A review by jackyda_neer
The Duke and I by Julia Quinn

fast-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

0.25

Daphne is manipulative and conniving. After she finds out why Simon "can't" have children, they have a fight because he lied to her, which it understandable that she would be upset because he new she wanted to be a mother and there is a huge difference between not wanting to have children and not being able to have children. What is not acceptable is that when Simon comes home utterly drunk after their fight. Daphne rapes him the next morning when he’s still somewhat drunk and half-asleep. And  it's played out as ok because, Daphne "probably didn't know what she was doing" since she didn't know anything about sex before getting married. WHAT?!!! When I watched the show I immediately didn't like Daphne's character especially after the rape scene, and it always got to me that some fans still tries to make excuses for it and say it wasn't rape, because he consented to it before saying no, but if the roles were reserved they wouldn't say that. So I decided to read the book, and OH My....It's so much worse. The characters have no depth, and the rape scene it's a thousand times worse, and out of all the sex scenes it's the most detailed, and written in a way as if the readers are supposed to find empowering, because Daphne is "taking charge of what she wants". Again...WHAT?! and they try to play it like she didn't understand what she did wrong and as if Simon was the one being unreasonable, for leaving her. It made me so angry. He also have bad moments and red flags but after being raped he never should have even gotten back with her.
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