| Title | : | Northranger |
| Author | : | |
| Rating | : | |
| ISBN | : | - |
| Format Type | : | Paperback |
| Number of Pages | : | 240 |
| Publication | : | Expected publication June 6, 2023 |
Northranger Reviews
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This was such a delightful retelling of Northanger Abbey!
(sidenote: this is me manifesting this year I'm gonna read this Jane Austen book, if only because this graphic novel is so convincing.)
I love LGBT graphic novels and simply must consume them all, at this point.
And I also love the Henries - I humbly request a sequel with Henri getting her own little gay story because she gives lesbian vibes. -
(Full disclosure: I received a free e-ARC for review through Edelweiss. Content warning for depictions of homophobia, sexism, racism, and animal cruelty.)
Sixteen-year-old Cade Muñoz loves horror movies. Not only are they a connection to a father who is no longer around, but they're an escape for a closeted queer kid growing up in rural Texas: a "safe space" wherein the entire audience shares the same sense of terror, if only for ninety minutes. All Cade wants to do with his summer vacation is retreat into the darkness of the theater and binge-watch his favorite movies from the comfort of his own home.
But finances are tight, and when his stepdad Dale lands a job working at his former General's ranch for the summer, Cade is recruited to help. In between hauling hay and shoveling horse poop, Cade gets to know the Tyler kids: eighteen-year-old twins, Henry and Henrietta (Henri for short). Cade and Henry quickly bond over their affinity for horror films and, before long, Cade finds himself falling for this seemingly straight, white, rich, cis boy. But Henry is harboring a secret of his own - and possibly more than one.
As the Muñoz-Jordan family is welcomed into the Tyler fold, Cade begins to suspect that something sinister lurks below the Tylers' picture-perfect surface - and that Henry might be at the center of a string of murders. Why else wouldn't the General want him creeping around the west wing of Northranger, the family's second home on the lake?
Based on Jane Austen's NORTHANGER ABBEY, NORTHRANGER is a gothic-flavored mystery wherein the protagonist's (overactive and reasonably anxious) imagination quickly spirals out of control, revealing danger and conspiracy around every corner. Of course, as a gay kid growing up in a red state ("Texas Chainsaw Massacre country"), Cade's suspicion isn't entirely unfounded - simply existing during a time of anti-LGBTQ fervor is in fact both dangerous and terrifying. Austen's fictional story and current political realities dovetail in a rather unsettling way.
NORTHRANGER is an engaging, compelling graphic novel; I highly enjoyed the storytelling and artwork. The mystery is creepy enough, and I loved spending time with Cade, Henry, and Henri; they're all really complex and interesting characters. There's also some great representation to be found here.
I'm writing this review on 2/14 (Valentines Day ugh), and I'm pretty confident in saying that NORTHRANGER will go down as one of my favorite reads of the year. -
Inspired by Jane Austen's
Northanger Abbey and the author's childhood in Texas, this two-toned graphic novel combines a lot of great elements! An unexpected yet budding romance is subjected to a significant amount of suspicion and suspense, providing a new spin on the old "will they, won't they" trope. I found myself hooked!
Thanks to NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for this ARC! Coming June 2023. -
Graphic novels are my absolute favorite. Looking at pictures while a story unfolds will always make me happy. When I saw Northranger I immediately knew I was going to be in for a treat. And thankfully I was not disappointed.
I was enthralled from start to finish. It had the dark elements while keeping it light and hopeful. It showed how sometimes nothing is okay but that doesn’t mean it’ll always be like that. Also, I’m usually very critical about how books will portray grief and mourning but I felt like this graphic did a really good job with it. Henry had a lot of issues and when you lose someone very close to you you tend to have a lot of issues. In my opinion I thought how Henry was portrayed was done really well. Cade definitely could’ve swung at Henry a few times and I would’ve cheered.
Wasn’t a huge supporter of some of the characters but I did like the themes that were present. I thought it touched a lot of important topics that should be discussed and seen. This was an excellent graphic and I can’t wait for it to be published. -
The main character's last name is Muñoz, the same as mine. OF COURSE I'm going to want to read this book when it comes out! Partly kidding; the book does sound really good.
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5/5 stars! I loved this so much.
Short and sweet, Northranger takes us on a journey of love and heartbreak as we follow Cade, a gay Mexican boy navigating life in rural Texas as he goes to work on the Tyler Ranch to help his family finances, and Henry, the sweet but mysterious Tyler son who's obviously hiding something.
