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4.01 AVERAGE
4.01 AVERAGE
i wish i hadn't read this book and forced myself to finish it despite my increasing frustration with the characterizations and eyeroll inducing plot. if you're in the middle of reading this book and seeking reviews for affirmation to stop reading, take this as the sign to drop it. it doesn't get better and i wholly hated my experience reading this book. now excuse me as i go rewatch the bbc series to cleanse myself of this mess. (also go see my reading journal entries if you want more pointed thoughts. i did give up writing anything towards the end because i hate how much of a hater this book makes me but it's just so fucking bad)
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
adventurous
challenging
emotional
funny
hopeful
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:
Yes
4 ⭐️ this book warmed my Jane Austen loving heart. Compulsively readable and adorable from beginning to end. Were there plot holes? Yes. Did parts of it feel unrealistic? Sure. But I thoroughly enjoyed it and loved the beautiful representation of LGBTQ romance in Austen-times.
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
This was cute! All the stuff with the dad made me tear up (or outright cry). However, it had neither enough pride nor enough prejudice. Because Oliver and Darcy are both basically flawless, we get very little of the enemy-to-lovers aspect of the original, and that's sorely missed.
Also,since Collins is an outright villain in this version, it didn't sit right with me that Charlotte is stuck with him. Oliver doesn't even mention her at the end, which felt like an oversight.
Also,
hopeful
inspiring
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
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
Very cute and clever in its retelling of Pride and Prejudice. I think it's a net positive to have more stories that explore the truth that transmen have always existed and to have more moments of seeing trans people's loved ones really show up for them.
My basic criticism of this book is something I also see a lot with feminist books. As a parallel, many feminist authors when writing historical fiction seem to just take today's concept of feminism and copy and paste it into that setting, which often feels jarring and incredible. Here's the thing, there have always been people who believed in something outside of the patriarchy, so why can't we imagine more about what that would have looked like in that time period and setting versus just transplanting modern feminism into this character without explanation.
As the author's note points out there were trans people in the Regency era and so I wish Novoa would've been more creative imagining how would people have talked and thought about this differently then than we do today? This struck me particularly in the scene where Mr Bennet reveals he knows Oliver's true identity and his speech to Oliver seems cut and paste from an article on "How to support your trans child" you could read today online.
I know this is more challenging because of the lack of writing we have today directly from trans people about their experiences in this era or others further back. I also feel like people might avoid it under the assumption that readers will think the characters aren't inclusive enough and criticize them, but like lets challenge the idea that the way we approach things today is the perfect way to do it. Like the arc of time isn't a straight arrow where we are getting more and more accepting and we've reached the end of our development. So it's ok to see how things might've been better, or just different back then.
My basic criticism of this book is something I also see a lot with feminist books. As a parallel, many feminist authors when writing historical fiction seem to just take today's concept of feminism and copy and paste it into that setting, which often feels jarring and incredible. Here's the thing, there have always been people who believed in something outside of the patriarchy, so why can't we imagine more about what that would have looked like in that time period and setting versus just transplanting modern feminism into this character without explanation.
As the author's note points out there were trans people in the Regency era and so I wish Novoa would've been more creative imagining how would people have talked and thought about this differently then than we do today? This struck me particularly in the scene where Mr Bennet reveals he knows Oliver's true identity and his speech to Oliver seems cut and paste from an article on "How to support your trans child" you could read today online.
I know this is more challenging because of the lack of writing we have today directly from trans people about their experiences in this era or others further back. I also feel like people might avoid it under the assumption that readers will think the characters aren't inclusive enough and criticize them, but like lets challenge the idea that the way we approach things today is the perfect way to do it. Like the arc of time isn't a straight arrow where we are getting more and more accepting and we've reached the end of our development. So it's ok to see how things might've been better, or just different back then.
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
informative
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
relaxing
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