A review by rhythmofryn
A Lady for a Duke by Alexis Hall

emotional reflective slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

2.5

I feel like a weirdo for saying this but I wanted more conflict that Viola was trans in a society that had no cultural perception of transgender people. I feel like the other characters basically accepted her almost immediately and even today, that doesn’t happen when someone transitions. The author, Alexis Hall, raises some interesting questions about what does historical fiction even mean and if there’s value in writing stories that are just constant suffering for queer people in the name of historical accuracy. This book definitely is good for thought. I definitely could have also done without the last 25% of the book because that particular conflict felt unnecessary and overly seedy. 
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