Inspired by Oscar Wilde’s beloved play "The Importance of Being Earnest," "Epically Earnest" follows high school senior, Jane Worthing and her journey of self-identity and finding her family.

Jane's once known as #bagbaby as a viral internet sensation when she was literally a baby, is now facing an even bigger task: growing up. She questions whether or not to look for her biological family while harboring a crush on her best friend's cousin, Gwen, who's much too out of Jane's league for her liking.

3.5
i love a good a book with a queer cast of characters, the plot was fun , the characters were adorable and it was all in all a heartfelt book , though it has its low moments and places where i lost interest a bit , the book in all was a fairly simple yet fun read and i would really recommend it to people who are looking for a good lgbtq+ rep'd book this month or later .

4.25 Stars

Thank you to Netgalley and Clarion Books for the arc of this book!

In this queer retelling of The Importance of Being Earnest, Jane searches for the family she's never known, while keeping the one she has...and maybe getting the girl while she's at it. Don't forget the added element of her best friend dating her cousin! The drama.

This is lighthearted and sweet. It's very cute and doesn't take itself too seriously. I really like Jane and her cousin but am less sold on Algie and Gwen....probably because of the wild amounts of monetary privilege they have that aren't really addressed much. I don't have a ton of memory about the source material--The Importance of Being Earnest--as I read it a long time ago, but it seems to be kind of a loose retelling from what I remember.

I do think that this was cute and it is nice to have some queer stories where the characters can just be messy and happy and not have to go through anything too traumatizing. Also no queerphobia even though all the major characters are queer! So that is definitely a plus.

A big fat minus for the totally unnecessary and worthless HP reference though.

Content Warnings
Moderate: Abandonment
Minor: Injury/injury detail, Vomit, and Blood

I recently read The Importance of Being Earnest so that I could see how much of this story is connected to the original source material, but this is very readable on its own. The only connections were character names and the bag baby background story.

Despite the fact that I would have appreciated a few more references to the work of Oscar Wilde, I still really enjoyed this! It was very limited in terms of angst, and I mean very limited. Like almost none. This book mostly just revolved around the relationships between the characters, and I am nothing if not a sucker for character driven stories. The chemistry between Jane and her love interest was great, as was that of the side couple.

Along with those relationships, the storyline about Jane's adoption and her connections to different families was really interesting to read about, and well done in my opinion. I think I would've appreciated a bit more development on this end of the book, but I still enjoyed it nonetheless.

If you're looking for something short and sweet, I definitely recommend Epically Earnest!

“Just so you have it in French, in Italian, in pop culture - Je t’aime, te amo, As you wish.”

Having never once read Oscar Wilde’s infamous play, I had no idea what I was getting myself into in this adaptation. But I was immediately envelopped in heart-felt writing filled with immense friendships, the journey of finding one’s self, and some wonderful pop culture references. I loved this book for every step it took from the standard YA romance/contemporary formulas and found myself refreshed, and often teary eyed, at the sincerity of this story.

The YA market needs more romance books where relationships are early and healthy and where each partner brings out the best in each other and makes the reader know that true loves comes in all forms - family, friends, where you live - and should always be there to support you.

I look forward to Molly Horan’s future works and hope we get some more Victorian literature adaptations in future years.

TBH just kinda bland, I skimmed alot of it. I liked the friendships alot more than the romantic relationships. Overall didn’t spark any strong emotions in me, I didn’t love itI didn’t hate it

Thank you to NetGalley and Clairon Books for an early release of Epically Earnest for in exchange of an honest review. Overall I thought this was a super cute book, but it lacked a depth for me that I usually search for in books. However I do think that this was a great read for pride month and I would definitely recommend this to others.

I received an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley and am voluntarily posting a review.
This book looked promising, but I wasn’t wowed by it. The romance is all right, but I feel like I wanted more out of the characters, especially with Janey having such a big setup with her backstory and not much payoff. I’m not sure how much of that is reflective of The Importance of Being Earnest, but it’s like a big issue was brought up then brushed aside for the superficial teen stuff. And fluffy teen stuff is fine, if it wasn’t given in exchange for a promise of a deeper arc.