I really enjoyed this and finished it in about an hour. I loved the character designs; there was an innate sweetness to them and the setting that didn't distract from the overall themes. Cade and Henry were absolutely adorable, but also so messy and utterly human. My heart broke and mended right along with them. Their struggles are so familiar to any of us who have navigated being queer in the world.
I have no complaints except that it was so short. I would definitely read more of all of these characters anytime. Just lovely. -
Cade’s story is surprisingly deep for a graphic novel, especially one that leaves you feeling hopeful by the end. Also being a queer kid from Texas with a dead dad, I felt for Cade during his journey through grief, navigating family dynamics, queerness in Texas, first dates, and discrimination.
I loved that Cade and Henry bonded over horror movies, it really set them apart from other couples I’ve read about.
Bre Indigo is a killer illustrator and the way they brought Abilene, the ranch, and particularly the firefly scene was beautiful and captivating. The firefly scene specifically captured the magic of a Texas summer in a way that I’m not sure I’ve ever seen before. -
Probs closer to four stars, but I cried so I’ll bump it up. I was very pleasantly surprised by this graphic novel; I thought it was very interesting and I mean it in a good way! I felt very invested in the story and I think the setting grounded in rural Texas really made the story work. I sometimes forget, because I existed in an ~unaware state~ about my own sexuality until I was an adult, that so many queer kids know who they are and understand that the world doesn’t always welcome them at very young ages. While my (un)awareness of queerness as a kid stemmed from the lack of visible queerness in my rural, Midwestern hometown—for me that environment translated to never questioning, never understanding myself and kind of ended there. That said, I never experienced what it was like to know you were hated as a high schooler, as a middle schooler, or even younger. I think this novel handled that beautifully and with care. Especially given recent laws rolling out throughout the US and especially in the South this was honestly a really heartbreaking read to me. A side aspect to this was that the incorporation of horror, and specifically queer connection to the horror genre was suuuuch a good part of the storyline. Queer as monster, and monster as not understood—specifically in this setting and context?! I just felt that for a YA graphic novel they were able to pack a lot into barely 200 pages. A fun retelling (even if I haven’t read the original), and though I didn’t love every individual part of this—there are some points I wish got wrapped up more and perhaps some behaviors I didn’t want to be excused or glossed over as much—the overall gn really will stick with me for a minute. In conclusion I wanna go give every queer kid in the world a big hug and also kick the shit out of every bigot trying to make queer lives harder.
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I kinda waffled back and forth about whether to give this one 3 or 4 stars. Again, I really wish these rating systems did half stars too. Anyway, there were some great parts to this book. The teenage angst was on point, I loved Cade's interest in horror movies which I can identify with, but especially loved how he later on in the book related horror movies to the feeling of being a a queer teen in Texas. I had never thought of that before. There were some characters I didn't love. The little sister was beyond annoying, Cade's mom was utterly unfair, and trigger warning for Cade's stepdad for homophobic speaking. I liked Henry and was annoyed at him for being hot and cold so much but his later explanations helped. Other characters were okay. The "mystery" was like a red herring, but reading the author's explanation helped with my confusion. While this wasn't a horror story per se, it was still interesting and relevant. 3.5!
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thanks to netgalley for the arc -
I can't say I've ever thought I would read a gothic romance novel in graphic novel form, but it mostly works. It was a bit more cozy fireside than the horror story I initially thought it was going to be though, which was my biggest complaint.
Cade and Henry are enjoyable as protagonists, and their relationship may be frustratingly slow at times but it comes together nicely in the end. The rest of the characters verge from uninteresting to infuriating though. Someone needs to slap Cade's step dad and I'm still team fuck him even after the ending.
The art style is great, I loved the two tone sepia coloring. It adds a lot to the atmosphere of the book, and the character art had me nostalgic for the early 2000's.
My biggest complaint is that the horror is more ~vibes~ rather than horror. It's decidedly more on the romance side of a gothic romance, and one of the reasons I requested it was because it was filed under both lgbt AND horror. It's not the authors fault though, so I can't knock it too much for not being what I expected. -
Thank you Harper collins for a copy in exchange for an honest review.
For me this was just ok. I loved the Latinx and gay representation but the story fell a little flat for me. It was cute but not something that will stick with me after I’ve read it. I do think other will love it. It deals with racism, homophobia, family conflict and fist love.
