Many might have heard of the Netflix series Bridgerton that first debuted in 2020. Well... I have indulged in binging the second season upon its release, and was finally convinced to read the book series. I was quite hesitant at first due to the various mixed reviews, however, ended up caving in because I simply had to know what happens in Penelope and Eloise's storylines.
I was conscious of the fact that the Netflix series diverted from the original books and that there was no representation of POC nor queerness whatsoever. However, considering that the books came out at the turn of the millennium, what else could people expect? Think back at pretty much any media that came out in the year 2000, majority wasn't really diverse. Plus it's a historical romance series. Despite being fiction, there is nothing wrong with acknowledging that historical England in the 17th century was extremely white.
I could go into the Netflix series and how great of a modern adaptation it is but that's not what this post is about. I might revisit the topic on a later occasion though. Therefore, back to today's book review.
Bridgerton: The Duke and I (by Julia Quinn)
Published in 2000
Let's start with my reading records before getting into the book:
I started the book on the 18th April 2022 and finished it on the 12th May 2022.
Out of those 25 days I had 5 active reading days.
My edition had 406 pages
21 Chapters + Prologue & Epilogue
(I am mentioning the epilogue because Julia Quinn also published another book, Bridgerton: Happily Ever After where all of the epilogues and second epilogues of all 8 siblings are included)
I enjoyed the book. Gave it a score of 3/5 *
Tags:
Romance; Fiction; Historical; 17th Century; Fake Dating Trope; Big Family, Stuttering; Spicy Scenes
Trigger warnings:
Parental Neglect; Parental Abuse: Verbal & Emotional; Rape of a man within marriage (It is not called rape within the book and the character realises that what they did was wrong and an abuse of trust --- Nevertheless, it was still rape)
I liked the 1st book better than its Netflix adaptation as it was overall less problematic and explicit. Moreover, the romance between the two main characters was quite sweet as both struggle with their own problems. Simon's character was despite being often irritatingly stubborn and unwilling to communicate, endearing as his childhood struggles are relatable to someone who is not neurotypical. Also, Daphne being described as being not the most desirable woman available, makes the book a bit less cringy in my opinion (Unfortunately, I don't really know how else to describe those feelings).
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