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4.01 AVERAGE
4.01 AVERAGE
I usually would never have thought of picking up a classic... but this is definitely one way to get me to do so. Absolutely loved it.
emotional
hopeful
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
reflective
sad
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
2.5 - This is a fine book if you go into it with low expectations for World building and/or very little interest in the original pride and prejudice. Sadly it was recommended to me so highly that I did not and was a little disappointed.
The qeer rep is very good and it is all right if you just want a fluffy fanfictiony Pride and prejudice AU with very little conflict and a happy end.
Everything about this book was simple with very little nuance. The characters either immediately and completely accept Oliver or are cartoon villains plotting to steal inheritances. The world building as well lays out a society where queer people must hide but in the end everything is...just resolved? Without much issue...? OK I guess...
And as for this being a pride and prejudice remix...honestly it really is just in the basic premise and character names. All the social critique is completely replaced by the queer set up...like Darcys initial proposal to 'Lizzie' is because he thinks it is easier to marry 'her' because they are being pressured to marry...ever though he does not believe he loves 'her' as hes extremely gay....like the whole point in the original was that that was a very bad idea for him but he just had to propose cuase he loved her so much. Literally lizzie rejects him because he tells her this. And all of that element is just gone. The only conflict left is just they can't be happy because they wouldn't be themselves...
Wickham is also not a soldier? And apparently socially high up enough for his sisters (a new addition) to be engaged to Darcy from birth? What? Then why would he need to marry Georgiana for money??
It just didn't make a whole lot of sense.
So tldr if you just want some queer fluff it's fine but if you actually think about the story it starts to come apart at the seams
The qeer rep is very good and it is all right if you just want a fluffy fanfictiony Pride and prejudice AU with very little conflict and a happy end.
Everything about this book was simple with very little nuance. The characters either immediately and completely accept Oliver or are cartoon villains plotting to steal inheritances. The world building as well lays out a society where queer people must hide but in the end everything is...just resolved? Without much issue...? OK I guess...
And as for this being a pride and prejudice remix...honestly it really is just in the basic premise and character names. All the social critique is completely replaced by the queer set up...like Darcys initial proposal to 'Lizzie' is because he thinks it is easier to marry 'her' because they are being pressured to marry...ever though he does not believe he loves 'her' as hes extremely gay....like the whole point in the original was that that was a very bad idea for him but he just had to propose cuase he loved her so much. Literally lizzie rejects him because he tells her this. And all of that element is just gone. The only conflict left is just they can't be happy because they wouldn't be themselves...
Wickham is also not a soldier? And apparently socially high up enough for his sisters (a new addition) to be engaged to Darcy from birth? What? Then why would he need to marry Georgiana for money??
It just didn't make a whole lot of sense.
So tldr if you just want some queer fluff it's fine but if you actually think about the story it starts to come apart at the seams
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
“It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single boy in possession of a good fortune must be in want of a future wife—unless that boy was Oliver Bennet.”
The first sentence of this book perfectly sums up one of my main issues with it: it feels juvenile. The main characters often refer to themselves as “boys” instead of “men.” I know that might sound nitpicky, but it really made the book feel less serious than it should have been, especially given the themes it was trying to explore.
Taking on a classic like Pride and Prejudice is no small task, and I do want to give the author credit for the ambition. But when a book is marketed as a retelling, or a remix, you expect it to engage with the original in a thoughtful way, either as a love letter, a critique, or ideally, both. Instead, this felt more like fanfiction. Enjoyable at times, yes, but also deeply frustrating as someone who loves the original and paid actual money for a retelling, not fanfiction.
Darcy did not feel like Darcy. Making his initial coldness toward Elizabeth (now Oliver) mostly about his queerness or a generalized “hate for women” really flattened the complexity of his character. It cheapened the tension that made the original so compelling. And the core disagreements and misunderstandings that drove the conflict between Elizabeth and Darcy just weren’t present in this novel. (cough, Pride and Prejudice, cough.)
The writing style also didn’t help. There was a weird mismatch between the Austen-inspired language and the author’s own modern voice. This caused Oliver Bennet’s inner thoughts to feel totally different from how he spoke aloud, especially during scenes referring back to scenes from Austen. The result was jarring and made it harder to connect with Oliver as a consistent character.
I also found the world of the novel oddly unrealistic. While I appreciated the historical note at the end, the romance between Darcy and Oliver—and Oliver’s identity—would likely have faced much harsher consequences in the actual time period. Instead, the setting felt more like Bridgerton: vaguely historical, but ultimately fantasy, where being LGBTQ+ is technically scandalous but mostly brushed aside. This dulled the conflict and made the stakes feel low, when they could have been deeply emotional and powerful.
In short, the novel didn’t live up to the promise it made. It read more like a fanfiction than a true retelling, and while it had its moments, it ultimately left me disappointed.
emotional
hopeful
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
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Beautifully queer. A great YA homage to the spirit of Jane Austen's novel while remaining its own tale.
Honestly, I love Pride & Prejudice and have longed to find a queer adaptation of it so was thrilled to discover this novel, and was overjoyed at how good it is. It scratched an itch as an Austen fan while also bringing me a lot of queer joy and cathartic relief.
Honestly, I love Pride & Prejudice and have longed to find a queer adaptation of it so was thrilled to discover this novel, and was overjoyed at how good it is. It scratched an itch as an Austen fan while also bringing me a lot of queer joy and cathartic relief.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Deadnaming, Transphobia, Dysphoria
Minor: Homophobia, Suicidal thoughts
adventurous
challenging
emotional
funny
inspiring
lighthearted
sad
tense
slow-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:
Yes
emotional
hopeful
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Loveable characters:
Yes
This Pride & Prejudice retelling is the epitome of trans joy, and I thoroughly enjoyed reading it! The audiobook of Most Ardently was a lovely listen — very much worth the year-long wait on Libby for my hold.