Cw
Homophobia
Racism
Emotional abuse
Alcoholism
Death of a parent -
In a word: adorable! This fresh take on Northanger Abbey by Jane Austen is sweet, heartfelt, lightly spooky, and deeply compassionate. Taking place in a rural area of Texas, Northranger plays both upon the fear of the supernatural and the fear of being forced out of the closet and bullied. I adored the complex take on family, loyalty, and young love - plus the art style was simple but expressive. Highly recommended to fans of "Heartstopper", "Mooncakes" and fans of cozy vibes.
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I liked it but I kind of wish it were longer? The finished graphics are going to be gorgeous though, and I loved the mix of romance and mystery. The end felt super unresolved to me, especially between Henry and his dad.
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3,5*
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More reviews (and no fluff) on the blog
The visuals are clean and make a solid complement to an uncomplicated and sweet story. Author Terciero's inspiration is Jane Austen's Northanger Abbey and its tale of a hero who reads too many gothic horror novels and then mistakes everything for danger. But don't worry - this isn't a scary book in that regard: what we have isn't a horror novel so much as a story about a Latinx teen going through the angst of growing up gay in rural Texas.
http://surrealtalvi.wordpress.com/
Story: Cade feels alone - hiding his attraction to boys to make sure he isn't the victim of homophobic violence. When his stepfather takes him to spend a Summer working at a real ranch, Cade has nothing but disgust: no more trips to the movies to see old horror movies and instead spending his precious vacation days shoveling manure and lugging feed bags. But that changes when he meets the ranch owners kids: twins Henry and Henrietta. Henry especially stirs up feelings that Cade knows he should suppress; yet there is something mysterious about the other boy and especially his family and all the deaths surrounding them. Cade soon begins to feel that he has been sent to star in his own horror movie - one he may not survive!
The story is very lighthearted and has a feel-good vibe. I liked the diversity represented and some of the characters were very fun (love her or hate her, I found his little sister cute). This doesn't get as dark as Austen's Northanger Abbey and instead focuses in on the frustrations of rural life: the homophobia, racism, and general intolerances. Most of the story is set at the farm and about the budding relationship between Henry and Cade.
The illustration work is very clean and these are perhaps the most adorable horses you will ever see drawn. Ironically, that cuteness kind of killed any chance of believing the innuendos suggesting Henry and his military dad might have killed anyone. So it was an eye rolling set of moments at least alleviated by the solid illustration work. Most of the book is in a sepia color scheme rather than full color, giving a good tonality to the overall story.
In all, this was a very enjoyable graphic novel. It has a complete arc and ends on a good moment. If Love, Simon was a graphic novel, this would be it. And who doesn't love a good Jane Austen inspired story? Reviewed from an advance reader copy provided by the publisher.
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Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for the free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. My opinion was not affected by the free copy.
This was a very charming graphic novel that modernized Northanger Abbey by Jane Austen. I'll be honest that I'm not a very big Austen fan. I just can't really get into her writing. I mainly requested this because the cover grabbed my interest and I like stories about ranches/farms. I'm prefacing this to make it obvious I haven't read the book this is modernizing, so I'm not sure how closely it follows plot beats and character growth.
I suspect that most of the issues I have with this either come from the source material, or are an unfortunate by-product of the genre this is trying to imitate. This isn't horror but it's supposed to have horror elements in it, so stuff like overhearing vaguely ominous conversations and things like that are expected. I just felt a little uncomfortable whenever the minor (Cade) was alone with the drunk man spewing hate speech. A lot of the misunderstandings that led up to the climax really could have been resolved-- especially concerning the drunk guy. The thing with Bella could have also been dealt with a lot better. The girl was throwing herself all over Henry and he made no effort to stop her, and there's no explanation as to why. Henri says "why don't you ask him" and I'm thinking "why don't YOU ask him?! You're his sister!"
Despite knowing this was a graphic novel, I do feel like part of the atmosphere is lost because of the medium. As readers, we're more separated from Cade as he becomes more paranoid and frightened, and I feel like a lot is lost because of that. Maybe the visual medium could have worked with this, making the scenes look more warped and frightening as Cade's emotional state was heightened. As it was, there was some disconnect between what I think the author wanted us to experience as readers through Cade and what was being shown to us through the visuals.
