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A review by emsnovellas
The Duke and I by Julia Quinn
dark
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.0
IF YOU'RE IN MY BOOK CLUB DON'T READ THIS!!
This book was a huge disappointment, but I don't know if my expectations were high before. I think because there was so much hype around the show I expected the book to be good.
THIS REVIEW WILL CONTAIN SPOILERS
I really don't want to dive too much into the plot or characters because 1) I don't know if I cared that much and 2) one thing happened that really left a sour taste in my mouth and knocked the book from a 4 to 2 star to me.
I'm just going to chat as things come to my mind:
- I could not stand Daphne. I really liked her at first how she was so defiant and authentically herself. But then when she lured (lol) Simon to the garden and KNEW that if they got they'd have to get married... why even take that risk?? Especially when he said it can't happen?
- I feel for Simon and his crap relationship with his dad. 1) I HATE his dad. Oh my god. When the book started I was like... am I supposed to like this guy?? This guy who just uses his wife as a vessel to create a son and then she dies right after ?! I feel for him and how his stutter made him feel / how his dad made him feel about his stutter.
- There were so many Bridgerton children I couldn't keep track. I really only know faces b/c of spoilers from the show that I've seen.
- Lowkey I loved the Lady Whistledown papers. They were so gossipy and I lived for the drama. I hope she's doing well.
- Now let's talk about the main conflict, aka where the book took a complete turn for me. Daphne SAed Simon. Plain and simple. I will note I didn't watch the show and people CLAIM she didn't in the show, but I didn't watch the show. I only just read the book. Sure Daphne was mad Simon lied to her about not being able to have children but you have to respect your partner. Maybe Simon took advantage of Daphne's ignorance about conception (this is why sex ed classes are important folks), but that doesn't that give Daphne the right to HOLD HIM DOWN SO HE IMPREGNATES HER. Like.. literally takes advantage of his hunger / sleep deprived state.. holds him down so he can't pull out.. That is assault. Oh my god. If a guy pulled off a condom without telling the girl, what would we call that... ? He was not in a state to consent. He was not in a CONSCIOUS state of what was going on. I literally hated Daphne after that. And she was SO obsessive about having her family and that she didn't care about how that made him feel. And THEN Simon said he ran away because he was embarrassed of her stutter... now how she just defiled him ?? Simon, your feelings are valid and Daphne was in the wrong.
To really sum up how much Daphne pissed me off, let me reference this quote: "She didn't feel terribly guilty about withholding the news from him. After all, he had withheld his seed from her." BRO. Are you KIDDING ME?! I literally cannot with her.
Overall, I will not be reading anymore of these books. 1) I don't care for the historical setting and 2) Daphne better watch her back.
This book was a huge disappointment, but I don't know if my expectations were high before. I think because there was so much hype around the show I expected the book to be good.
THIS REVIEW WILL CONTAIN SPOILERS
I really don't want to dive too much into the plot or characters because 1) I don't know if I cared that much and 2) one thing happened that really left a sour taste in my mouth and knocked the book from a 4 to 2 star to me.
I'm just going to chat as things come to my mind:
- I could not stand Daphne. I really liked her at first how she was so defiant and authentically herself. But then when she lured (lol) Simon to the garden and KNEW that if they got they'd have to get married... why even take that risk?? Especially when he said it can't happen?
- I feel for Simon and his crap relationship with his dad. 1) I HATE his dad. Oh my god. When the book started I was like... am I supposed to like this guy?? This guy who just uses his wife as a vessel to create a son and then she dies right after ?! I feel for him and how his stutter made him feel / how his dad made him feel about his stutter.
- There were so many Bridgerton children I couldn't keep track. I really only know faces b/c of spoilers from the show that I've seen.
- Lowkey I loved the Lady Whistledown papers. They were so gossipy and I lived for the drama. I hope she's doing well.
- Now let's talk about the main conflict, aka where the book took a complete turn for me. Daphne SAed Simon. Plain and simple. I will note I didn't watch the show and people CLAIM she didn't in the show, but I didn't watch the show. I only just read the book. Sure Daphne was mad Simon lied to her about not being able to have children but you have to respect your partner. Maybe Simon took advantage of Daphne's ignorance about conception (this is why sex ed classes are important folks), but that doesn't that give Daphne the right to HOLD HIM DOWN SO HE IMPREGNATES HER. Like.. literally takes advantage of his hunger / sleep deprived state.. holds him down so he can't pull out.. That is assault. Oh my god. If a guy pulled off a condom without telling the girl, what would we call that... ? He was not in a state to consent. He was not in a CONSCIOUS state of what was going on. I literally hated Daphne after that. And she was SO obsessive about having her family and that she didn't care about how that made him feel. And THEN Simon said he ran away because he was embarrassed of her stutter... now how she just defiled him ?? Simon, your feelings are valid and Daphne was in the wrong.
To really sum up how much Daphne pissed me off, let me reference this quote: "She didn't feel terribly guilty about withholding the news from him. After all, he had withheld his seed from her." BRO. Are you KIDDING ME?! I literally cannot with her.
Overall, I will not be reading anymore of these books. 1) I don't care for the historical setting and 2) Daphne better watch her back.