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kelly_e's review against another edition
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Title: The Duke and I
Author: Julia Quinn
Series: Bridgertons #1
Genre: Historical Romance
Rating: 3.75
Pub Date: December 1, 2020
T H R E E • W O R D S
Charming • Playful • Entertaining
📖 S Y N O P S I S
Daphne Bridgeton, the fourth of eight siblings, has formed friendships with many of London's finest, yet finds herself unwilling to play their romantic games. Everyone likes her for her kindness yet no one truly desires her.
Simon Basset, Duke of Hastings, has recently returned to England and is dead set against marriage. After a difficult childhood, in thanks to his very own father, he has no intentions of fulfilling his royal duties.
After an encounter with Daphne (his best friend's sister), Simon thinks there may be another option, one that could deter the elite from parading their daughters before him. His plan: a fake courtship with Daphne that will in turn help boost her prospects.
💭 T H O U G H T S
Historical romance is a genre I tend to stay away from, yet I decided to see what all the fuss was about with this series. And of course, I was pleasantly surprised with this first installment and was not expecting the witty humour
I have to say it was surprisingly well-written and the Bridgerton family captured my heart from the very first page, their family dynamic felt so genuine and relatable, and the regency setting was enticing. I'm a sucker for books with a real sense of community, and The Duke and I certainly delivers on that front.
During the first half of the book, I appreciated Daphne's character development, but unfortunately for me things kind of fell apart in the second half with some of her questionable choices. When it comes to the romance, I enjoyed the playful banter, which helped make their romance feel genuine.
Overall, I picked this up looking for an escape, and it delivered. I'll definitely be looking forward to the next installment and getting to know each of the Bridgerton siblings' stories.
📚 R E C O M M E N D • T O
• fans of Downtown Abbey
• historical romances enthusiasts
🔖 F A V O U R I T E • Q U O T E S
"Heartache, Daphne eventually learned, never really went away; it just dulled. The sharp, stabbing pain that one felt with each breath eventually gave way to a blunter, lower ache—the kind that one could almost—but never quite—ignore."
Author: Julia Quinn
Series: Bridgertons #1
Genre: Historical Romance
Rating: 3.75
Pub Date: December 1, 2020
T H R E E • W O R D S
Charming • Playful • Entertaining
📖 S Y N O P S I S
Daphne Bridgeton, the fourth of eight siblings, has formed friendships with many of London's finest, yet finds herself unwilling to play their romantic games. Everyone likes her for her kindness yet no one truly desires her.
Simon Basset, Duke of Hastings, has recently returned to England and is dead set against marriage. After a difficult childhood, in thanks to his very own father, he has no intentions of fulfilling his royal duties.
After an encounter with Daphne (his best friend's sister), Simon thinks there may be another option, one that could deter the elite from parading their daughters before him. His plan: a fake courtship with Daphne that will in turn help boost her prospects.
💭 T H O U G H T S
Historical romance is a genre I tend to stay away from, yet I decided to see what all the fuss was about with this series. And of course, I was pleasantly surprised with this first installment and was not expecting the witty humour
I have to say it was surprisingly well-written and the Bridgerton family captured my heart from the very first page, their family dynamic felt so genuine and relatable, and the regency setting was enticing. I'm a sucker for books with a real sense of community, and The Duke and I certainly delivers on that front.
During the first half of the book, I appreciated Daphne's character development, but unfortunately for me things kind of fell apart in the second half with some of her questionable choices. When it comes to the romance, I enjoyed the playful banter, which helped make their romance feel genuine.
Overall, I picked this up looking for an escape, and it delivered. I'll definitely be looking forward to the next installment and getting to know each of the Bridgerton siblings' stories.
📚 R E C O M M E N D • T O
• fans of Downtown Abbey
• historical romances enthusiasts
🔖 F A V O U R I T E • Q U O T E S
"Heartache, Daphne eventually learned, never really went away; it just dulled. The sharp, stabbing pain that one felt with each breath eventually gave way to a blunter, lower ache—the kind that one could almost—but never quite—ignore."