That being said, the art style is actually very nice. I thought it was laid out well and all the characters had good expressions. I also liked all the characters and how they grew through the story. As someone who is not a fan of Austen, I am a little tempted to read the original story now. There is a LOT of talking when again, the visuals could have helped more in telling the story. As I said, it is still charming and I enjoyed it a lot, but I do feel like more could have been done with the medium. -
[ I received a digital copy from netgalley for an honest review]
I am always looking for new queer graphic novels for me and my teen to enjoy together. I quickly requested this one because I love cowboys, I love spooky, and this has a diverse cast.
Northranger follows Latin teen Cade Muñoz as he spends his super vacation with his stepfather at a ranch. This is the last summer job he wants but money is tight and his mother doesn't give him a choice. The ranch's owners are a family that seems to be hiding a fair share of secrets. Cade works alongside fellow teen Henry and the closer they get, he discovers Henry is also gay and they become boyfriends on the down low. Neither boy is out and they live in Texas surrounded by bigotry, racism, and homophobia. Slowly, horror movie obsessed Cade's mind gets the best of him when the secrets at the ranch piles up and he can't help but think the worst. His accusations result in him coming out to his family and their surprising support, but also destroy what he's built with Henry.
I loved the art style, I loved the characters, and I loved the story. The story, which is quite heavy at times and doesn't sugar coat the racism and homophobia or the south. Our darling Cade who just feels so alone has to deal with slurs and homophobic comments throughout the novel. Then we have poor Henry, who has been taught to hate who he is and that there's something wrong with him being gay. Yet amongst the heavy there are moments of hope and characters that bring acceptance to Cade's life. From Henry's sister and friend to Cade's own family when he finally comes out to them.
Overall, I think Northranger by Rey Terciero is a great graphic novel for queer teens looking for a relatable story that shows the heavy but also gives our two boys a happy ending. A queer teen graphic novel filled with farm chores, family, horror movie marathons, first dates, summer love, acceptance, saying your sorry and the forgiveness that can follow. -
This captivating graphic novel adds to the growing catalog of queer-representation, #OwnVoices young adult reads. 16-year-old Cade Muñoz, an avid fan of horror movies, finds himself thrust into his own version of a horror story - having to go and work on a ranch with his step-father for an entire summer! It doesn't hurt that the rancher's son, Henry, is kind and compelling and cute to boot. But can Cade look past the secrets and uncertainties surrounding Henry and his family, for the sake of a burgeoning romance?
I loved everything about this graphic novel, but I should first offer some trigger warnings - which the author is kind enough to provide the reader, as well. Be aware that this book includes instances of homophobia, misogyny, racism, and animal cruelty. That said, each is handled with grace.
All of the characters in this book were so relatable. Cade embodies what it is to be a young queer person, especially growing up in a very conservative region of the United States. The analogy the author draws between the queer experience and the horror genre is absolutely masterful, and not to be missed.
Rey Terciero is so good at incorporating strong female characters into his stories - in the form of Cade's mother, working hard to provide for her family while caring for her elderly mother, his younger step-sister who never hesitates to speak her mind, and Henry's sister, Henri, who is equal parts empathetic, strong, and capable (but do NOT call her Henrietta!).
I also loved how the author handled intersectionality. He addresses issues of class, race, sexuality, and mental health, and the way those different aspects of a person and their community intersect.
And how wonderful, to discover this novel was in fact inspired by the Jane Austen novel, Northanger Abbey! What a clever and interesting twist on a classic tale. I give Northranger a solid 5/5 stars, and I will absolutely be acquiring a copy of this book for our library. -
**Disclaimer: I received a free electronic ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.**
This was a charming read accompanied by amazing illustrations. Despite this, and all the cute moments, I wasn't blown away by it. I've never read Jane Austen's Northanger Abbey so I'm not sure how much of the inspiration from that work was incorporated into the story.
To be honest, I was expecting/wanting more horror in the story. The way it was used and what it inevitably ended up contributing to the story wasn't really what I expected. The build-up didn't really go far. I was also not a big fan of the conflict/reveal towards the end either, mostly because it could've easily been solved if Cade had spoken to the right people.
Aside from that, I really liked the representation. There was a wide range of it too, from sexuality, race, and family. You witness the homophobia(and a bit of racism) sprinkled throughout the story and you feel and see how it affects Cade. Now the characters, they were okay. Cade, Henry, and Henri were probably the best ones, and the rest I didn't really care much for. Either they weren't fleshed out enough or they just weren't interesting enough to care about.
