilliant. I loved the story, I loved Mary's character and I loved the adventures of Persephone Lavelle. It was well told and had the right balance of the history, historical figures and pure fiction.

This is definitely a great introduction to the world of the Pre-Raphaelites.

5 Words: Art, family, class, adventure, secrets.

Ever since I first wandered around the Laing Art Gallery as a young teen and set eyes on Isabella and the Pot of Basil, I was in love with an art movement. Much like Mary when she first glimpses Millais' Ophelia, I couldn't stop staring at the Pre-Raphaelite painting in all of its Romantic glory. So when I heard about this book, I was insanely excited. And I had very high expectations.

The writing in this story is very colourful, focused on the imagery and the wider picture. Like a painting, the setting subtly reflects what is happening in the story.

"Under the snowy peaks of each wave it was a thousand shades of green and grey."

I loved Mary. I loved her past and her present and her hopes for the future. I loved seeing her fight for everything, how large her heart was, how much she cared. She is truly a character to get invested in and when she took on the persona of Persephone, I was as carried away in her antics as she was, and every crash back to earth, to her real life, was with a heavy jolt.

"She felt as if she was about to enter another time, another world."

Then we have the glimpses of the Brotherhood themselves, those familiar names from history with their hedonistic ways and their constant search for the beauty in everything. I loved this peek we got at them, how immediately you could feel the hairs on the back of your neck raise with one interaction. If you know anything about the Brotherhood then you'll know they were very close and insular, in love with each other's muses, and they were right proper rebels against the art of the day.

"They broke the rules of dress and decorum, and consorted with servant girls."

I loved the tiny details that brought the historical setting to life. London was never just noisy and busy and dirty, it was vibrantly described as the filthy, overly populated center that it was. The whole place was brought to life

"There was no green at all in the view, Mary realised - only shades of grey."

This book is perfect for fans of YA and history and art. I think that Sophia Bennett's familiar tone means that this would be a fantastic start for fans of contemporary who are looking to try something new. The writing is beautiful and slightly decadent, rich with research and passion.

Known for her chatty, ultra-modern YA – from fabulous teen fashion début Threads to brilliant bastion of boyband lit Love Song – Sophia Bennett’s first foray into historical fiction is pleasantly accomplished. Colourful, descriptive and neat, her prose here perhaps lacks the laugh-out-loud, natural feel of her contemporary work, but displays a remarkable shift to suit the genre.

This is accessible teen historical fiction for fans of Catherine Johnson, Julia Golding and Jacqueline Wilson. In fact, I couldn’t help feeling as I read that this book was everything I would’ve liked, but never quite obtained, from a Jacqueline Wilson historical if hers were not so simplistically or formulaically aimed at younger audiences: there is a richness, a patience, a stylistic satisfaction to Following Ophelia that simultaneously makes the novel engaging and refuses to underestimate readers. Bennett takes some fairly familiar ingredients (young maid, Victorian London, a well-to-do family, a secret world where class lines blur, a possible romance) and spins a story with just enough pluck to keep you reading.

Mary Adams has one foot in the busy drudgery of life as a scullery maid and another in the tantalising escape of Pre-Raphaelitism, where rash and gifted painters are enraptured by her red hair and pale face, seeing her not as a changeling or curse but as a potential muse for great works. Finding herself drawn to talented young artist Felix, they embark on Hades and Persephone: the painting that will win him renown and free her from servitude. Mary’s secret life as Persephone sees her in cahoots with the vivacious Kitty and her scandalous brother Roly (“the most dangerous man in London”), while her everyday existence is brought down to earth with a bump by the seemingly antagonistic Annie, mysterious acquaintance Eddie, and the plight of her cousin Harriet. As the stakes get higher Bennett brilliantly takes the opportunity to explore issues involving agency, class, sexism, and lack of education. A particularly interesting look at the relationship between artist and model makes for a book which has its themes woven superlatively between escapades.

The book’s premise caught my eye because of the art, and it held my attention because of it. The discovery of the Pre-Raphaelite movement turns Mary’s narrative to glorious technicolour, and brings out the shine in Bennett’s prose. It may occasionally feel as if everything is a little too beautiful, but with entertaining cameos from some famous artistic figures – Hunt, Rossetti, Millais – and glittering insight into London’s high society, readers will be swept away by an eventful plot which cleverly segues from grimy servants’ quarters for glamourous parties sometimes within the space of a single chapter. Solidly, though not exceptionally, researched, the book glosses over some darker issues of Victorian Britain but has moments of real skill and has sequels in the pipeline, making it both an enjoyable read and a worthy recommendation for 11-14s.

