Reviews tagging 'Death of parent'

The Duke and I by Julia Quinn

166 reviews

fromthefoxhole's review against another edition

challenging tense slow-paced

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

2.0

Ugh I don't know, okay. I am reading them out of order because I didn't like the Daphne assaults Simon storyline in the show and guess what! Shonda was true to the text for that, for some freaking reason. As someone who is childfree by choice, the idea that marriage would be enough for my spouse to decide otherwise makes me want to run into the woods never to be seen again. 
I do think Simon's motivations sucked, but there is quite literally nothing that he could have done that would excuse Daphne's behaviors.

I did like Daphne's relationship to her siblings and the banter was fun, but god. I just can't get over how territorial every single man in these books is, and that they are constantly dick measuring about something. That with a literal spousal rape???? Count me OUT. 

I'm finishing the series but only because I feel like I have to at this point.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Emotional abuse, Infertility, Sexual content, Alcohol, and Sexual assault

Moderate: Death of parent

Minor: Miscarriage

meggiemeggie52's review against another edition

emotional lighthearted medium-paced

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

3.5

I wanted to love this book because I love the tv show, but it landed on just a like for me. It's clear that Julia Quinn is a talented and very descriptive writer, but the story dragged at times. I also didn't love some of the characteristics of the characters (the men were a bit too overbearing and protective, for example), and the content in certain scenes left a sour taste in my mouth.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual content and Sexual assault

Moderate: Child abuse and Abandonment

Minor: Alcohol and Death of parent

gwenswoons's review against another edition

dark slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.5

I was thoroughly unimpressed by this. I am that person who is actually offended by great books being adapted for screen. This book is not great by any stretch of the imagination, and the TV adaptation is so wildly more layered and nuanced in the storytelling (not to mention…the writing is simply better: less hackneyed, less repetitive, less trite and gender-stereotyped and overall gross). 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexism, Sexual violence, Rape, Sexual content, Abandonment, Sexual assault, Grief, Toxic relationship, Death of parent, Bullying, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Pregnancy, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Misogyny, and Panic attacks/disorders

bra1nw4sh3d's review against another edition

challenging emotional funny lighthearted reflective sad fast-paced

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

3.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual content, Misogyny, Death of parent, Rape, and Sexual assault

itsbaberuthless's review against another edition

emotional funny lighthearted tense fast-paced

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

3.25

This book was a solid 4 and had me silently screaming at the banter between Daphne and Simon but with 25% left something happened that disgusted me so much I forced myself to finish the book.

---

Content Warnings

Moderate: Sexism, Rape, Pregnancy, Panic attacks/disorders, Miscarriage, Abandonment, Ableism, Toxic relationship, Sexual assault, and Misogyny

Minor: Classism, Infertility, Death of parent, Body shaming, and Fatphobia

eva_vva's review

emotional funny lighthearted tense 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

3.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcohol, Infertility, Cursing, Misogyny, Abandonment, Sexism, and Sexual content

Moderate: Pregnancy, Grief, Murder, Infidelity, Confinement, Death of parent, Death, and Ableism

Minor: Miscarriage, Sexual violence, Sexual assault, Child death, Classism, and Colonisation

mels_reading_rook's review against another edition

I am flabbergasted. 

I was having a wonderful time, enjoying the story and the characters. And then, a little over halfway, it all started to go downhill. Daphne and Simon were caught in a compromising position, and so Simon agreed to a duel to the death with her brother, Anthony. Daphne proceeds to manipulate the situation and guilts Simon into marrying her, where he informs her he can't have children. Yes, his choice of wording was misleading - as it is a won't not can't situation - and when Daphne discovered that discrepency, she had no respect for his boundaries. Yes, she's entitled to be upset by that misdirection, but she should still respect that children was out of the question.

Instead, Daphne does the worst possible thing. She rapes him, and violates all his boundaries.

I am done with this book. I am done with this series.

This review can also be found on Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/6531894162

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape, Sexual content, and Sexual assault

Moderate: Domestic abuse, Misogyny, Classism, Toxic relationship, Death of parent, Emotional abuse, Pregnancy, and Sexism

Minor: Miscarriage

fanboyriot's review against another edition

lighthearted slow-paced

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

3.0

Dearest Gentle Reader, this book wasn’t what I was expecting.   While it did bring to life the characters and their stories, I feel as though it fell rather flat compared to the show.  I did enjoy the epilogues and the audiobook was narrated rather nicely, I don’t think I will be continuing this book series as of now.  It was entertaining just not really worth it to me, perhaps I’ll revisit this series later though.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual content, Child abuse, Misogyny, Sexism, Infertility, Toxic relationship, Sexual assault, Classism, Rape, Emotional abuse, Ableism, Abandonment, Pregnancy, and Infidelity

Moderate: Gaslighting, Death, Child death, Death of parent, Suicidal thoughts, Miscarriage, and Racism

Minor: Fatphobia, Blood, Alcohol, Body shaming, Vomit, Violence, and Cursing

hcgambrell's review against another edition

emotional funny medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

---

Content Warnings

Minor: Death of parent and Vomit

shiveryteacup's review against another edition

funny lighthearted fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcohol, Sexual content, Child abuse, and Death of parent