Overall, it was still a good read. If anything, it made me curious about reading Jane Austen's Northanger Abbey.
Overall rating: 3.5/5 -
A queer retelling of Jane Austen’s Northanger Abbey.
🐴
Cade Munoz is a 16-year-old obsessed with scary movies. Unfortunately there’s not many movie theaters where he’s spending the summer. He and his stepdad are going to work at Tyler Ranch to make some money, but Cade is a city boy through and through. When he gets to the ranch he meets Henry and Henri, twins who welcome him, but despite that he hates every moment of shoving horse poop and waking up at 4:30AM. After a romance begins to bloom between Cade and Henry, Cade notices a lot of secrets in their family, especially when they visit their summer home: Northranger. Is it Cade’s overactive imagination getting away from him or did something sinister happen at this house to the twin’s mother?
😱
I’m loving that Rex is publishing these graphic novel classic literature retellings. If you haven’t read Meg, Jo, Beth and Amy or Swan Lake: Quest for the Kingdoms yet, do it now. I can’t wait for Dona Quixote and Dan of Green Gables! All my students who are obsessed with Heartstopper AND living in Texas like the characters will love this YA adaptation when it releases June 6!
CW: homophobia, misogyny, racism, cancer, parental death, violence, animal cruelty, domestic violence, grief, suicide ideation, anger issues -
Thanks HaperAlley and NetGalley for this eARC, these opinions are my own. I enjoyed this graphic novel a lot! Cade’s parents insist that he works as a ranch hand for the summer and once there he meets Henry and Henri Tyler the ranch owners twin children. Ordinarily this would be a problem but Cade has a secret, he’s gay, and very attracted to Henry. But soon Cade will find out he’s not the only one with a secret, the Tyler’s have secrets of their own, and they may just involve murder. Can Cade figure out what is going on before it’s too late? Will his con toon to Henry get in the way of the truth? I love the mixture of rom com and horror that Rey Terciero combines in this novel! Both Cade and Henry are lovable protagonists and you have just he right mix of side characters to keep you guessing as to how it’s all going to end up! This novel as a little bit of everything, blossoming romance, intrigue, horror, homophobia, racism, loneliness. It would probably see like o much in one book but Rey manages to fit all the pieces to create a beautiful queer story, one the a lot of the LGBTQIA+ community can relate to! Bre Indigo’s artwork is also stunning! I can’t wait to read this again when it comes out!
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Thanks HaperAlley and NetGalley for this eARC, these opinions are my own. I enjoyed this graphic novel a lot! Cade’s parents insist that he works as a ranch hand for the summer and once there he meets Henry and Henri Tyler the ranch owners twin children. Ordinarily this would be a problem but Cade has a secret, he’s gay, and very attracted to Henry. But soon Cade will find out he’s not the only one with a secret, the Tyler’s have secrets of their own, and they may just involve murder. Can Cade figure out what is going on before it’s too late? Will his con toon to Henry get in the way of the truth? I love the mixture of rom com and horror that Rey Terciero combines in this novel! Both Cade and Henry are lovable protagonists and you have just he right mix of side characters to keep you guessing as to how it’s all going to end up! This novel as a little bit of everything, blossoming romance, intrigue, horror, homophobia, racism, loneliness. It would probably see like o much in one book but Rey manages to fit all the pieces to create a beautiful queer story, one the a lot of the LGBTQIA+ community can relate to! Bre Indigo’s artwork is also stunning! I can’t wait to read this again when it comes out!
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A fantastic story of learning to live and love as your authentic self no matter who or what is stopping you.
As an LGBTQ+ member from South Texas this graphic novel hit very close to home. The racism, the homophobia- it was present in my youth and its still present to this day. Friends, strangers and even family act just as the adults in this graphic novel did and even with the increase in media presence and representation they continue to be bigots.
Cade and Henry are like looking in to mirrors. Myself and my friends facing the same struggles of acceptance from others and learning to accept ourselves in a world/area that would rather beat us down than show even an ounce of love or kindness.
I do think the misunderstanding/miscommunication is a little rushed in the reveal at the end of this but as we're getting the story through the eyes of confused teens it makes sense that they would struggle to open and properly communicate.
