Epically Ernest by Molly Horan

It takes great deal of courage to see the world in all its tainted glory, and still to love it.—Oscar Wilde, An Ideal Husband

I was unsure about how The Importance of Being Ernest would translate into a contemporary YA novel and was pleasantly surprised by Epically Ernest! Plenty of wit and pop culture references combined with found family vibes (literally. Janey was found by her father as a baby) to create a heartwarming book that made me smile inside and out.

There’s just not a more concise way to tell my cousin who’s still waiting for his Mr. Darcy that Algie is more like Mr. Wickham. (Location 264)

Besides questions about whether to search for her biological family and ask out a friend she's been crushing on for years, Janey also struggles with wanting to support her best friend Algie (who she is trying really hard not to slut shame for his dating habits) in his pursuit of her cousin Cecil. 

Lots of people are a bad “blank” without that badness coloring the entirety of their person. (Location 290)

Her reflections about people being a bad "blank" not making them a bad person actually really hit me. I tend to judge myself and sometimes others too harshly and this simple statement was a perfect reminder.

My favorite parts were the quotes from Oscar Wilde at the beginning of each chapter and Janey's "living obituaries" written about the characters. Obituaries about people who are still alive may sound morbid, but in fact were incredibly sincere and touching. I also enjoyed that the book was about LGBT+ teens without focusing on them discovering their sexuality and coming out. Those are also great stories to read, but it's nice having a contemporary YA romance where the characters just happen to be queer.

One gripe I have is with the DNA setup (science teacher alert). In the first chapter, Janey's friend Algie admits to "stealing her spit" to send off in the hopes of finding her long-lost family. Unless something has changed in the last couple years, DNA testing companies require more spit than what could easily be "stolen." Why? It's not the saliva but cheek and other cells in the spit that contain the DNA. So that broke my immersion.

Otherwise, I highly recommend this to anyone wanting a quick, light, read that will make them laugh and warm their heart. 

Thanks to NetGalley and Clarion Books for the eARC!

Rating: 4/5 stars