📝 What is MOST ARDENTLY About?:
A trans boy searches for a future–and a romance–in which he can live and love openly as himself in this heartwrenching YA reimagining of Pride & Prejudice, the ninth book in the Remixed Classics series.
📚 Genre: YA ROMANCE
🎧 Format: E-Book
💞 Feels: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
I’m the type of person who loves Pride & Prejudice in any form. I will read this story over and over again with every kind of tweak, zombies, murder mystery, modern day romance, etc. I think this is the first time the story has truly felt like its own incarnation. Rather than small changes added into the original story that makes very little impact into the tale, Most Ardently, was a lovely story with a little Pride & Prejudice sprinkled in. Much like Percival Everett’s James, Gabe Cole Novoa found space within Jane Austen’s original tale to enrich the story.
The new scenes between Oliver and Darcy really had me believing these moments could’ve taken place within Pride & Prejudice; and just have been scenes kept off the page. Oliver and Darcy’s friendship added more depth to the relationship. You can see them learning more about each other and becoming friends. More interactions bring more reasons to fall in love with each other.
I listened to the audiobook, which sometimes makes it hard for me to invest in the characters. But this audiobook had my full attention. I was listening during a flight and then at night in my hotel room once everyone else had gone to sleep. So I was sure to not having any other distractions. The narration was so well done, that I was engrossed.
Getting technical
Having said that I listened to the audiobook, it does make it difficult for me to pick out technical criticisms. I definitely intend on re-reading this book in print form, so that I can annotate – and probably come up with more theories and daydreams. Audiobooks are definitely good for butterflies…but maybe that’s just me ’cause I’m an audiophile.
You’ll like this book, if…
You’ll like this book if you enjoy re-tellings of classic literature.
✅ Spinoff novella nomination:
Since this is the 9th edition of the classics remix, I’d say any of the other remixed classics would be great places to start. I already had the Jekyll & Hyde Remix on my TBR list, without realizing these books were part of the same series.
What are you reading? Let me know in the comments.
shop for MOST ARDENTLY by GABE COLE NOVOA:
Subscribe to our newsletter to get more reading recs in your inbox!
