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beanaroni's review against another edition
lighthearted
relaxing
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
not officially rating this one because I'm glad young queer people get to read books about themselves and I am starting to recognize that I, personally, need to stop reading books for teenagers. there was a lot I appreciated here from the perspective of a queer trans dude, but Oliver's experience is pretty far removed from my own and I honestly found being in his head a little irritating sometimes. grateful that this exists though.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Dysphoria, Deadnaming, Classism, Stalking, Transphobia, Sexism, Emotional abuse, Misogyny, and Suicidal thoughts
Moderate: Outing and Emotional abuse
applejacksbooks's review against another edition
emotional
funny
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? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Classism, Dysphoria, Gaslighting, Transphobia, and Deadnaming
purplepenning's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.5
What an absolutely lovely surprise! I've read a fair few Austen retellings — some in contemporary settings, some with diverse or inclusive characters, some with murder mysteries (take that Wickam!), some with dragons, etc. The hardest bit always seems to be keeping enough of the classic beats and characterizations while allowing room for new directions and developments without making the narrative feel too contrived and contorted. Most Ardently walked the line nearly perfectly, with ingeniously redirected plot points and thoughtful emotional truths.
And what emotional truths! A queer, trans, historical, coming of age, coming out story beautifully handled by a transmasculine author familiar with the history and conventions of the time. Were many of those conventions historically unfair to women and was that a blind spot in this story? Perhaps a bit of nearsightedness there, yes, but every story has a scope, and the sexism of the time was acknowledged if not satisfactorily addressed in this one. (And let's be fair: that nod to discontent is very much in keeping with the original.)
If I have one criticism, it's that I wanted a bit more emotional depth and development from the Oliver-Wickam-Darcy situation.More misplaced infatuation, more arch Lizzie Bennet-style disapproval, a more poignant revelation of error, maybe more pining and ardent feelings though the kissing scenes were quite nice. ). But again: scope and length constraints are real. I would never consider a YA novel "less than" (easier reading can require much harder writing) but I also wouldn't expect a YA adaptation to be quite as long or heavy as the original, and the page real estate here was well spent on conveying the joys and struggles of Oliver's life and trans experience.
To conclude a ramble: I would highly recommend this to historical fiction/period piece fans and readers wanting to gain perspective and empathy for trans experiences. It was a pleasure to read and I finished it in a single day.
Also, I can't believe this is the NINTH installment in the Remixed Classics series and the first that I've read — despite having several others on my TBR without knowing they were part of the same series. Guess I'll be remedying that!
And what emotional truths! A queer, trans, historical, coming of age, coming out story beautifully handled by a transmasculine author familiar with the history and conventions of the time. Were many of those conventions historically unfair to women and was that a blind spot in this story? Perhaps a bit of nearsightedness there, yes, but every story has a scope, and the sexism of the time was acknowledged if not satisfactorily addressed in this one. (And let's be fair: that nod to discontent is very much in keeping with the original.)
If I have one criticism, it's that I wanted a bit more emotional depth and development from the Oliver-Wickam-Darcy situation.
To conclude a ramble: I would highly recommend this to historical fiction/period piece fans and readers wanting to gain perspective and empathy for trans experiences. It was a pleasure to read and I finished it in a single day.
Also, I can't believe this is the NINTH installment in the Remixed Classics series and the first that I've read — despite having several others on my TBR without knowing they were part of the same series. Guess I'll be remedying that!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Dysphoria, Transphobia, and Deadnaming
Moderate: Acephobia/Arophobia, Misogyny, Outing, Sexism, and Classism
Minor: Sexual content and Pregnancy
From the author's note: "Most Ardently" is Oliver's story, and in some ways it was mine as well. You'll find in these pages a trans boy who has not yet come out to his family navigating a rigidly cis-heteronormative society. The nature of this story means that Oliver's deadname is used repeatedly, he frequently experiences dysphoria, and his is misgendered by characters in the book (though never by the narrative). For many of us, these are wounds that can be painful to revisit, so while I did my best to broach these difficult moments with empathy, you know what you can handle best.creativelifeofliz's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
A delightful modern take on Pride and Prejudice with all the atmosphere of 1800s London.
Oliver Bennet feels trapped by society's expectations. Many of his friends and family think he's a girl named Elizabeth, forcing him to attend balls in pretty dresses and consider suitors. But the best solace for Oliver is when he can sneak out and explore London dressed as a young gentleman. There he gets to know Darcy, a boy who had previously been rude to "Elizabeth" at a social function. Darcy turns out to be much more compelling with Oliver. As they start to spend more time together, and Oliver spends more time as his true self, Oliver is forced to make a choice between safety and security or risking it all for freedom and love.
To start out with, Gabe Cole Novoa's writing is very compelling. It's a great mixture of classic language from the original Jane Austen novel and modern language to make it extremely readable. There are moments of humor and heartbreak and the story really keeps you engaged. The cast of characters are also very fun to read about and overall quite supportive of Oliver (read the content warns though, because that's not the case for everyone). When Oliver explores London dressed as himself, we get a great taste of London in the early 1800s which really added to the atmosphere.
