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Reviews tagging 'Sexual harassment'
Most Ardently: A Pride & Prejudice Remix by Gabe Cole Novoa
6 reviews
novella42's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
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
4.75
This might be the most intense and effective depiction of gender dysphoria and euphoria I've ever read as a cis person.
I read and loved A Lady for A Duke, an original love story with a transfemme protagonist who used the chaos of Waterloo to escape her old life. That book had many of the same elements of this one, and I don't suppose it's fair to compare the very different stories. But there was something especially effective about setting this in the framework of a classic that gave it an extra kick.
There's just something about writing this particular story within that of a familiar, famous character in a time period where gender roles were even more rigid than they are today. It was powerful to read the dysphoria and euphoria of Oliver's internal experience, set against the backdrop of all our expectations that come with the story of Pride and Prejudice.
Jane Austen's version of Elizabeth Bennett has become a very particular kind of role model for femininity and for a certain kind of feminist, and that framework provided a kind of fuel to the fire of this story. Over the course of the book I became acutely aware of nuances of my own social programming and emotional baggage I brought to the story. It was a relief to acknowledge them and let them go.
Oliver's discomfort and constant pain was visceral but gracefully depicted. Seeing his happiness at even the smallest affirmation was a profound relief and a joy to read.
Highly recommend this.
I read and loved A Lady for A Duke, an original love story with a transfemme protagonist who used the chaos of Waterloo to escape her old life. That book had many of the same elements of this one, and I don't suppose it's fair to compare the very different stories. But there was something especially effective about setting this in the framework of a classic that gave it an extra kick.
There's just something about writing this particular story within that of a familiar, famous character in a time period where gender roles were even more rigid than they are today. It was powerful to read the dysphoria and euphoria of Oliver's internal experience, set against the backdrop of all our expectations that come with the story of Pride and Prejudice.
Jane Austen's version of Elizabeth Bennett has become a very particular kind of role model for femininity and for a certain kind of feminist, and that framework provided a kind of fuel to the fire of this story. Over the course of the book I became acutely aware of nuances of my own social programming and emotional baggage I brought to the story. It was a relief to acknowledge them and let them go.
Oliver's discomfort and constant pain was visceral but gracefully depicted. Seeing his happiness at even the smallest affirmation was a profound relief and a joy to read.
Highly recommend this.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body shaming, Homophobia, Gaslighting, Deadnaming, Body horror, Misogyny, Sexual harassment, Dysphoria, and Transphobia
Moderate: Classism, Suicidal thoughts, and Outing
Minor: Bullying
jneverland's review
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
fast-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
5.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Outing, Body shaming, Transphobia, Dysphoria, Sexism, and Sexual harassment
lucylou's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
fast-paced
4.5
While not a faithful retelling, it’s was a wonderful read about trans joy. There were many moments I teared up, especially when Mr. Bennet accepted Oliver’s true self so readily with open arms. Some characters I thought remained the same, like Charlotte’s pragmatism and Darcy’s stoic but awakened nature really shining through, while some characters seemed entirely different, with Wickam and Mr. Collin’s being grotesque misogynists and actively evil compared to what was described in the original material. Overall, it’s a lovely story I would recommend for the story’s queer take on P&P, with mild warnings for Oliver’s descriptions of his dysphoria and the gross misogynistic comments some of the men make.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Deadnaming and Dysphoria
Moderate: Outing and Sexual harassment
Minor: Transphobia, Homophobia, and Stalking
marmaladereads's review against another edition
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
5.0
Absolutely swoon-worthy retelling of Pride and Prejudice with Oliver Bennet as a trans boy and Darcy as a gay boy. Oliver is not out in society or to his family so there is misgendering and deadnaming throughout, some intentional and some unintentional, but the romance is just as sweeping and swoony as the original and ultimately this is a story of familial acceptance and finding love without compromising who you really are. I absolutely melted at the dynamics between Oliver and Darcy, especially their moments alone as their true selves.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Transphobia, Homophobia, and Deadnaming
Moderate: Sexual harassment and Misogyny
nimeneth's review against another edition
emotional
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
3.5
This was a good retelling of Pride & Prejudice, and an enjoyable read. The feel of Austen's story wasn't changed, even if the specific details were, and Novoa was very respectful in translating the original into this work. That said, I have some conflicted feelings on the choices on how some of the characters were presented, and I think my biggest complaints are mostly based on my ardent love for the original. I didn't enjoy that:
-Lydia and Kitty were essentially left out except as tittering fools in the background. They're both minor characters in the original, true, but Lydia's arc in Pride & Prejudice was important in fleshing out Darcy's character, and leads to an opening towards the end where Kitty can become her own person rather than being an extension of Lydia.
-Wickham is so utterly evil in this retelling. He's no peach in Austen but boiling him down to bring driven by money alone (instead of status and jealousy in addition) feels like a disservice to what he was.
-Mrs. Bennett and Lady Catherine weren't annoying enough lol
Despite my complaints above, this does still feel like a properly modernized retelling, and it's definitely an approachable way to present something that is dense and hard to read, even without factoring in the heteronormative lens it Austen was understandably writing through. The writing was good, the pace was excellent, and Novoa has a way of evoking emotions that had my cis self feeling Oliver's emotions, particularly his panic over the dysphoria and misgendering, in a very gut-wrenching way. The nightmare scene about 2/3 of the way made me deeply uncomfortable, poor Oliver!
-Lydia and Kitty were essentially left out except as tittering fools in the background. They're both minor characters in the original, true, but Lydia's arc in Pride & Prejudice was important in fleshing out Darcy's character, and leads to an opening towards the end where Kitty can become her own person rather than being an extension of Lydia.
-Wickham is so utterly evil in this retelling. He's no peach in Austen but boiling him down to bring driven by money alone (instead of status and jealousy in addition) feels like a disservice to what he was.
-Mrs. Bennett and Lady Catherine weren't annoying enough lol
Despite my complaints above, this does still feel like a properly modernized retelling, and it's definitely an approachable way to present something that is dense and hard to read, even without factoring in the heteronormative lens it Austen was understandably writing through. The writing was good, the pace was excellent, and Novoa has a way of evoking emotions that had my cis self feeling Oliver's emotions, particularly his panic over the dysphoria and misgendering, in a very gut-wrenching way. The nightmare scene about 2/3 of the way made me deeply uncomfortable, poor Oliver!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Misogyny, Homophobia, Deadnaming, Toxic relationship, Transphobia, Sexism, and Dysphoria
Moderate: Outing and Panic attacks/disorders
Minor: Classism and Sexual harassment
barometz's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
fast-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
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Homophobia, Stalking, Deadnaming, Sexism, Suicidal thoughts, Outing, Misogyny, and Transphobia
Moderate: Lesbophobia and Sexual harassment
Minor: Biphobia
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