Reviews tagging 'Death of parent'

To Sir Phillip, With Love by Julia Quinn

152 reviews

ambrosiablue's review against another edition

slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

1.5

I read this book because I liked the Netflix show so much that I wanted to read ahead. I regret it, and hope Netflix does a better job with Eloise's story.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Death, Mental illness, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Suicide, Grief, and Death of parent

cielosiluminado's review against another edition

emotional 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

1.5

this would’ve been so much better if sir phillip wasn’t such a sexist dick for 95% of the story.

like yes, i get that it’s the regency era and misogyny/sexism was the standard but for fucks sake, the misogyny in this one was even more appalling compared to the previous books. sir phillip did not want a wife, he wanted a housekeeper-nanny-fucktoy all wrapped in one. *sigh* i still cannot believe eloise was forced to settle for him... she deserved so much better.

also, does julia even know the men she writes because why in gods name did she write anthony, benedict, and colin as lusty rakes talking degradingly about hired women when they’re all married? it was disgusting and so out of character.

good luck to netflix in improving this one.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Death, Sexual content, Suicide, and Suicide attempt

Moderate: Mental illness and Death of parent

htbaumtree's review against another edition

dark emotional lighthearted sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

1.25

I don't actually go here, I just enjoy Claudia Jessie's portrayal of Eloise on the Netflix show, which is probably why I was so disappointed in this story.

I think in the hands of a better writer all the disparate plot points, of which there are MANY--

Phillip's abusive father, the death of his father and his brother, his fear of becoming abusive like his father, his subsequent neglect of his children, his neglect resulting in the opportunity for his children to be secretly abused by their nanny, and of course his irrevocable horniness that he's been sublimating for almost a decade because of his wife Marina's severe depression, not to mention his wife's drawn out suicide, and that's BEFORE we get into Eloise's bag of issues like her increasing loneliness that drove her to accept the proposal of a man she never met and her suddenly being thrown into the deep end of (step)motherhood

--all of that could have been successfully incorporated into a well-woven narrative by an expert author. But as it is, even allowing for a healthy dose of melodrama due to the genre, the execution is so lacking that as I reader I was wondering why Quinn felt it necessary to cram quite so many drama points into one novel when her skills are simply not up to the task. Phillip could have been a far more tragic, sympathetic and noble character, but instead he often comes off as a whiny man-baby who wants a mommy-wife to fix his life for him. And Eloise isn't much better: other than some surface-level traits like impatience, chattiness, impulsiveness, and a go-getter attitude, she often comes off as one-note or 2D. 

I'm ultimately just disappointed. A semi-arranged marriage like this with an epistolary courtship can be incredibly romantic and swoon-worthy if done right. It just so happens that it wasn't done right in "To Sir Phillip, With Love".

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Suicide attempt, and Death of parent

lerl_'s review against another edition

slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.0

i think i can fairly say that reading this means i've also read men are from mars, women are from venus. 

eloise deserved so much better than a man that sexually assaulted his suicidal wife and then neglects his children after her death. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual content

Moderate: Child abuse, Sexual assault, Suicide attempt, and Death of parent

ginamiya's review

emotional funny hopeful lighthearted reflective fast-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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual content

Minor: Mental illness, Grief, Suicide attempt, and Death of parent

gabi_715's review against another edition

emotional hopeful reflective sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Grief, Suicide attempt, and Death of parent

Moderate: Child abuse

cicireadsinthedark's review against another edition

sad slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

0.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Death, Misogyny, Sexism, Suicide attempt, and Death of parent

britwalsh16's review against another edition

funny hopeful inspiring lighthearted reflective relaxing sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

Book Eloise & TV Show Eloise are very different. I have trouble imagining TV Eloise running away from home for a possible husband. But I do like Book Eloise, she has guts, & she knows what she wants. And watching her grow up throughout the book is inspiring. And stubborn Eloise becomes her mother by the end, I LOVE IT! 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Chronic illness, Cursing, Death, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual content, Suicide, Terminal illness, Toxic relationship, Violence, Grief, Medical trauma, Suicide attempt, and Death of parent

Moderate: Emotional abuse, Misogyny, Sexism, Toxic relationship, and Violence

Minor: War

xredicx's review against another edition

adventurous emotional funny hopeful lighthearted sad tense medium-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

4.75

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Child abuse, Suicide, Grief, Suicide attempt, and Death of parent

alexcabanechevarria's review against another edition

funny sad fast-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

4.25

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Content Warnings

Minor: Child abuse, Suicide, and Death of parent