In the Remixed Classics series, authors from marginalized backgrounds reinterpret classic works through their own cultural lens to subvert the overwhelming cishet, white, and male canon. This bittersweet Pride & Prejudice remix follows a trans boy yearning for the freedom to live openly, centering queerness in a well-known story of longing and subverting society's patriarchal and cisheteronormative expectations.
London, 1812. Oliver Bennet feels trapped. Not just by the endless corsets, petticoats and skirts he's forced to wear on a daily basis, but also by society's expectations. The world-and the vast majority of his family and friends-think Oliver is a girl named Elizabeth. He is therefore expected to mingle at balls wearing a pretty dress, entertain suitors regardless of his interest in them, and ultimately become someone's wife.
But Oliver can't bear the thought of such a fate. He finds solace in the few times he can sneak out of his family's home and explore the city rightfully dressed as a young gentleman. It's during one such excursion when Oliver becomes acquainted with Darcy, a sulky young man who had been rude to "Elizabeth" at a recent social function. But in the comfort of being out of the public eye, Oliver comes to find that Darcy is actually a sweet, intelligent boy with a warm heart. And not to mention incredibly attractive.
As Oliver is able to spend more time as his true self, often with Darcy, part of him dares begin to hope that his dream of love and life as a man could be possible. But suitors are growing bolder-and even threatening-and his mother is growing more desperate to see him settled into an engagement. Oliver will have to choose: Settle for safety, security, and a life of pretending to be something he's not, or risk it all for a slim chance at freedom, love, and a life that can be truly, honestly his own.
The Remixed Classics Series
A Clash of Steel: A Treasure Island Remix by C.B. Lee
So Many Beginnings: A Little Women Remix by Bethany C. Morrow
Travelers Along the Way: A Robin Hood Remix by Aminah Mae Safi
What Souls Are Made Of: A Wuthering Heights Remix by Tasha Suri
Self-Made Boys: A Great Gatsby Remix by Anna-Marie McLemore
My Dear Henry: A Jekyll & Hyde Remix by Kalynn Bayron
Teach the Torches to Burn: A Romeo & Juliet Remix by Caleb Roehrig
Into the Bright Open: A Secret Garden Remix by Cherie Dimaline
Most Ardently: A Pride & Prejudice Remix by Gabe Cole Novoa
In the Remixed Classics series, authors from marginalized backgrounds reinterpret classic works through their own cultural lens to subvert the overwhelming cishet, white, and male canon. This bittersweet Pride & Prejudice remix follows a trans boy yearning for the freedom to live openly, centering queerness in a well-known story of longing and subverting society's patriarchal and cisheteronormative expectations.
London, 1812. Oliver Bennet feels trapped. Not just by the endless corsets, petticoats and skirts he's forced to wear on a daily basis, but also by society's expectations. The world-and the vast majority of his family and friends-think Oliver is a girl named Elizabeth. He is therefore expected to mingle at balls wearing a pretty dress, entertain suitors regardless of his interest in them, and ultimately become someone's wife.
But Oliver can't bear the thought of such a fate. He finds solace in the few times he can sneak out of his family's home and explore the city rightfully dressed as a young gentleman. It's during one such excursion when Oliver becomes acquainted with Darcy, a sulky young man who had been rude to "Elizabeth" at a recent social function. But in the comfort of being out of the public eye, Oliver comes to find that Darcy is actually a sweet, intelligent boy with a warm heart. And not to mention incredibly attractive.
As Oliver is able to spend more time as his true self, often with Darcy, part of him dares begin to hope that his dream of love and life as a man could be possible. But suitors are growing bolder-and even threatening-and his mother is growing more desperate to see him settled into an engagement. Oliver will have to choose: Settle for safety, security, and a life of pretending to be something he's not, or risk it all for a slim chance at freedom, love, and a life that can be truly, honestly his own.
