The immature and sudden exposure of children to the truth of how viscious we humans can be before or perhaps instead of how loving the same can be. And I particularly adore the subtlety Julia Quinn summoned up in carving this out: the rejection of a child because they are who they are. In this romance novel which I am tempted to ignore the romance part, I see a bizarre display of cruelty on the part of Hastings. It is in fact remarkable how parents can raise up their children even in final absence. Simon's father, Hastings, delivered the single most destructive sentence a parent could ever utter: While on the subject of children, I would sadly point out that our words may be the a killing curse to our offspring. Anthony the most annoying brother ever and Hyacinth the most adorable daughter. Violet, is perhaps the free, clumsiest and most loving mother of the 18th century. Julia Quinn crafted a romance novel woven with the philosophies of life and particularly the strength of motherhood. We strive to live up to their standards and strive, as Daphne, to save them from who they do not have to be. We strive to impress them we thrive to topple them. What however is absolutely certain is the fact that in the long run, we are shaped by the people around us.

It is very unpredictable the kind of people we will come in contact with. It is unpredictable how our lives may play out. Almost a hand work of the forces of nature that Simon and Daphne stumbled upon each other. It seems almost a work of destiny that, Simon became best friends with the older brother of the woman that would later change his life forever. A question that requires serious thought: as a woman, what happens when you can’t find yourself a partner during the 1800s? And an even disturbing question persisted: what if Simon had not met Daphne? How darker would his life had been?

As a sad result of a bleak past, the duke is stark on staying single until he meets Daphne who is equally resilient on the versa.Īs I read through this novel, one question kept jabbing at my head. This first among the eight book series centers around Simon Basset, the young Duke of Hastings, and Daphne Bridgerton, the fourth of eight siblings. A period characterized by high marital demand. A historical romance by Julia Quinn, The Duke and I (the first of an eight book series), is set in England as at the 18th century Regency era.

The duke and i by julia quinn