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual assault, Sexual content, and Rape
Moderate: Sexism, Emotional abuse, Ableism, Sexual violence, Misogyny, Child abuse, Abandonment, and Toxic relationship
Minor: Death of parent, Fatphobia, Death, Miscarriage, and Pregnancy
booksbyantheia's review against another edition
challenging
funny
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
1.75
Leer estos libros en traducción se me hace más fácil que en su versión original. Todavía no sé por qué. Quizás porque la prosa de Julia Quinn se vuelve bastante insufrible a veces.
No voy a ahondar en detalles, prácticamente. Todos sabemos de los tonos racistas de este libro en particular, del machismo del cual se hace gala en casi todos los varones (razón por la cual resaltan los personajes femeninos; aún no logro entender si esto es una virtud o realmente Quinn es tonta). Un trope interesante, dos personajes construidos perfectamente. Una sensible y otro reacio a las emociones.
Tenía el tono perfecto. Por un 80% del libro, los tonos racistas y machistas quedaban como datos hechos por y para resaltar a otros.
Y después, la violación.
Es irónico. Páginas antes, Daphne le plantea un no. Se niega a compartir su lecho con Simon. El duque se vuelve violento, un machito más. Pero se va. SE VA.
UNA ESCENA PODEROSA DEL CONSENTIMIENTO.
PARA LUEGO HACER ESO.
Lo que más molesta del caso es cómo Daphne (y Julia, y el tarado del showrunner después) intentan justificarse. Que él la animó, que él no cumplió, que él la engaño. Ver cómo Simon se vuelve tan vulnerable prácticamente quema.
Odio a Julia Quinn. Realmente no puedo entender cómo esta serie siguió. Incluso con las leves mejoras (es decir, CONSENTIMIENTO), ¿nadie puso un alto?
La última parte del libro se te pasa en un suspiro porque no querés leerla. Ni siquiera el cierre casi cíclico de la historia te hace sonreír, de la bronca.
En fin. Ya estoy acostumbrada a las novelas históricas, pero realmente esto me saca de quicio. Quinn se vende a sí misma y a sus libros como "histórica y feminista" cuando no es más que una blanca con un grave complejo sexista.
Igual que Daphne.
No voy a ahondar en detalles, prácticamente. Todos sabemos de los tonos racistas de este libro en particular, del machismo del cual se hace gala en casi todos los varones (razón por la cual resaltan los personajes femeninos; aún no logro entender si esto es una virtud o realmente Quinn es tonta). Un trope interesante, dos personajes construidos perfectamente. Una sensible y otro reacio a las emociones.
Tenía el tono perfecto. Por un 80% del libro, los tonos racistas y machistas quedaban como datos hechos por y para resaltar a otros.
Y después, la violación.
Es irónico. Páginas antes, Daphne le plantea un no. Se niega a compartir su lecho con Simon. El duque se vuelve violento, un machito más. Pero se va. SE VA.
UNA ESCENA PODEROSA DEL CONSENTIMIENTO.
PARA LUEGO HACER ESO.
Lo que más molesta del caso es cómo Daphne (y Julia, y el tarado del showrunner después) intentan justificarse. Que él la animó, que él no cumplió, que él la engaño. Ver cómo Simon se vuelve tan vulnerable prácticamente quema.
Odio a Julia Quinn. Realmente no puedo entender cómo esta serie siguió. Incluso con las leves mejoras (es decir, CONSENTIMIENTO), ¿nadie puso un alto?
La última parte del libro se te pasa en un suspiro porque no querés leerla. Ni siquiera el cierre casi cíclico de la historia te hace sonreír, de la bronca.
En fin. Ya estoy acostumbrada a las novelas históricas, pero realmente esto me saca de quicio. Quinn se vende a sí misma y a sus libros como "histórica y feminista" cuando no es más que una blanca con un grave complejo sexista.
Igual que Daphne.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Pregnancy, Sexual violence, Rape, Sexism, Racism, Sexual assault, and Sexual content
ocha10x's review against another edition
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
1.0
This was actually good until they got married. I honestly have no words for how painfully problematic their relationship is. This is just so awful, after watching the show first, it’s beyond me how they decided to make this series into a TV show. Just so bad and so problematic.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual violence, Sexual assault, Rape, and Sexism
cdoubet's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content, Sexual assault, and Sexual violence
Moderate: Ableism, Violence, Sexism, Death of parent, Abandonment, Emotional abuse, Vomit, and Gun violence
Minor: Alcohol and Cursing
lastljedi's review against another edition
funny
lighthearted
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
1.5
This book literally has a rape scene and for some reason there are no consequences for Daphne for raping Simon and we're supposed to forget and forgive it???