This review contains spoilers for Following Ophelia by Sophia Bennett.

I’m obsessed with the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood and their “stunners” (Fanny Cornforth in particular, because she would eat and model at the same time!) I hadn’t heard of Mary Adam before- and while I suspected that she was a fictional creation, I didn’t want to Google for fear of spoilers!
I found that I liked Mary much more than I thought I would. She wasn’t as naïve as her cousin Hatty, so there weren’t many tedious scenes of “country girl arriving in London and being shocked by sounds/sights/smells/etc”! She wasn’t stuck up either, and while she failed miserably at being a scullery-maid, her appreciation of the master’s books and paintings made me forgive the fact that the other women were left to do most of the work! Characters repeatedly expressed the view that Mary “wasn’t made for” hard work because of the way she looked, but I felt that this didn’t do her credit- she was bad at household chores, but she wasn’t workshy and didn’t complain out loud to anyone, not even her wealthier friends.
Most of the side characters seemed familiar to me. Mary’s master and mistress were typical Victorian middle-class, distant and entirely incapable of seeing their servants as human beings. I was intrigued by the master’s career as a professor of Ancient History, but his early remarks about Mary (“Here, this is a book for children, but I’m quite sure a servant can handle it!”) convinced me that his exploits were best confined to his lecture theatre, off the page! This was confirmed near the end of the book, when he ranted about the perils of trying to educate the ‘lower’ classes. His children were spoiled like most of the ‘Upstairs’ children in C19th settings, and Eliza, confined to her respectable social sphere, grew obsessed with one-upping her neighbours and made vulgar displays of her wealth. While Annie grew more interesting as the novel progressed, the kindly, forthright Cook could have been lifted from any historical novel. As Mary grew closer to Roly and Kitty I found myself getting anxious, as fictional ‘makeover’ sequences usually end up embarrassing the makeover-ee! But, much like Harriet, Kitty’s only flaw was her naivety, as she failed to grasp why Harriet’s situation was so perilous. Roly was predictably disappointing- it was obvious he saw Mary as his new toy, and would fall out of love with her as soon as she began to seem “ungrateful” for his attention! It wasn’t clear to me why Felix and Rupert were at odds- perhaps because Rupert had little appreciation for “real” art, despite his wealth and education? I confess that I found Felix to be quite dull. Mary wasn’t foolish enough to fall for the first man who admired her- that would be Rupert, or maybe the squire or even the owner of her beloved dressmaker’s shop- but much of her attraction to Felix seemed to stem from the way he looks at her, something that is difficult to translate into print. I found it hard to understand why Mary didn’t see that by treating her as an object to be treasured and preserved, Felix was treating her in much the same way as Roly: as something to be shown off, and discarded once her novelty wore off. I also found myself begging Felix to be more open with Mary about his lack of money. I assume he was conscious that his talent for painting was all that separated him from the “ladybirds” who lived off of wealthy rich men. But he chose to sacrifice his pride to pursue his passion- Mary sacrificed her pride on a daily basis just to pay for her food and board. A country girl working as a maid would not be likely to judge him if he had to take on another job to pay the bills between sales. I suspect he kept the truth from Mary as he knew that she wouldn’t respect him for choosing to be a “lapdog” instead of grafting! I found myself wishing that she could find a ‘benefactor’ who would let her open a dressmaker’s shop, so she didn’t have to be at Felix’ beck and call (the ending was therefore rather bittersweet!) I was particularly angry when Felix scolded Mary for “misusing” his carriage- that he had sent to collect her, on a whim! He wasn’t as odious as Roly, who branded pregnant serving-women “strumpets” and derided Harriet’s lack of education. But he still acted as if he was doing Mary a favour by employing her, when he BEGGED her to work exclusively for him!
It’s no wonder that Mary envied Mrs Lisle, who had financial independence. They had something in common- Mrs Lisle had been confined and abused by her husband, and Mary had been beaten by her father. But while Mary was still relied on men for employment, and therefore money, Mrs Lisle was free to do whatever she wanted (like hire a talented male “lapdog”!)
Some people might compare this book to Girl with a Pearl Earring, but once you remove the protagonists from the kitchen or washroom, they don’t have much in common. Mary speaks very freely with Felix; she doesn’t clash with her employers on religious or political grounds, and she doesn’t really have any enemies- Annie and her brother soften towards her and I think she proves herself to be a match for Mrs Lisle. I would be interested in a sequel- I don’t know what was happening in the art world in Venice after the Brotherhood dissolved, but I hope it lived up to ‘Persephone’s dreams. Effie Grey/Ruskin/Millais is a fascinating person and I would love to read more about her friendship with Mary.
Would this book interest somebody who wasn’t already aware of the Pre-Raphaelites? I’m not sure. The classic Victorian elements- unwed mothers, wealthy cads and Upstairs/Downstairs conflicts- crop up in lots of YA novels. But I wonder if someone with an interest in fashion and modelling might find themselves gripped by the story of a young star ‘scouted’ in an unlikely place. The transition from corsets and crinolines to looser, boyish silhouettes is described beautifully, as is the Victorian fascination with looted artefacts (!) and the contemporary art trends (Turner is mentioned often, though I thought it took a while for society to really embrace him) While the love here isn’t forbidden- Felix isn’t married and his social status is undefined- Mary is repeatedly told to “mind her place”. Of course she doesn’t. This is YA romance! I think it’s important to note that Mary wasn’t ashamed to accept Rupert’s offer at the end of the book- though it was clear that she would be expected to sleep with him at some point, she rightly decided to make the most of the safety and education he provided her. She never lied to him or made false promises, and her position allowed her to model for whoever she wanted, earn money and mix with artistic society. Mary is astute enough to realise that there is difference between what society deems acceptable, and what is actually the right thing to do. This would be reason alone for me to recommend the book to all young readers, and stock it in my YA library.

