Most Ardently: A Pride & Prejudice Remix

It has taken me quite a while to properly collect and order my thoughts about this book, because I adore it so much. It perfectly captures the essence of the original but still manages to be it's own story. I am a big fan of all things Pride and Prejudice, it's one of the very few classics I have actually read and I don't even know how many times I've watched the 2005 movie. This is a trans and queer retelling so obviously I had to have it. Trust me when I say that this book feels exactly like the original in terms of vibes and I am so happy that the author kept all the quotes in it that are well-known and well-loved. Oliver and Mr. Darcy are adorably messy, as you would expect, and overall when it comes to retellings it doesn't get much better than this. I had to wait three months after it was published for it to get delivered but it was absolutely worth the wait!!

Most Ardently is part of the classic remixed series, in which authors from marginalized backgrounds reinterpret classic works through their own cultural lens to subvert the overwhelming cishet, white, and male canon. We follow Oliver Bennet, the trans main character, who yearns to live freely and openly in society's patriarchal and cisheteronormative expectations. I don't envy anyone who is given the rask to rewrite Jane Austen, but I found Novoa captures the ratio between the original text while also having some feeling of originality. He also captures the original personalities of the characters while addressing social issues that were relevant to Oliver. Although Novoa took some liberties in the text, I appreciate the historical aspects he wobei into it. There is also a good balance between the transphobia and homophobia and the endearing and cute romance and friendships.