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3.34 AVERAGE
3.34 AVERAGE
I can definitely see the concerns about the plot and representation, but I can't speak to it. What I can say is that I appreciate that the characters are older (at least in the present story, the past...eh...) and that there's bi-representation presented without shame or judgement. I'll read more in the series, if we get any!
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
lighthearted
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
emotional
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
https://youtu.be/qzrhmKHfoAY?si=JYYjNkyLutAUF7qf
reading this was a slightly unpleasant roller coaster, but the third act break up made up for it.
reading this was a slightly unpleasant roller coaster, but the third act break up made up for it.
emotional
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I really wanted to like it. I appreciate the premise of the series but I just can’t seem to work up any interest. The story doesn’t draw me in to create a connection with or excitement about the characters so I have no reason to care about the ending.
Looking back on my ratings for the other Peckham books I’ve read it seems like her writing style just isn’t for me and I’ll move on.
But that cover is gorgeous!
Looking back on my ratings for the other Peckham books I’ve read it seems like her writing style just isn’t for me and I’ll move on.
But that cover is gorgeous!
emotional
informative
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Loving the characters, not loving the story. They both deserve to be in a better book.
Scarlett Peckham is one of the few authors who do this very modern political take on historical romance because she’s usually genuinely subversive and boundary-pushing. But this one is just kind of shallow and the plotting is clumsy. Dreaming of a different book altogether where Rafe never inherited.
Scarlett Peckham is one of the few authors who do this very modern political take on historical romance because she’s usually genuinely subversive and boundary-pushing. But this one is just kind of shallow and the plotting is clumsy. Dreaming of a different book altogether where Rafe never inherited.
I liked The Rakess enough to continue on with this series, so here we are. Overall, I don't think there was anything "bad" about this book - it just had some things that weren't to my taste, which made me think that it missed some opportunities. Your mileage may vary.
WRITING: Peckham's prose is not radically different in this book than in previous ones. It's quick, simple, and about what you'd expect of the romance genre (in a good way).
PLOT: The non-romance plot of this book follows Cornelia, a radical painter who wants to raise money to fund an institute for women. Cornelia's estranged uncle has just died, leaving her a sum that can only be claimed on the occasion of her marriage. To get the money, she turns to her secret husband, Rafe, who has, improbably, become the duke's heir.
While I liked the idea of this plot, the stakes didn't feel quite high enough to be interesting. I didn't really feel like the institute was badly needed or desired - it just kind of existed on the periphery. I also didn't quite feel like Cornelia and Rafe manipulated the legal system in an interesting way, so most of the time was spent playing silly games with their friends and working on a scandalous art exhibition.
I did like how a big theme seemed to be public vs private, but I wish Peckham had done more to explore it. There's not much discussion about public vs covert political opposition and how that ties in with public vs private emotion and obvious vs symbolic imagery in art. If Peckham had just linked all those things a little more with higher stakes than just parlor games and fun scandals, I think this would have been an excellent plot.
CHARACTERS: Cornelia, our heroine, is fun in that she's a self-confident woman who knows who she is and what she wants. I was pleased that she was mixed race and older (late 30s - almost 40), and I liked that she had an arc that involved admitting to her faults.
Rafe, our hero, is also an intriguing archetype (bisexual, polyamorous, mid-50s) and is rather the opposite of a lot of romance heroes: overly romantic and emotional, rather than gruff and stoic. He didn't have much of a personal arc, which made him less interesting than he could have been. I don't think his flaws were really framed as something to be overcome, just personality quirks that annoyed our heroine.
Supporting characters were fine. We see more of the sirens, who do their best to support Cornelia and provide some stakes, but I do think they could have been used better. Rhys, Rafe's lover, is nice in that he's a romantic interest who cares deeply for Rafe yet expects no commitment. I liked the exploration of a healthy, queer, open relationship that doesn't demand monogamy, though I do wish some attention was given to building up the emotional conditions of that relationship.
ROMANCE: There were some things I liked about this romance and some things that I think could have been better. I liked that it explored what a healthy open marriage might look like and how a queer relationship might work without focusing on queer suffering and hiding. I also liked that Rafe and Cornelia had to negotiate how much to give and expect from one another and that Cornelia, specifically, had to think about how to love Rafe without feeling trapped or like she was giving up her power.