Retellings are always tricky. I think the author did a good job of giving us many of the key moments in the original while also including some new scenes to align with this version of the story. With the additional challenge of making these book interesting and relevant to a modern young adult audience, I think there was overall a good balance between these two competing factors.
Overall, if you enjoy Pride and Prejudice (or Jane Austen more generally) retellings, then I definitely recommend picking up this book. It manages to be a fun, quick read while also letting us understand some of the competing pressures Oliver was feeling from his family and society.
Thank you to NetGalley and Feiwel and Friends for providing an advanced copy of this book for review. All opinions are my own.
Oliver Bennet feels trapped by society's expectations. Many of his friends and family think he's a girl named Elizabeth, forcing him to attend balls in pretty dresses and consider suitors. But the best solace for Oliver is when he can sneak out and explore London dressed as a young gentleman. There he gets to know Darcy, a boy who had previously been rude to "Elizabeth" at a social function. Darcy turns out to be much more compelling with Oliver. As they start to spend more time together, and Oliver spends more time as his true self, Oliver is forced to make a choice between safety and security or risking it all for freedom and love.
To start out with, Gabe Cole Novoa's writing is very compelling. It's a great mixture of classic language from the original Jane Austen novel and modern language to make it extremely readable. There are moments of humor and heartbreak and the story really keeps you engaged. The cast of characters are also very fun to read about and overall quite supportive of Oliver (read the content warns though, because that's not the case for everyone). When Oliver explores London dressed as himself, we get a great taste of London in the early 1800s which really added to the atmosphere.
Retellings are always tricky. I think the author did a good job of giving us many of the key moments in the original while also including some new scenes to align with this version of the story. With the additional challenge of making these book interesting and relevant to a modern young adult audience, I think there was overall a good balance between these two competing factors.
Overall, if you enjoy Pride and Prejudice (or Jane Austen more generally) retellings, then I definitely recommend picking up this book. It manages to be a fun, quick read while also letting us understand some of the competing pressures Oliver was feeling from his family and society.
Thank you to NetGalley and Feiwel and Friends for providing an advanced copy of this book for review. All opinions are my own.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Classism, Deadnaming, and Transphobia
Moderate: Outing
ezwolf's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
inspiring
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
I am actually having so many emotions about this book. First of all, let me say that the Remixed Classics series is one of my all time favorite ideas. I love taking well known stories and asking: but what if it was queer? what if they weren’t white? what if they weren’t men? This is the third one I’ve read and it’s just as amazing as the others and makes me so excited to read every one in the series.
Admittedly, I am not a huge fan of Pride and Prejudice. The general idea of the story and the way I’ve seen people interact and react to it has always been interesting to me though and I loved another reimagining of the story, The Lizzie Bennet Diaries. I also love Gabe Cole Novoa’s writing in general, The Wicked Bargain is one of my top favorite reads so when I saw he was writing this and got approved for the ARC I was so pleased.
The thing that got to me the most, I think, was Oliver’s emotions and desires. The way he just wanted so badly to be himself and fought for it, even though it was so scary to do it. His relationship with Jane and his father got me a bit teary eyed more than once.
Each time Oliver came out, while not always intending to do so, I was braced for it to go horribly, but each time I was pleasantly surprised and reassured by the openness and pride that each character reacted with. I think between how society still reacts to trans people today and the way narratives for characters like Oliver usually go, I was expecting blatant and harsh transphobia. And while there was transphobia, for me the blows were softened by the acceptance of his sister, his father, and eventually Darcy and his mother. That being said, please still take care of yourself and know that there is still transphobia, homophobia, dysphoria, and misogyny that Oliver deals with throughout the book. Know what you can handle as a reader.
Thank you to NetGalley for making this available in exchange for an honest review!
Admittedly, I am not a huge fan of Pride and Prejudice. The general idea of the story and the way I’ve seen people interact and react to it has always been interesting to me though and I loved another reimagining of the story, The Lizzie Bennet Diaries. I also love Gabe Cole Novoa’s writing in general, The Wicked Bargain is one of my top favorite reads so when I saw he was writing this and got approved for the ARC I was so pleased.
The thing that got to me the most, I think, was Oliver’s emotions and desires. The way he just wanted so badly to be himself and fought for it, even though it was so scary to do it. His relationship with Jane and his father got me a bit teary eyed more than once.
Each time Oliver came out, while not always intending to do so, I was braced for it to go horribly, but each time I was pleasantly surprised and reassured by the openness and pride that each character reacted with. I think between how society still reacts to trans people today and the way narratives for characters like Oliver usually go, I was expecting blatant and harsh transphobia. And while there was transphobia, for me the blows were softened by the acceptance of his sister, his father, and eventually Darcy and his mother. That being said, please still take care of yourself and know that there is still transphobia, homophobia, dysphoria, and misogyny that Oliver deals with throughout the book. Know what you can handle as a reader.
Thank you to NetGalley for making this available in exchange for an honest review!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Misogyny, Outing, Transphobia, Dysphoria, Deadnaming, and Homophobia
Moderate: Classism
Minor: Suicidal thoughts, Alcohol, and Infidelity
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