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booksthatburn's review against another edition
- 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
5.0
When Gracewood finally learns that Viola and his best friend are the same being, a new set of complications arise, as the social pressures on the lives of a duke and a lady's companion are deeply felt, and seem inescapable. As a trans person, it's tough to read what seems like transphobia coming from the love interest, even briefly, but the way it's handled and how both characters react to that moment serves to make the story stronger overall.
I like the care paid to developing Gracewood's relationship with his sister, dealing with the trouble has in relating to a teenage girl when he is a man who was raised to give orders rather than to listen. Viola and Gracewood were both changed by the war, but Gracewood's experiences left him visibly scarred and mentally shaken in ways that affect him on a daily basis. This is handled variously throughout, as Gracewood gradually becomes confident to not accept casual ableism from others, but it takes a while.
I love how Gracewood slowly notices more and more of Viola's wardrobe, appreciate that she designs and sews/embroiders it herself. It's made clear that Viola hasn't had previous sexual experiences because she would have either had to have them as a man (which she was uncomfortable doing, even before figuring out her gender), or would need a partner who was not scared off by her body after meeting her as a woman. The eventual sex scenes with Gracewood are careful and intimate, treading the line between being specific about the logistics involved involved and giving Viola space to be feminine and sexual without triggering dysphoria. More than that, with Gracewood's support as a partner she gets to feel good about her body in a sexual context, that it is a woman's body because it is hers, and not based on whether it aligns with some standard of gender presentation.
Things I love, in no particular order: Viola's sister-in-law, and her interactions with her nephew; the audiobook narrator's excellent performance; the way the b-plot gradually becomes more important as the initial tension from the social difficulties of Viola and Gracewood's relationship fade in the face of their care for each other.
A LADY FOR A DUKE is self-contained and ends very satisfactorily, but it does appear that a sequel is planned (which I will eagerly await). Everything I could want handled is covered either in detail, or implicitly by the epilogue, which is set several years after the events of the main story. It seems that future books would be unlikely to feature Viola and Gracewood as main characters, but, based on the title of the sequel I think it will involve one of their relatives (which would be great, I'd love to have them play a role again after they were so wonderful here).
Graphic: Grief and Sexual content
Moderate: Classism, Alcohol, Vomit, Kidnapping, Death, Cursing, Alcoholism, Emotional abuse, Bullying, Gun violence, Violence, Ableism, Panic attacks/disorders, and War
Minor: Child abuse, Deadnaming, Sexual harassment, Death of parent, Adult/minor relationship, and Suicidal thoughts
mobymaize's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Drug abuse, Kidnapping, Death, Drug use, Dysphoria, Suicidal thoughts, Transphobia, Violence, Vomit, Cursing, Panic attacks/disorders, Alcoholism, Blood, Bullying, Grief, Homophobia, Medical content, War, Classism, Death of parent, Outing, Sexual content, Deadnaming, Lesbophobia, Misogyny, Ableism, Body shaming, Alcohol, Addiction, Child abuse, Infidelity, Sexism, Injury/Injury detail, and Medical trauma
Moderate: Gun violence
seraphimgt's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
Graphic: Drug abuse, War, Misogyny, and Addiction
Moderate: Kidnapping, Violence, Bullying, Stalking, and Suicidal thoughts
takarakei's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
I’ve heard people say this book is too long and I think if you’re reading a physical copy I could see that - I didn’t quite feel that way with the audiobook (except for a few parts where I felt things dragged a touch). Overall this was a beautiful poignant historical love story between two people growing together in unlearning what the gender binary tells them they are each supposed to be/do/feel/ etc. There are some absolutely beautiful sweeping dialogue passages. This book and mainly it’s side characters are also supremely hilarious which I enjoyed immensely.
3.5/5 🌶️
Graphic: Sexual content and Addiction
Moderate: Bullying, Alcohol, Drug use, Mental illness, Sexism, and Violence
Minor: Deadnaming and War
As the author states misgendering of Viola happens in relation to talking about her past Gracewood suffers from severe PTSD from the war and is recovering from using drugs to cope with itkelisabeth's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Graphic: Ableism, Alcoholism, Addiction, Alcohol, Homophobia, Sexism, Suicide attempt, Infertility, Classism, Violence, Biphobia, Bullying, Child abuse, Deadnaming, Dysphoria, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Self harm, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Drug use, Transphobia, Vomit, War, Grief, Gun violence, Lesbophobia, Mental illness, Injury/Injury detail, Kidnapping, Misogyny, Cursing, Drug abuse, and Emotional abuse
mermaidmomma's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Also, I must say I loved Mira and I cannot wait for her story. I really hope we get more of her and Stevie.
Graphic: Drug use, Deadnaming, Death, Ableism, and Addiction
Moderate: Bullying
Minor: Kidnapping and Dysphoria
kshertz's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Moderate: Abandonment, Deadnaming, Sexual harassment, Addiction, Body shaming, Dysphoria, Transphobia, and Bullying
mandaraffe's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Addiction, Drug use, Mental illness, Sexual content, Toxic friendship, Grief, and Panic attacks/disorders
Moderate: Dysphoria, Kidnapping, Lesbophobia, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Violence, War, Injury/Injury detail, Ableism, Bullying, and Child abuse
Minor: Medical trauma, Deadnaming, Death of parent, Adult/minor relationship, Infertility, Transphobia, Gun violence, Medical content, and War
ashlikes's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
Graphic: Ableism, Addiction, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Drug use, Drug abuse, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexual content, and Mental illness
Moderate: Child abuse, Deadnaming, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Sexism, Sexual violence, Blood, Violence, Abandonment, Suicidal thoughts, Vomit, War, Body shaming, Bullying, Kidnapping, Lesbophobia, Physical abuse, and Misogyny
Minor: Death, Infertility, Transphobia, Murder, Adult/minor relationship, Death of parent, and Fire/Fire injury
purplepenning's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Panic attacks/disorders, Mental illness, and Grief
Moderate: Addiction, Alcohol, Classism, Gun violence, Sexual content, War, Drug abuse, Cursing, Injury/Injury detail, Ableism, and Violence
Minor: Alcoholism, Body shaming, Deadnaming, Death of parent, Blood, Abandonment, Bullying, Homophobia, Vomit, and Kidnapping