All that being said, there were times when the romance felt a little repetitive. Cornelia and Rafe would express some physical affection, realize they have feelings, spring apart, then flirt, then get mad, and so on. I wish the narrative had provided more opportunities for them to self-reflect, and as fun as some of the parlor games were, after one or two, I didn't feel like I needed another.
The age gap also was something of a question for me. In the present, it's fine; I'm not one of those people who think it's inappropriate for a 40 year old and a 55 year old to consent to each other. This story does have flashbacks, though, to when our leads are 18 and 35, and I still don't know what I feel about that. Not super great. But I'm not sure if it's problematic or I'm just sensitive.
Still, I enjoyed the flirtatious banter. It was silly. And fun. And I like a dynamic where the love interests tease each other (good-naturedly).
TL;DR: The Portrait of a Duchess was fun but ultimately lacked high enough stakes. The novel also misses some opportunities to entrench it themes into the narrative, so most of this comes off as lighter and silly rather than a thorough exploration of ideas such as public vs private.
WRITING: Peckham's prose is not radically different in this book than in previous ones. It's quick, simple, and about what you'd expect of the romance genre (in a good way).
PLOT: The non-romance plot of this book follows Cornelia, a radical painter who wants to raise money to fund an institute for women. Cornelia's estranged uncle has just died, leaving her a sum that can only be claimed on the occasion of her marriage. To get the money, she turns to her secret husband, Rafe, who has, improbably, become the duke's heir.
While I liked the idea of this plot, the stakes didn't feel quite high enough to be interesting. I didn't really feel like the institute was badly needed or desired - it just kind of existed on the periphery. I also didn't quite feel like Cornelia and Rafe manipulated the legal system in an interesting way, so most of the time was spent playing silly games with their friends and working on a scandalous art exhibition.
I did like how a big theme seemed to be public vs private, but I wish Peckham had done more to explore it. There's not much discussion about public vs covert political opposition and how that ties in with public vs private emotion and obvious vs symbolic imagery in art. If Peckham had just linked all those things a little more with higher stakes than just parlor games and fun scandals, I think this would have been an excellent plot.
CHARACTERS: Cornelia, our heroine, is fun in that she's a self-confident woman who knows who she is and what she wants. I was pleased that she was mixed race and older (late 30s - almost 40), and I liked that she had an arc that involved admitting to her faults.
Rafe, our hero, is also an intriguing archetype (bisexual, polyamorous, mid-50s) and is rather the opposite of a lot of romance heroes: overly romantic and emotional, rather than gruff and stoic. He didn't have much of a personal arc, which made him less interesting than he could have been. I don't think his flaws were really framed as something to be overcome, just personality quirks that annoyed our heroine.
Supporting characters were fine. We see more of the sirens, who do their best to support Cornelia and provide some stakes, but I do think they could have been used better. Rhys, Rafe's lover, is nice in that he's a romantic interest who cares deeply for Rafe yet expects no commitment. I liked the exploration of a healthy, queer, open relationship that doesn't demand monogamy, though I do wish some attention was given to building up the emotional conditions of that relationship.
ROMANCE: There were some things I liked about this romance and some things that I think could have been better. I liked that it explored what a healthy open marriage might look like and how a queer relationship might work without focusing on queer suffering and hiding. I also liked that Rafe and Cornelia had to negotiate how much to give and expect from one another and that Cornelia, specifically, had to think about how to love Rafe without feeling trapped or like she was giving up her power.
All that being said, there were times when the romance felt a little repetitive. Cornelia and Rafe would express some physical affection, realize they have feelings, spring apart, then flirt, then get mad, and so on. I wish the narrative had provided more opportunities for them to self-reflect, and as fun as some of the parlor games were, after one or two, I didn't feel like I needed another.
The age gap also was something of a question for me. In the present, it's fine; I'm not one of those people who think it's inappropriate for a 40 year old and a 55 year old to consent to each other. This story does have flashbacks, though, to when our leads are 18 and 35, and I still don't know what I feel about that. Not super great. But I'm not sure if it's problematic or I'm just sensitive.
Still, I enjoyed the flirtatious banter. It was silly. And fun. And I like a dynamic where the love interests tease each other (good-naturedly).
TL;DR: The Portrait of a Duchess was fun but ultimately lacked high enough stakes. The novel also misses some opportunities to entrench it themes into the narrative, so most of this comes off as lighter and silly rather than a thorough exploration of ideas such as public vs private.
emotional
funny
reflective
fast-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:
Yes