Reviews tagging 'Sexual content'

The Duke Effect by Sophie Jordan

2 reviews

kyriannaj's review against another edition

lighthearted fast-paced

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

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual content

Moderate: Child death, Bullying, Chronic illness, Classism, Cursing, Death, Misogyny, and Sexism

Minor: Drug abuse, Medical content, Addiction, Alcohol, Blood, Drug use, and Grief

cupidities's review against another edition

medium-paced

• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

1.5

This was pretty unremarkable till the second half - the characters felt incredibly flat, the plot didn't really make sense, and the pacing felt stilted. It felt like Nora and Constantine barely knew each other (heck, I felt like I barely knew them!) and I didn't find it believable that they fell in love.

The part that took this book from "meh" to "oh no" for me though is when Nora gives Constantine the aphrodisiac that first appears in the prequel, expecting lower dose to prevent the aphrodisiac effect. When Constantine is apparently agonizingly turned on, she insists on getting him off - even though he repeatedly tells her to leave. It felt like if the tables were turned - if Nora had ingested an aphrodisiac and Constantine insisted on making her orgasm despite her refusals - it wouldn't be acceptable at all. The scene felt incredibly inappropriate and nonconsensual.

After that, it felt like the characters suddenly fell in love, even though they hadn't really talked much except for when Constantine had called Nora a charlatan. I didn't find the characters, romance, sex, or plot believable. It's a pass for me.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual content and Sexism