The Remixed Classics Series
A Clash of Steel: A Treasure Island Remix by C.B. Lee
So Many Beginnings: A Little Women Remix by Bethany C. Morrow
Travelers Along the Way: A Robin Hood Remix by Aminah Mae Safi
What Souls Are Made Of: A Wuthering Heights Remix by Tasha Suri
Self-Made Boys: A Great Gatsby Remix by Anna-Marie McLemore
My Dear Henry: A Jekyll & Hyde Remix by Kalynn Bayron
Teach the Torches to Burn: A Romeo & Juliet Remix by Caleb Roehrig
Into the Bright Open: A Secret Garden Remix by Cherie Dimaline
Most Ardently: A Pride & Prejudice Remix by Gabe Cole Novoa
Gabe Cole Novoa (he/him) is a Latinx transmasculine author who writes speculative fiction featuring marginalized characters grappling with identity. Gabe is the author of The Wicked Bargain and the Beyond the Red trilogy, written under a former pseudonym. He also runs a popular writing-focused YouTube channel, bookishpixie and is very active on Twitter @thegabecole.
Praise for Most Ardently:
A New York Times Bestseller
A Stonewall Honor Book
An NPR Best Book of the Year
A Goodreads Choice Award nominee "Novoa's interpretation of Jane
Austen's Pride and Prejudice is a testament to the power of queer
spaces and community. ... Brimming with wit and chemistry, this
queer revision of a much-beloved source text is nothing short of
masterful. A must-purchase." --School Library Journal, starred
review
"The minute I finished, I knew this book had already replaced the
original Pride and Prejudice in my heart. Gabe Cole Novoa has
infused this timeless love story with so much care for its
transgender protagonist, so much reverence for its queer love
story, that I'd happily hand him my whole stack of classics to
remix. A beautifully crafted novel, and a gift to those of us still
looking for a home in literature's most celebrated tomes." --Tehlor
Kay Mejia, bestselling author of We Set the Dark on Fire "Hits all
the highlights of Austen's classic novel while adapting it to
include queerness and reframing it for a teen audience." --NPR
"This triumphant queer and trans retelling of Pride and Prejudice
holds and cares for its readers, offering a gentle story during an
especially difficult period in history for those outside the norm.
The relationship between Darcy and Oliver is tender and rooted in
mutual compassion. For every reader who fell in love with Pride and
Prejudice but wished it was a little more queer." --Booklist
"A beautiful blend of wit, romance, and self discovery, Most
Ardently is a must read." --Kels, bookseller at Mysterious Galaxy
Bookstore (San Diego, CA) "Fleshing out the familial and platonic
love found in the original novel, Most Ardently is an ode to
historical LGBTQ+ people and a hopeful queer future, providing a
thoughtful exploration of solidarity and the rebellion of
authenticity." --Grace Enright, bookseller at The Bookstore of Glen
Ellyn (Glen Ellyn, IL) "At times heartbreaking and full of warmth,
this retelling is everything it promises to be. It is a charming
and wonderful read for anyone who enjoys classic literature,
Regency romances, and LGBTQIA+ works. ... This book is certainly
'sweep you off your feet' worthy." --The Historical Novel Society
"Entertaining and fast paced." --Kirkus Reviews
"There is much this book does well, including the historical
details of clothing being used to highlight both Oliver's
discomfort when wearing women's attire and his euphoric freedom
when wearing men's outfits. ... Queer people living full, happy
lives have too often been erased from history, and this book is a
fine attempt to paint them back into the picture." --The Bulletin
"If you're an Austenphile or simply someone who was forced to read
her work in high school, you'll enjoy Most Ardently: A Pride &
Prejudice Remix. If you like queer stories, particularly about gay
trans guys, you'll like it. Are you a fan of both? Well, then,
you'll adore this lovely novel." --Geek Girl Authority
Praise for Remixed Classics: "Lee (the Sidekick Squad series)
elegantly situates Robert Louis Stevenson's 1882 Treasure Island
against a richly embroidered Qing dynasty backdrop in this
carefully crafted queer interpretation. ... Inspired by female
pirate Zheng Yi Sao, this deeply immersive adventure features
deftly interwoven Chinese and Vietnamese, luscious culinary
descriptions, and well-rendered explorations of imperialism,
treasure, found family, and love." --Publishers Weekly, starred
review, on A Clash of Steel: A Treasure Island Remix by C.B. Lee
"'Fun' doesn't even begin to describe this rich and imaginative
retelling of Treasure Island. ... It's obvious that this book was a
labor of love, which made it all the more enjoyable to read. Pirate
stories don't get much better than this." --Hypable, on A Clash of
Steel: A Treasure Island Remix by C.B. Lee "Morrow's ability to
take the lingering stain of slavery on American history and use it
as a catalyst for unbreakable love and resilience is flawless. That
she has remixed a canonical text to do so only further illuminates
the need to critically question who holds the pen in telling our
nation's story." --Booklist, starred review, on So Many Beginnings:
A Little Women Remix by Bethany C. Morrow "Impressive ... Via
delicately written characterizations, each March woman exemplifies
the notion that the wounds of bondage don't disappear simply
because freedom is at hand, and the racist catalyst of enslavement
doesn't disappear with the stroke of a pen, as a beloved story
gains new meaning through the lens of enduring Black resilience,
love, and hope." --Publishers Weekly, starred review, on So Many
Beginnings: A Little Women Remix by Bethany C. Morrow "Rousing ...