This was a beautiful graphic novel and I would honestly love a second volume to see how everyone is doing after a small time skip. The characters are so great in this, definitely a graphic novel I will recommend to everyone! -
this was a decent graphic novel and modern adaptation of “northanger abbey,” and i liked how the author adapted the story and characters for modern day. the art was also great for the story and setting.
my one complaint with graphic novels is that it’s really hard to make three-dimensional characters and subtle plot cues with mostly just dialogue and images. a lot of the dialogue felt very info-dumpy or overly narrative, and a lot of the stuff at the end of the plot was rushed through and felt like the end of a 90s after-school special. (“so what did we all learn today, kids? let’s each go around and talk about the mistakes we made and what we’ll do next time, in an orderly and not-at-all-scripted fashion.”)
so most of the shortcomings of this story lay in its format for me. i’m not a huge graphic novel person, but i do still have some that i love. i think this story would be better if it had been told in a traditional narrative.
thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an eARC in exchange for an honest review! -
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC!
This graphic novel, inspired by Northanger Abbey by Jane Austin, centers around Cade, a gay 16-year-old living in rural Texas who loves horror movies. Money is tight so he and his step-father Dale leave to go work on a ranch for the summer, owned by Dale's former General from the military. There he meets Henry and Henri(etta) Tyler, the General's teenage twins that show him the ropes of the ranch. As he falls for Henry, Cade learns of the dark secrets that seem to linger around the Tylers and their summer house Northranger.
This one was such a rollercoaster! The suspense was done very well, I couldn't figure out if it was actually going to go down the horror route or not until the twist was revealed. You could really relate with Cade and his fears about being queer in Texas and how it should be okay but how hard it is when it seems like you're the only one where you live. It deals with some serious topics like grief, depression, and homophobia, as well as being religious (from Henry). The characters felt so real and messy and it was such a great read with fantastic art as well. -
Northranger by Rey Terciero is such an adorable read. This graphic novel has everything that you could want as a reader. It's adorable, it will make you smile, and the mystery of this story is going to keep you hooked until the last panel is read.
This novel is a reimagined Northanger Abbey by Jane Austen and although I personally haven't read that classic, Rey Teciero's story makes me want to discover that story so it will enhance my love of Northranger. This story is progressive as well as there are family conversations around gender identity, sexual orientation, and even difficult family relationships. This graphic novel is perfect for fans of Heartstopper and I know you will enjoy it! Check it out! -
I loved this graphic novel retelling of North Ranger Abbey. The story walks the reader through Cade’s experiences as a queer boy in Texas and how he pushes through his insecurities and fears with horror movies. Who doesn’t like a good horror movie as a way to escape? The romance between Cade and Henry is sweet, doesn’t take over the story. Experiencing the stress and anxiety Henry has being a gay young man comes across the page through both the author’s words and the illustrations, which i really liked! The acceptance of the boys by both the sisters was especially heartwarming. To have the support of family is super important. Students will definitely gravitate towards this book, just like they do with Heartstopper.
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What a tender-hearted tale about loving yourself and being honest. Cade and Henry both have their own trauma to work through but being a gay teen is Texas is a hardship they share. It shouldn’t be hard to be true to yourself but even in an age of acceptance unlike any other it can be scary and dangerous to be queer. It’s not fair. This story hits close to home and strikes an all too familiar cord for anybody who is different. Despite some heavy emotional topics it’s also lighthearted and humorous at times, making it an enjoyable and pretty graphic novel.
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thank you to netgalley for giving me a copy of this in exchange for an honest review
the premise of this story immediately grabbed my attention - a teenager who watches so many horror movies, he starts to believe his own life is one. this happens to be the reason I dont let myself watch horror movies (I'm paranoid enough as is)
this was fun and creepy, and it also touches on important issues. the characters and writing were great, I absolutely loved this!! and of course, the art was incredible -
I've been excited for this one from the second I saw it on NetGalley, and it did not disappoint at all. This was a tender-hearted update of one of my favorite Austen novels, and it makes very clever use of Northanger Abbey's motif of unspeakable secrets to comment on the closet and on LGBTQ affinity for horror in a way that was right up my alley.
That said...can YA authors please, for all that is holy, stop using Sixteen "racism and SA-played for laughs" Candles as a metric for "good romcom." Please. I am begging. Because it fractures my brain every single time.
