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A review by dananana
Most Ardently by Gabe Cole Novoa
emotional
hopeful
reflective
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
3.5
you know, not just any novel can inspire me to write a review in a pseudo-Jane Austen style, so kudos there.
--
A striking and enjoyable novel, to be sure, but due to my complete devotion to the original Pride and Prejudice, my comparisons are not a little severe - at least more so than they might have been if my love for that first book were less.
I am not a purist when it comes to adapting a novel into a new form, so my qualms are not related to any changes made to the plot. The story was converted into a shorter form for both the sake of its audience and to better suit the themes this volume addressed.
That being said, I did feel there was some small missing element that would have brought me from basic feelings of enjoyment, to the true rapture that arrives when a retelling both honors the original and speaks to modern positions as well. To compare the two principle characters of Most Ardently and Pride and Prejudice, I did not find that Oliver was as arch or witty as his original counterpart. There was a level of irony missing from his interactions with especially his mother, Darcy, and other characters. This lack of cleverness and wry humor left me wanting.
In addition, I found that Oliver's arc was not really about learning to not "willfully misunderstand" others, as he was more understanding of Darcy's peculiar and awkward disposition and was suspicious of Wickham's character from their first meeting. Instead, Oliver's arc was more a simple coming-of-age story, wherein he must find the courage to be true to himself, in defiance of all the expectations placed upon him. This compliments the original in some ways very well, though there was something missing in way of the interest provoked by a more flawed character.
This approach to his character had affect upon the pacing of the romance as well, there being less pining and yearning as the two come to know and understand one more quickly. I found both these changed aspects not to my taste, when compared to the original.
However, I would be remiss if I did not touch on the aspects of the novel that I found true enjoyment in. Despite my qualms with the pace of the romance, I found the two boys' relationship to be engaging, sweet, and moving. I quite enjoyed the approach the author took in incorporating gender and sexuality into the themes of Pride and Prejudice. As the original's message is already so well suited to modern discussions of queerness, this was most satisfying to read. I was quite intrigued by the direction the book took with regards to this subject- and greatly appreciated the author's note that spoke on the history of queerness in the Regency period.
Overall, I did enjoy the entire reading process and found myself unable to place the book down. While I have some few qualms, I feel quite positively toward it overall.
--
A striking and enjoyable novel, to be sure, but due to my complete devotion to the original Pride and Prejudice, my comparisons are not a little severe - at least more so than they might have been if my love for that first book were less.
I am not a purist when it comes to adapting a novel into a new form, so my qualms are not related to any changes made to the plot. The story was converted into a shorter form for both the sake of its audience and to better suit the themes this volume addressed.
That being said, I did feel there was some small missing element that would have brought me from basic feelings of enjoyment, to the true rapture that arrives when a retelling both honors the original and speaks to modern positions as well. To compare the two principle characters of Most Ardently and Pride and Prejudice, I did not find that Oliver was as arch or witty as his original counterpart. There was a level of irony missing from his interactions with especially his mother, Darcy, and other characters. This lack of cleverness and wry humor left me wanting.
In addition, I found that Oliver's arc was not really about learning to not "willfully misunderstand" others, as he was more understanding of Darcy's peculiar and awkward disposition and was suspicious of Wickham's character from their first meeting. Instead, Oliver's arc was more a simple coming-of-age story, wherein he must find the courage to be true to himself, in defiance of all the expectations placed upon him. This compliments the original in some ways very well, though there was something missing in way of the interest provoked by a more flawed character.
This approach to his character had affect upon the pacing of the romance as well, there being less pining and yearning as the two come to know and understand one more quickly. I found both these changed aspects not to my taste, when compared to the original.
However, I would be remiss if I did not touch on the aspects of the novel that I found true enjoyment in. Despite my qualms with the pace of the romance, I found the two boys' relationship to be engaging, sweet, and moving. I quite enjoyed the approach the author took in incorporating gender and sexuality into the themes of Pride and Prejudice. As the original's message is already so well suited to modern discussions of queerness, this was most satisfying to read. I was quite intrigued by the direction the book took with regards to this subject- and greatly appreciated the author's note that spoke on the history of queerness in the Regency period.
Overall, I did enjoy the entire reading process and found myself unable to place the book down. While I have some few qualms, I feel quite positively toward it overall.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Transphobia, Sexism, Homophobia, Deadnaming, and Dysphoria
Moderate: Lesbophobia
Minor: Classism