You need to sign in or sign up before continuing.
Scan barcode
A review by smokedshelves
Most Ardently by Gabe Cole Novoa
5.0
thank you to macmillan children’s publishing group, feiwel & friends, and netgalley for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
gabe cole novoa does it again! the remixed classics does it again! my heart is so full and my words are lacking, as always. this is now the third book i’ve read in the “classics but make very explicitly queer” series. and with each one, i fall more deeply in love with these retellings.
in attempting to write this (truly insufficient) review i went back to what i said for the first two books. and i think i’ve already said it best: with each iteration of these remixed classic, my inner queer teen soul heals a bit more. i spoke about how i wish i had this representation back i was in high school, about ten years ago now, when i was forced to read the originals. when i didn’t know so many things i know now. and it still holds perfectly true after this story too.
maybe even more so with most ardently. reading novoa’s previous release, i already knew i loved his writing. loved the way he tells stories. but this was the first retelling where i hadn’t actually read the source material yet. hadn’t seen any of the adaptions all the girlies (gender neutral) fawn over. i have the book. have the ability to learn what the story entails first. but i went in blind. i don’t know how much of the story was carried over and how much was changed (besides the obvious, of course). and yet, i still came out absolutely adoring it.
adoring oliver and this rendition of darcy (which mygod his name was fitzwilliam the whole time??? that’s the man’s name who we’ve all been in love with?? an abomination). oliver’s sheer determination. in his wills. in not allowing this society to beat him down or force him to fully comply. it gives a whole new layer to what i know of with the original austin’s “elizabeth bennet”. these stories are always so full of tender moments and for that i am always extremely grateful. grateful to see them being published. gaining a readership. hopefully introducing young teens to happily ever afters no matter who you are and how you walk in this world.
gabe cole novoa does it again! the remixed classics does it again! my heart is so full and my words are lacking, as always. this is now the third book i’ve read in the “classics but make very explicitly queer” series. and with each one, i fall more deeply in love with these retellings.
in attempting to write this (truly insufficient) review i went back to what i said for the first two books. and i think i’ve already said it best: with each iteration of these remixed classic, my inner queer teen soul heals a bit more. i spoke about how i wish i had this representation back i was in high school, about ten years ago now, when i was forced to read the originals. when i didn’t know so many things i know now. and it still holds perfectly true after this story too.
maybe even more so with most ardently. reading novoa’s previous release, i already knew i loved his writing. loved the way he tells stories. but this was the first retelling where i hadn’t actually read the source material yet. hadn’t seen any of the adaptions all the girlies (gender neutral) fawn over. i have the book. have the ability to learn what the story entails first. but i went in blind. i don’t know how much of the story was carried over and how much was changed (besides the obvious, of course). and yet, i still came out absolutely adoring it.
adoring oliver and this rendition of darcy (which mygod his name was fitzwilliam the whole time??? that’s the man’s name who we’ve all been in love with?? an abomination). oliver’s sheer determination. in his wills. in not allowing this society to beat him down or force him to fully comply. it gives a whole new layer to what i know of with the original austin’s “elizabeth bennet”. these stories are always so full of tender moments and for that i am always extremely grateful. grateful to see them being published. gaining a readership. hopefully introducing young teens to happily ever afters no matter who you are and how you walk in this world.