Reviews with content warning for Classism - My Fine Fellow

It's no secret by now that I adore retellings and I will read almost any of them, and the less overdone the original material, the better. So, I was really excited to hear that My Fair Lady was getting a retelling, especially since I loved the film version!

My Fine Fellow is a charming gender-flipped loose version of My Fair Lady, with a focus on cooking rather than language, in an alternate 1830s England where Culinarians are at the top of the social pyramid. I found the premise really intriguing, and this alternate version of society was fascinating and definitely reminded me of Netflix's Bridgerton in many ways.

This was a quick and easy read that definitely had a lot of sweet moments. At the same time though, I was left feeling like I wanted more of everything. The premise and setting were interesting, but I felt like I didn't get enough of them to really, properly understand the society, its structures and how these affected the characters. There were nonetheless some interesting reflections and representations (Elijah is Jewish and Penelope is of Filipina heritage) and I appreciated how these themes were inserted in the narrative.

Despite that, I just couldn't grow to care about the characters, which for me is a major issue when reading a book. They all felt quite flat and superficial, with no real depth and very limited growth arcs. The romance was cute, but all other relationships felt quite bland. The cooking and the trio's passion for it were interesting, but at times I was a bit confused by what was happening and I wasn't too sure of what the final dish was.

Overall, it's an easy, fun and charming read that's great if you're looking for a simple, entertaining read without much depth.

Content Warnings

betweentheshelves's review against another edition

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hopeful lighthearted medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.0

If you like Victorian England, cooking, and subtle romance, you'll probably thoroughly enjoy this book! It's a fun read, especially if you like things like baking shows and books like Pride and Prejudice. The characters are fully developed and there are just some marvelous descriptions of food throughout this book.

I would definitely recommend reading/listening to the author's note at the end, as it brings into the context the gender-swapped nature of history that the author is reimagining. I think it's a fun way to reimagine history, especially since women were so restricted at this partciular time. The emphasis on the fact that these women could do what they wanted was honestly a great take for this kind of book.

While some of the character swapping was difficult to follow (at least for me, listening to the book), I had fun reading this book and would defnitely recommend to those looking for a fun, light historical read.

Content Warnings

escapewithreads's review against another edition

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lighthearted reflective relaxing slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

My Fine Fellow is a YA historical fiction that is a fun My Fair Lady retelling that's mashed up with the Great British Bake Off with some sweet romance on the side.

Helen and Penelope are students of Culinaria, in their last semester of training before coming professional Culinarians. Before they graduate they have to do one last final project. Helen is inspired to do something new and unexpected, take a street urchin who sells baked goods for a living and teach him to be a Gentleman Culinarian.

My Fine Fellow tackles issues such as systemic racism, classism, and prejudice against Judaism in the early 1800's. There is Filipino representation in Penelope's character and of course SO many descriptions of delicious foods. If you like to watch cooking shows you will love this story.

Don't forget to read the recipe and historical note a the end!

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