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beckyyreadss's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
sad
medium-paced
- 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
I wanted to read this book because I loved the Bridgerton series and loved the Queen Charlotte mini-series and when I saw this was becoming a book, I wanted more of it and hoping it was different. It was a good book, but it is a tie in from the series, which was slightly disappointing.
This book is based on Queen Charlotte, and in 1761 on a sunny day in September, the King and Queen meet for the very first time and they were married within hours. Queen Charlotte was born a German Princess. She is beautiful, headstrong and fiercely intelligent, not precisely the attributes the British Court had been seeking in a spouse for the young King George the Third. But her fire and independence were exactly what she needed, because George had secrets . . . secrets with the potential to shake the very foundations of the monarchy. Charlotte is now thrust into her new role as a royal and she must learn to navigate the intricate politics of the court, all the while guarding her heart because she is falling in love with the King even as he pushes her away. Above all she must learn to rule, and to understand that she has been given the power to remake society. She must fight – for herself, for her husband, and all her new subjects who looks to her for guidance and grace. For she will never be just Charlotte again. She must indeed fulfil her destiny as Queen.
My favourite things about this book were Julia Quinn’s writing style. It didn’t feel like I was back in time. I mean, obviously they weren’t going on about Snapchat, but it just felt like a modern-day story with a bit of mystery. The only thing that kept me from remembering that it was set in the 1750s was the references of letters and carriages and that they couldn’t text each other to say what was going on without people finding out what is happening and the fact that they were so rich they could just summon people to go to their other houses whenever. I loved Charlotte and George’s relationship and how it grows like friends to enemies to lovers. I loved Charlotte’s gross and how she went from this timid girl to a Queen who stands up for her people and isn’t afraid of anything. I loved the multiple POVs and how they all knew what was going on, but they didn’t want to say anything to each other, so they were just struggling in silence.
I would have loved for Reynolds to have a point of view and to see where he was gone because we never found out in the show or the book. Where has he gone? Is he dead? How did he die? I have so many questions and I don’t like not having the answers. This book was just a repeat of the TV show with no new information, so I did find myself skimming the information on some of the characters when it felt like more of a script than a book. I am aware this book came out after the show, but I would have liked some more titbits that wasn’t in the show.
I would love another book in the Bridgerton universe like from Violet’s point of how she met Edmund or Agatha finding the duke and raising him herself.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Mental illness, Racism, and Torture
Moderate: Pregnancy, Sexual content, and Medical content
Minor: Animal cruelty, Death, and Domestic abuse
kasialipa's review against another edition
emotional
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Confinement, Mental illness, and Racism
Moderate: Misogyny
Minor: Domestic abuse and Animal cruelty
jessbaldwin's review against another edition
emotional
medium-paced
- 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
Content Warnings
Graphic: Chronic illness and Domestic abuse
onefineelephant's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
slow-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
3.5
7/10. I'm glad I read this book because I appreciated some of the parts that we didn't get to see in the show and I liked getting to know the intimate thoughts of the characters (especially Brimsley). However, there were certain (small) parts of the book that differed from the show which really irked me. Also, the book completely erases the whole Lord Ledger plot line which I think completely changes Lady Danbury's character. I was really looking forward to getting to know Lady Danbury's thoughts and feelings about her illicit affair and then there was not even a hint of it in the book which was incredibly disappointing. Overall, I'm glad I read it but I doubt I will read it again and I much prefer the show to the book.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, Sexism, Torture, Grief, Medical trauma, Toxic relationship, Mental illness, Pregnancy, Racism, Sexual content, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Death, Ableism, and Chronic illness
Minor: Domestic abuse, Animal cruelty, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, and Dementia
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