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual violence, Sexual assault, and Rape
annanas's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
0.5
If you're thinking about reading this book, please check the content warnings before!
I can't believe that 81% of people here has has voted that this book is lighthearted (and 40% has voted that it is funny, lol when?). It started out very innocently and slow but the last part of the book was horrifying. It hit too close at home for me personally since I have experience with dysfunctional relationships, childhood trauma and mental disability. And all of these sensitive topics were not handled well at all. I feel horrible after finishing it. I'm so disappointed since I just wanted a lighthearted steamy read and it didn't feel that romantic or sexy at all 😕
I can't believe that 81% of people here has has voted that this book is lighthearted (and 40% has voted that it is funny, lol when?). It started out very innocently and slow but the last part of the book was horrifying. It hit too close at home for me personally since I have experience with dysfunctional relationships, childhood trauma and mental disability. And all of these sensitive topics were not handled well at all. I feel horrible after finishing it. I'm so disappointed since I just wanted a lighthearted steamy read and it didn't feel that romantic or sexy at all 😕
Content Warnings
Graphic: Rape, Abandonment, Sexual violence, and Child abuse
Moderate: Ableism and Violence
Minor: Misogyny
Please check trigger/content warnings before reading!paperl21's review against another edition
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
2.25
Wie erwartet ein Schnulzenroman.
Allerdings ist neben Sexismus auch ordentlich Gewalt dabei, die sehr problematisch geframed ist.
Die Protagonistin nimmt Bedrohungen ihrer Person nicht ernst und schafft es anscheinend nur dadurch, ihnen zu entkommen. Ebenso dadurch, dass sie natürlich für alles Verständnis hat!
Außerdem gibt es eine Vergewaltigung, die zwar etwas länger thematisiert wird, aber da sie an einem Mann vorgenommen wurde und innerhalb einer Beziehung stattfindet, niemals als solche bezeichnet oder gekennzeichnet wird, nicht richtig aufgearbeitet.
Die Familien-/Geschwisterdynamik der Bridgertons fand ich allerdings sehr schön (auch wenn sie sich anscheinend eine Gehirnzelle teilen) und die Sprecherin der Lady Whistledown ebenfalls. Sie lässt mich zurück mit dem Wunsch, mich selbst gestochen und leicht sarkastisch auszudrücken.
Allerdings ist neben Sexismus auch ordentlich Gewalt dabei, die sehr problematisch geframed ist.
Die Protagonistin nimmt Bedrohungen ihrer Person nicht ernst und schafft es anscheinend nur dadurch, ihnen zu entkommen. Ebenso dadurch, dass sie natürlich für alles Verständnis hat!
Außerdem gibt es eine Vergewaltigung, die zwar etwas länger thematisiert wird, aber
Die Familien-/Geschwisterdynamik der Bridgertons fand ich allerdings sehr schön (auch wenn sie sich anscheinend eine Gehirnzelle teilen) und die Sprecherin der Lady Whistledown ebenfalls. Sie lässt mich zurück mit dem Wunsch, mich selbst gestochen und leicht sarkastisch auszudrücken.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Drug abuse, Sexual violence, Drug use, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Emotional abuse, Miscarriage, Pregnancy, and Sexism
Moderate: Abandonment and Ableism
Minor: Miscarriage
cami_la's review against another edition
emotional
funny
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
1.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual assault and Sexual violence
erikalv97's review against another edition
3.5
I really enjoyed reading this book, It’s well-written and the characters are interesting.
The reason I’m giving it such a low rating is because of a scene in which there is cw: dubious consent/ non-consensual sex. And it was extremely painful to read, specially because it’s pretty much thrown under a rug
The reason I’m giving it such a low rating is because of a scene in which there is cw: dubious consent/ non-consensual sex. And it was extremely painful to read, specially because it’s pretty much thrown under a rug
Content Warnings
Graphic: Ableism, Sexual violence, Sexual content, Rape, and Abandonment