Surviving Ophelia

Mothers Share Their Wisdom in Navigating the Tumultuous Teenage Years

By: Cheryl Dellasega PhD

Narrated by: Marguerite Gavin

Insightful, heartfelt, and hopeful, Surviving Ophelia is a must-read for any mother of a teenage daughter who has ever felt disappointed, alone or afraid.

Raising a teenage girl can be overwhelming for the most important female figure in her life: her mother. From handling the often delicate situations surrounding academic performance, athletics, friendships, sexual activity, and drug and alcohol experimentation to instilling a healthy body image and providing a strong role model, mothers often feel alone in their struggle to cope with all that they must do for their daughters.

To provide the community that these women so desperately crave, Cheryl Dellasega has written Surviving Ophelia, a book of profound wisdom and compassion. Dellasega’s own story of raising her teenage daughters is punctuated by the collective experience of hundreds of other mothers from all walks of life who have been there, in the trenches, experiencing and chronicling the daily joys and trials of raising their teenage girls.

©2001 Cheryl Dellasega (P)2002 Blackstone Audio, Inc.

Critic reviews

“[The selections] share a raw immediacy…. [T]here are lessons here that will help every mother dealing with an adolescent daughter.” ( Publishers Weekly)

I Didn't Survive Surviving Ophelia

This book wasn’t for you, but who do you think might enjoy it more?

The person who would enjoy this book likes listening to stories about teen girls in difficult circumstances, and need to hear moms expressing compassion for their children. It would be enjoyable to someone who has a Christ-centered perspective on life, but don't like to talk about their faith as a powerful thing that can transform them.

Would you recommend Surviving Ophelia to your friends? Why or why not?

No.I thought I'd find something as amazing as Reviving Ophelia.
This title only takes from Mary Pipher's credibility, and in no way adds anything significant to the dialogue from a mother's point of view. It is a book based on weakness, not strength. Honestly, It might have gotten better. I couldn't get through it. I tried for two hours.

What didn’t you like about Marguerite Gavin’s performance?

She read all of the stories in the same exact voice. I didn't get a sense that this was about more than one person. I had no idea who was speaking: the author? A guest writer? The author again? I think it could have been read by about ten different people to make it more understandable.

Any additional comments?

Warning: It's religious, but not empowered. It's not feminist, it's not clear enough about the mother/daughter relationship at all.