Molly Horan's novel Earnestly Earnest, inspired by Oscar Wilde's THE IMPORTANCE OF BEING EARNEST, was an exciting and refreshing novel about 18-year-old Jane Worthing. It is a coming-of-age tale about love and identity, as well as what it means to be authentically yourself. The characters were incredibly vivid; the writing was excellent. This is one of those books that keeps you up until dawn.

In EPICALLY EARNEST, a coming of age inspired by Oscar Wilde's THE IMPORTANCE OF BEING EARNEST, 18 year-old Jane Worthing yearns for answers about her biological family while navigating a practically life-long crush on her best friend's cousin.

I was hooked by this book from the very first chapter, I believe. Actually, the first line. I know it's such an easy compliment but the writing in this book was phenomenal. Truly, most of my appreciation relied on it.

The official summary of this book was already super vague in terms of plot, so I didn't have any expectations when going into it. That was good on my part because there isn't much of one! Just vibes, gayness and pure coming of age themes. It was right up my alley, but I understand it might not be someone else's, which is why I thought of mentioning it!

Outside of the writing, what I liked the most was how Molly Horan decided to write the characters. The side characters reading like borderline caricatures (seriously the most over the top teenagers I've ever read about) really helped visualize Jane's internalized feelings of "blandness" because of the contrast with everyone around her. I thought that was brilliant characterization that made me love both Jane and the rest of the cast even more. I really loved Jane's narration, I felt so close to her and I thought her struggles with belonging were really well fleshed out and explained in a way I hadn't really seen before.

I think the only thing that this book lacks is more pages. I believe the romance aspect of this novel was rushed and that the characters didn't have that much chemistry at all. Was it cute? Yes. I love the gays. But it wasn't anything to throw myself on the wall for.

Lastly, I think having an all-white cast in a new release in 2022 is a bit weird, especially in a book that takes place in New York. Obviously, it doesn't change the overall quality of the story itself, but it is something that played a role in my final star rating because I believe that, especially as a YA author, you should do better than that.

4.25 stars! ⭐️

This is the kind of book that you stay up till sunrise reading.

While this is technically a The Importance of Being Earnest retelling, it is easy to understand even without knowing the material. Janey, Algie and their cousins are a queer group of teenagers ready to make you wish that you too were found in a suitcase.

Janey Worthing was found in a Gucci suitcase in a train station, only a year old. Her father found her, and shortly after she was dubbed #bagbaby, an instant internet sensation. Now that she’s in her senior year of high school, she’s wondering if finding her bio family is the next big step. Her best friend Algie takes a chance, and soon she’s thrown into a world of family trees, first cousins and secrets. All while dealing with her full-time crush on his cousin, the beautiful Gwen Fairfax. Janey’s never thought of herself as the earnest kind of person, but if she wants to make her life epic, she’ll have to be honest with her parents, Algie and Gwen,

I really enjoyed this debut. Molly Horan was able to intertwine the classic Oscar Wilde play into a queer teen romance in such a light way that it didn’t feel like a retelling at all. There were a few moments when I found myself going Aha!, as they were big moments in both play and book.

Thank you to NetGalley, Clarion Books and the author for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

Jane Grady gained notoriety as a baby when she was found on the subway in a Gucci bag at just a year old. Considered one of the first viral internet sensations, she’s now in her senior year of high school. And her best friend, Algie, just gave her a piece of information about her biological family. Now, she has to decide if it’s something she wants to pursue.

While trying to make that decision, she’s also dealing with a crush on Algie’s cousin, Gwen. In order to set herself on the right path, Jane has to be honest with herself, her friends, and her family. But that’s all easier said than done. Especially if she wants her life to be truly epic.

