9 March 2025
Teen Librarian
Teen Librarian
I Shall Never Fall in Love by Hari Conner
I Shall Never Fall in Love is a touching rendition of classic Victorian novels, beautifully combining classic Austenian prose with relevant queer history. It follows Eleanor on her journey to find a man to fall in love with. A rather trying thing for her, as she's always been much more attached to her closest friend George. In turn, George is doing their best to juggle their inheritance of the family estate and what it takes to keep it and their name intact, all while disguising two tremulous secrets. Their proclivity, for dressing in men's clothes, and their feelings for their dearest companion Eleanor.
I loved this book. It's a fantastic take on classic Victorian romance, and the characters struggles are grounded in current issues. I relate with George's struggle with gender presentation and will freely admit that plenty of my love for this graphic novel stems from how it represents gender dysphoria incredibly well. The characters designs are fantastic, and the colors are beautiful. I love the art, the writing, the plot, all of it!
One of the things that struck me about this book is the way it's not just about the romance. It also touches on some of the interesting political topics for the period, such as George's struggle to maintain his family's land, and Eleanor's constant worry about disappointing her mother's memory.
Reviewed by Posey J. Tuckahoe
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