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A review by booknerd_charlie
Most Ardently: A Pride & Prejudice Remix by Gabe Cole Novoa
emotional
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
5.0
OMG, I just KNEW I was going to love this book ! I literally devoured it in one sitting tonight.
Everything about Most Ardently is so breathtaking and beautiful. Admittedly, I have a soft spot for Austen retellings and remixes, so perhaps I was a bit biased going into this. That being said, I’ll also be the first to admit when an Austen adaptation or retelling doesn’t live up to my very high standards. But this one delivered, and then some.
I fell in love with Oliver from the moment he was introduced on the page. What a thoughtful, deeply soulful human, so bravely trying to navigate his way through the difficult machinations of society while also building his inner strength and self-determination to proudly live as his authentic self. We should all be so lucky to be as kindhearted yet bold as Oliver, to fight for our happiness and our truth against all odds.
I love that the focus of this story was really about Oliver’s journey (and subsequently his relationship with Darcy). That does mean that a lot of the other P&P characters that we know and love are cast aside as minor players, but I think that’s for the best, since this is really Oliver’s story and not that of the entire Bennet family. Darcy is beautifully bookish and socially awkward, and Wickham is an absolutely grotesque villain. I wanted to reach through the book and punch him so many times.
The story is so beautifully written, cleverly re-arranged, and just a roller coaster of emotions. I only wish the book were longer so that I could spend more time digging into the development of Oliver and Darcy’s relationship and watch it slowly blossom. I feel there was a missed opportunity to really add more context and depth there. Or maybe I’m just being greedy!
I’m SO thrilled that a story with this kind of representation exists in the YA space. This is an incredibly moving and powerful story that brings attention to the trans community, both from an historical perspective and a modern one. I truly hope that this book finds the wide audience it deserves and I can’t wait to see what the future holds for Gabe Cole Novoa.
Everything about Most Ardently is so breathtaking and beautiful. Admittedly, I have a soft spot for Austen retellings and remixes, so perhaps I was a bit biased going into this. That being said, I’ll also be the first to admit when an Austen adaptation or retelling doesn’t live up to my very high standards. But this one delivered, and then some.
I fell in love with Oliver from the moment he was introduced on the page. What a thoughtful, deeply soulful human, so bravely trying to navigate his way through the difficult machinations of society while also building his inner strength and self-determination to proudly live as his authentic self. We should all be so lucky to be as kindhearted yet bold as Oliver, to fight for our happiness and our truth against all odds.
I love that the focus of this story was really about Oliver’s journey (and subsequently his relationship with Darcy). That does mean that a lot of the other P&P characters that we know and love are cast aside as minor players, but I think that’s for the best, since this is really Oliver’s story and not that of the entire Bennet family. Darcy is beautifully bookish and socially awkward, and Wickham is an absolutely grotesque villain. I wanted to reach through the book and punch him so many times.
The story is so beautifully written, cleverly re-arranged, and just a roller coaster of emotions. I only wish the book were longer so that I could spend more time digging into the development of Oliver and Darcy’s relationship and watch it slowly blossom. I feel there was a missed opportunity to really add more context and depth there. Or maybe I’m just being greedy!
I’m SO thrilled that a story with this kind of representation exists in the YA space. This is an incredibly moving and powerful story that brings attention to the trans community, both from an historical perspective and a modern one. I truly hope that this book finds the wide audience it deserves and I can’t wait to see what the future holds for Gabe Cole Novoa.