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Reviews tagging 'Deadnaming'
Most Ardently: A Pride & Prejudice Remix by Gabe Cole Novoa
207 reviews
athenian_frog's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.75
Another book on my TBR that I've been dying to get to!! And it was worth it, for a touching read.
Ok in all honesty I wasn't a big fan of the 2005 Pride and Prejudice movie, I got bored BUT I can still appreciate how this book made me feel for its version of Bennet and Darcy.
I felt genuine frustration when the MC got deadnamed, and when we get to see the way being treated as a woman makes him feel. There's also the added pressure of other queer people around him capitulating to societal norms just to be able to maintain independence over their own lives (marrying a man whilst loving a woman, for example). The author did a good job at showing how inescapable the heteronormative and gendered norms of the time were.
It makes any moments of acceptance feel really good, though. Thankfully, that is a major component to this book! I was honestly kinda surprised at how many little moments of joy were added.
One thing that bugged me is that some of the ways dysphoria was talked about sounded a tad overly-simplistic. This is coming from someone who is cisgender tho, so take this with a grain of salt. I feel like I've seen Oliver's feelings described the way they are more than a few times in other media about GNC ppl.
On the romance: I'd say it's pretty solid. I liked their conversations, at no point did it feel forced for me. I wasn't really swooning---bc I think they could have spent more time together before it got to kissing---but that could also just be a personal thing.
The antagonists kind of felt a little on-the-nose for how blatantly sexist they were being. I would have liked a little more nuance on that front. One of them kinda sounded like an incel sometimes lmao I know it's the Edwardian period but it felt like the author put more complexity in everything else BUT main two Oliver had to deal with.
The only other issue is a spoilery opinion about the ending:Maybe this sounds awful but I was expecting more of an emotional reaction out of the mom, especially with how often she'd been chewing out her "daughter" for acting improperly. An apology, maybe? I dunno. I think I would have preferred that she be shocked, defend her son, and then take some time to address how she treated him (briefly or in the epilogue, not necessarily a whole chapter LOL).
I say this bc Mrs. Bennet was a major stressor for Oliver for the vast majority of this book. She was often berating him, saying that he's not a man, shouldn't be dressing like a man, defending the idea that you need to serve a man even when he "vexes" you etc...which very acutely hurt Oliver on several occasions. There is a nightmare sequence precisely around the suffocating gender norms Oliver has to endure and how his mother is the one enforcing them in his home; she is the reason why his house is not a safe place to be himself.
We, as the reader, are made to feel his pain in every one of these interactions. Her immediately accepting everything without grappling with how she may have affecter her son felt like a very hand-wavy resolution to her character. Even if you are now ready to accept someone, words like that have a lasting impact on your relationship with them.
Ok in all honesty I wasn't a big fan of the 2005 Pride and Prejudice movie, I got bored BUT I can still appreciate how this book made me feel for its version of Bennet and Darcy.
I felt genuine frustration when the MC got deadnamed, and when we get to see the way being treated as a woman makes him feel. There's also the added pressure of other queer people around him capitulating to societal norms just to be able to maintain independence over their own lives (marrying a man whilst loving a woman, for example). The author did a good job at showing how inescapable the heteronormative and gendered norms of the time were.
It makes any moments of acceptance feel really good, though. Thankfully, that is a major component to this book! I was honestly kinda surprised at how many little moments of joy were added.
One thing that bugged me is that some of the ways dysphoria was talked about sounded a tad overly-simplistic. This is coming from someone who is cisgender tho, so take this with a grain of salt. I feel like I've seen Oliver's feelings described the way they are more than a few times in other media about GNC ppl.
On the romance: I'd say it's pretty solid. I liked their conversations, at no point did it feel forced for me. I wasn't really swooning---bc I think they could have spent more time together before it got to kissing---but that could also just be a personal thing.
The antagonists kind of felt a little on-the-nose for how blatantly sexist they were being. I would have liked a little more nuance on that front. One of them kinda sounded like an incel sometimes lmao I know it's the Edwardian period but it felt like the author put more complexity in everything else BUT main two Oliver had to deal with.
The only other issue is a spoilery opinion about the ending:
I say this bc Mrs. Bennet was a major stressor for Oliver for the vast majority of this book. She was often berating him, saying that he's not a man, shouldn't be dressing like a man, defending the idea that you need to serve a man even when he "vexes" you etc...which very acutely hurt Oliver on several occasions. There is a nightmare sequence precisely around the suffocating gender norms Oliver has to endure and how his mother is the one enforcing them in his home; she is the reason why his house is not a safe place to be himself.
We, as the reader, are made to feel his pain in every one of these interactions. Her immediately accepting everything without grappling with how she may have affecter her son felt like a very hand-wavy resolution to her character. Even if you are now ready to accept someone, words like that have a lasting impact on your relationship with them.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Deadnaming, Sexism, Transphobia, and Dysphoria
Moderate: Homophobia
pey333's review against another edition
emotional
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? No
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Deadnaming, Transphobia, and Dysphoria
Moderate: Homophobia, Sexism, and Outing
Minor: Stalking and Classism
booknerd626's review
emotional
hopeful
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
4.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Deadnaming, Transphobia, Outing, and Dysphoria
abby_can_read's review against another edition
emotional
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
📱
I had a marvelous time with this book. I had hopes when I started and this book delivered. I thought this was a good transgender queer re-imagining of Pride and Prejudice. Oliver and Darcy were adorable together.
I had a marvelous time with this book. I had hopes when I started and this book delivered. I thought this was a good transgender queer re-imagining of Pride and Prejudice. Oliver and Darcy were adorable together.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Deadnaming, Transphobia, and Dysphoria
Moderate: Homophobia, Sexism, and Outing
Minor: Suicidal thoughts, Stalking, and Classism
crysbooks's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Deadnaming, Transphobia, and Dysphoria
dubious_little_creature's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Deadnaming, Sexism, Transphobia, and Dysphoria
Moderate: Outing
mlovesbooks's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
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
4.0
A happy ending full of queer joy!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Deadnaming
Moderate: Homophobia, Suicidal thoughts, and Transphobia
Minor: Outing
hannahs_library_'s review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Deadnaming and Dysphoria
Minor: Homophobia and Transphobia
amye's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
fast-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? No
4.0
I'm not really a Pride & Prejudice fan (more of a Sense & Sensibility girlie myself) but the buzz I heard got me to pick this one up and boy was I pleasantly surprised. I think this might be favorite version of Darcy (though the Bridget Jones version is up there too.) Some characters were a *touch* heavy-handed, but they didn't trip me up a ton. I'm also not much of a YA reader (think it's great, just not usually for me!), but I found myself devouring this story after the first few chapters. I appreciated the authenticity brought by the author and will definitely be snagging a copy for my friend to put in her high school classroom library. Also, I do so love a happy ending. 😊
Content Warnings
Graphic: Deadnaming, Sexism, Suicidal thoughts, Transphobia, Outing, and Dysphoria
Moderate: Body shaming and Fatphobia
Minor: Death of parent
eldzmn's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
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
4.75
Content Warnings
Moderate: Deadnaming and Sexism