Wholly original in its cultural perspective and its centering of
strong female characters. ... By creating an almost all-female
cast, Safi makes women the heart of her story at a time when they
were seen as a 'bargaining chip.'" --Shelf Awareness, starred
review, on Travelers Along the Way: A Robin Hood Remix by Aminah
Mae Safi "In Travelers Along the Way, Safi has assembled the
perfect team to steal my heart. This is the thoughtful,
thought-provoking, and wildly fun retelling of Robin Hood you've
been waiting for!" --Kiersten White, New York Times-bestselling
author of And I Darken, on Travelers Along the Way: A Robin Hood
Remix by Aminah Mae Safi "A gorgeously reclaimed Gothic.
Atmospheric and incisive, What Souls Are Made Of cuts deep into the
question of identity and the ghosts of legacy haunting these
windswept moors. I'm a Tasha Suri fan for life." --Chloe Gong, New
York Times-bestselling author of These Violent Delights, on What
Souls Are Made Of: A Wuthering Heights Remix by Tasha Suri "This
remix of Wuthering Heights is an epic piece of historical fiction,
and a testament to Suri's incredible storytelling skills."
--Buzzfeed, on What Souls Are Made Of: A Wuthering Heights Remix by
Tasha Suri "McLemore's triumphant retelling is for anyone who read
The Great Gatsby and thought, this book needs to be much gayer ...
In this satisfying, emotional journey that celebrates love, family,
friendship, identity, and forging one's own path, McLemore captures
the spirit of the original while adding nuance and depth, setting a
new bar for what a great retelling can be." --Booklist, starred
review, on Self-Made Boys: A Great Gatsby Remix by Anna-Marie
McLemore "Compelling and satisfying for Gatsby fans, critics, and
neophytes alike, avoiding and subverting tropes and giving the main
quartet the happy endings they deserve. In this absolutely stunning
work, McLemore delivers their signature lyrical prose and rich
symbolism. ... Richy imagined, fiercely tender, and achingly
beautiful. --Kirkus Reviews, starred review, on Self-Made Boys: A
Great Gatsby Remix by Anna-Marie McLemore "Addressing invisibility,
power, and passion, Bayron's updated classic simmers with Gothic
imagery, romance, and a robust exploration of what it means to be
whole. A vibrant retelling." --Kirkus Reviews, on My Dear Henry: A
Jekyll & Hyde Remix by Kalynn Bayron "Part of the exquisite Remixed
Classics series, this take on Jekyll & Hyde is more proof that
Bayron is a must-read YA author." --Buzzfeed, on My Dear Henry: A
Jekyll & Hyde Remix by Kalynn Bayron "An exquisite reimagining ...
Honors the source material while bringing new meaning to
Shakespeare's work. Romeo, Valentine, Juliet, and the entirety of
Roehrig's cast of characters are true gems, each sparkling with
wit, determination, and most of all, love for one another."
--Lillie Lainoff, bestselling author of All For One, on Teach the
Torches to Burn: A Romeo & Juliet Remix by Caleb Roehrig
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