Mary is a fun character. She chafed me at first. I didn’t get her. I just thought her wilful nature would get her in trouble. Too much trouble.

Heck, I wasn’t wrong. But she gets into the best kinds of trouble and I began relishing each description of these pre-raphaelite luvvies.

The pomp. The flair. The excess. The detail. Nothing was missed and it made for such an enthralling read.
It’s a little bit of a strange book in that it refreshingly bucks the current trends for YA.

And by that I mean it’s got a beautifully classic feel to it… but in no way does that make it stuffy or inaccessible. Quite the opposite.

Things this book will make you do:

Fall in love with Felix
Long to have redinner hair
Have your heart break for Rupert
Have you heart break and then soar for Mary’s decision in the final scenes
Give you a whole new appreciation for Victorian art and decor
Make you want the next book ASAP

I want all my friends to read this book we can fangirl over it together.

I swear I didn't just ask for this book because Sophia and I share a name.

I studied Hamlet for my Leaving Cert, and I thought Ophelia was a fascinating character. I even answered one of my exam questions based on her role in the play. When this book appeared on my NetGalley suggestions, I knew I wanted to read it.

Mary comes to London to work as a maid. Initially, she hates her job (granted, she isn't very good at it), but her fortunes change when she meets struggling artist Felix.

The story is intertwined with an art aspect, which isn't something I have a lot of experience with. But I did really enjoy the story, and I didn't feel like I was missing anything by not having a lot of knowledge about the art world. There was also a little romance story, which was slightly predictable but really enjoyable to read nonetheless. I'm not a big romance novel fan, but I did really enjoy this one.

Well researched historical novel,888 and a great read. Well deserving of four stars.

I'd heard Following Ophelia mentioned by quite a few fellow booksellers and really liked the sound of this book, even though YA historical fiction is not my typical read.

I'm so glad I decided to read it as I became thoroughly engrossed in Mary's world and was sad to finish this beautiful yet sad story of a girl inspired by Millais's Ophelia, the model & painter Lizzie Siddal, and most importantly, Mary's desire to make a better life for herself.

Full review to follow.

Mary and Harriett are cousins and now Mary is also becoming a servant like her cousin Harriett. Mary is new to London and its busy city life with horses and carriages and busy people rushing around with jobs to do and people to meet.
Mary reflects on the life she has left behind as she worked in a haberdashery shop. Very happily until being let go and left to this life upon recommendation by Harriett.
Arriving at her new home to be a lowly servant as she seems to feel she is introduced to the other servant, Annie an Irish maid who at first seemed unkindly towards Mary and her choice of fine dress upon arrival.
As we delve into the story, Mary makes friends with Felix, a painter and he introduces her to the story of Ophelia upon seeing a painting featuring her when she is so alike to Mary.
This sparks off Mary becoming Persephone, withe the help of Felix and his friends, Roly and Kitty. Persephone, who is a new socialite from Kent allows Mary to see both sides of life alike Ophelia new. She learns of love and society rules, feeling thrilled and saddened over events which occur and prove to her life can be awash with different joys and heartaches alike.
Its a great read from Sophia Bennett, I have enjoyed all her novels thus far and look forward to more books from her.

This book was kindly sent to me for review by the publishers.