Thanks to NetGalley and Clarion Books for an advanced copy of Epically Earnest to review! Even though I know very little about the Oscar Wilde play it’s based on, there was still a lot to enjoy about this story. It’s about family, about finding yourself, and making your own epic story.

What this book has going for it is its characters. There are great family and friend relationships, and they are just hilarious. There were so many moments humor, making this an overall lighthearted read. Out of all the characters, I think Algie was my favorite. He put things just over the top, and made every situation all the more humorous.

While you don’t need to know The Importance of Being Earnest to understand what’s going on in the book, I think knowing a bit about would help with some of the references. Lookign at other reviews, I know there were a lot of nods to the source material, and I would have enjoyed that. Maybe someday I’ll get to The Importance of Being Earnest and come back to this book!

All in all, if you’re looking for a lighthearted book to read this summer, definitely check this one out!

There was something about this book that just didn't sit right with me. Several scenes made me very uncomfortable and actually made my skin crawl which is obviously not something a contemperary romance should be doing.
I also found the characters to be unrealistic. They all felt like pick me girls which was extremely annoying to read. I was really bummed cause I wanted to enjoy this book but I just couldn't get passed the unsettling scenes and the "lol so random" characters. It made the whole book just feel so very fake.

Having never read Oscar Wilde's The Importance of Being Earnest, I cannot speak to the similarities between it and this modern-day retelling (or so it has been billed). I can, however, talk about how much I enjoyed this book. Molly Horan's debut novel is alive with vibrant characters, and is so much more than just your typical queer YA romance. Yes, it is that as well, but there is a larger story arc about adoption, and the difference between the family you're born into and the family you call your own. Our main character, Jane, became internet-famous as a one-year-old infant found abandoned in a train station. Now eighteen and having found a close familial match on an DNA matching website, she struggles with not only the possibility of finding her birth family, but also with the question of if she even wants to.

While wrestling with that decision, Janey is also wrestling with a long-time crush on Gwen, who is beautiful and comes from a wealthy family who would definitely not approve of Janey as romantic partner for their daughter. I do feel that the familial repercussions for Gwen was a thread left hanging at the end of the story, but that just means there is room in my head for there to be an ultimate HEA for this couple as Gwen's family shows them unconditional love and acceptance.

Janey is occasionally overshadowed in this book by the wonder that is her best friend, Algernon Moncrieff. Algie is a known breaker of hearts, and now has his sights set on Janey's cousin Cecil. The author leaves just enough out of their developing relationship that I want - nay, I *DEMAND* a book about this opposites-attract couple.

In addition to the aforementioned #CecAl story, I am looking forward to reading more by this author in the future.

Thank you to NetGalley and Clarion Books for providing a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

First of all, you don’t need to know the story of The Importance of Being Earnest in order to understand this book. It’s not a direct retelling, so if you have read the play, you’ll see the nods and hints to the original, but it stands on its own with no “bunburying.”
Now, onto the actual book content.
As the summary suggests, the book is half of Janey deciding if she wants to contact her bio relatives and half asking her crush out to prom. I almost wanted more of both storylines? It’s a short book. I will say, as much as I wanted more in some parts, it did overall work for me!
Every character in this book was A Character. They were very quirky and odd, but being set in NYC and inspired by a play where the word “bunbury” is used multiple times, it works. It also helps that there is a lot of heart behind these characters, so even if the dialogue isn’t the most “realistic” for how actual people talk, it doesn’t matter. And because of this, it was one of the funniest books I’ve read this year!
Speaking of characters, I loved Algie, Janey’s best friend! I honestly wanted more of his POV so we could see his love story develop and so we could see a little more of Janey’s crush, since her crush is Algie’s cousin. Those were definitely the parts I wanted to see more of, Algie’s side romantic plot that happened and more from Gwen.
This book is probably more of a 3.5-3.75 star in terms of how I feel about a lot of the elements, but the humor makes this land comfortably as 4 stars.

