A review by claudiamacpherson
The Duke and I by Julia Quinn

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

3.5

I finally got around to reading this after bingeing the show in January, and honestly, I’m glad I didn’t rush to read it. The story was pretty different from the show—I assume they included plotlines from some of Quinn’s other Bridgerton novels—and I could see why the show chose to make some of the changes it did. Most importantly, the show left out Simon referring to Daphne as his property (not once but…many times). I know the story is set in the early 1800s, but we’ve suspended disbelief for a lot of other things, and I definitely could have done without that misogyny. Though Daphne and Simon’s romance was by far my favorite plotline in the show, the book felt a little flat without all the other characters and their adventures. Maybe I’d feel differently if I’d read the book first? One thing I liked better in the book, however, was Daphne’s relationship with Colin. In the show, his storyline is mostly tied up with Penelope and Marina, so I liked getting to see him with his family.

Happy ending meter (no specific spoilers, just the vibe):
Happy! And far less dramatic than the show.
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