A fresh, breezy, witty take on Oscar Wilde's The Importance of Being Earnest. The story clips along, full of genuinely funny banter and heartwarming moments, unafraid to tackle some pretty heavy topics. Though it feels ultimately a bit insubstantial, this is a story about the relationships between people - whether romantic, familial, or friendly - and for me, it nailed that aspect with quirky yet heartfelt aplomb.

Thank you Clarion Books for the advance copy in exchange for an honest review.

A quick, cute YA contemporary. The writing is punchy and readable enough to mostly save it, but all fo the various plotlines of the story itself seemed somewhat rushed and lacking in depth; even in the opening chapter, it felt as if the narrative just plunges you right in and expects you to be charmed rather than actually doing the work of building relationships and characters. And, a lesser point in terms of enjoyment, but the Oscar Wilde/Importance of Being Earnest connections felt superficial at best. Recommend to those looking for a speedy read for Pride month, or a light story with very little actual conflict.

I’d only read a couple of stories by Oscar Wilde—The Importance of Being Earnest was one of them. I was beyond curious to read this version by Molly Horan, as I found myself struggling to see Wilde’s originals as well-rounded characters at the time I read it.

This sapphic nod to the classic didn’t disappoint. Though the characters were cute and a little teen-angsty cliched, they handled some pretty big topics in such an enjoyable way—things like identity, abandonment, and feeling as if one’s sexuality is open for discussion by whomever had an opinion.

I found myself willing Jane to venture out more—figuring she needed to know the truth in order to move forward, all the while doing so within the boundaries of supportive parents and cute romantic interests. (I love a good promposal story!)

All in all, this book was cute, enjoyable, and lighthearted. I really enjoyed it and found myself rooting for the characters every step of the way.

Thank you to Netgalley and HMH for this ARC!

This is a story about family, born and found. Janey Worthing was adopted by her father when she was one, after he discovered her abandoned in a Gucci bag in a suburban New York train station. This story was one of the first viral sensations on the Internet, and Janey has long sought to avoid being defined by this one thing. Now entering her senior year, Janey could not ask for a more loving family and long-time best friend, Algie.

But her world is thrown upside down when Algie submits her DNA to a company that helps people with their family trees, and discovers Janet’s biological relatives. So Janey has to decide whether to reach out to her biological family, at the same time she is dealing with her massive crush on Algie's beautiful and seemingly unattainable cousin, Gwen. As she navigates these challenges, Janey must face what she wants from her family, her friends, and a romantic partner -- and what that means for how she defines herself.

This book was delightful. The author did an excellent job of portraying the different elements of identity, including how one's exploration of their own identities can often unsettle their closest relationships.

thank you so much to netgalley and publishers for providing an e-galley in exchange for my honest opinions

Molly Horan worked MAGIC when she wrote Epically Earnest. Her characters jumped off the page with their uniqueness and hilarity. At some points, I couldn't stop myself from laughing. Especially when Algie was in the scene, I've truly never encountered a more exuberant and sassy character in all my years of reading. Janey was incredibly likeable and could easily have been the girl across the street or the girl you sit next to in English. The romance came on slowly and with consideration, and that made it all the more beautiful.

"I'm in love with you right now. You don't have to say it back. But i wanted you to know. I'm not falling. I fell, and I've already recovered and am sitting comfortable and naturally, completely in love with you."

This book is full of heartwarming quotes like the one above. I am considering ordering a physical copy just so I can highlight all my favourite parts.

While this book is slow-paced, it is intentional and focuses largely on the character's relationships rather than a grand plot. Horan was so delicate in crafting unshakeable characters that you can almost hear the responses in your head before you read them. It is a wondrous book that is able to make you forget you are reading, and this book did that for me.

I recommend this book to everyone out there looking for a story that makes you believe in love, laughter and friendships, even amidst all the instability for teens in this age. This was a breath of fresh air, and I eagerly await this authors next novel.