A new year means taking stock of the past 12 months and looking forward to a new, idealized version of yourself that you will surely be by next December. This new year also means a new season of Shondaland’s hit Netflix show “Bridgerton”, based on the eight book series of the same name by Julia Quinn. The salacious regency era series has been in the cultural zeitgeist since it landed on our screens in 2020. In between scandalous affairs, elegant ballgowns, and alarming amounts of wealth, is the noisy and loving Bridgerton family whose romantic adventures amongst the “ton” are the focus of the series. In order to prepare for what will surely be a swoon-worthy season 4, today’s Book Club Spotlight will be covering the first book in the series, The Duke and I. And yes, like the show, the book contains intimate scenes.
The young and respectable bachelors of London’s high society like Daphne Bridgerton. They like her, but not enough to marry her. For a young woman out in society, being liked but not romantically pursued is devastating for her future and her social standing. The funny and charming eldest daughter of the large, lovable Bridgerton family is starting to lose hope on finding a suitable match when the newly appointed Duke of Hastings suddenly reenters society. Arriving back in England only after his estranged father’s death, the dashing and enigmatic Duke quickly becomes the ton’s most eligible bachelor much to his distress. For he has sworn to never marry and never ever have children. After a chance encounter, Daphne and the Duke, Simon, become fast friends and hatch a scheme to make the social season a success for both parties. A fake courtship will deter any young ladies and their scheming mama’s from pursuing Simon, and the eligible men will finally see Daphne as a romantic option. Simon is certain that his budding infatuation with Daphne will not get in the way of his carefully laid plans, but a careless moment in the garden changes everything.
“Anthony had responsibilities Simon had never even dreamed of. He had brothers to guide, sisters to protect. Simon had a dukedom, but Anthony had a family.”
Julia Quinn
The Duke and I is a fun, romantic escapist romp. Quinn’s characters are intelligent, likeable, and well written. Her writing style easily flows off the page and doesn’t bog down on any unnecessary historical details or side plots. Escapism is a hallmark of the Bridgerton series, here our characters exist without the worries of our modern age. The biggest scandals revolve around an unmarried pair walking unchaperoned, being snubbed at a ball, or wearing a dress in an odious color picked by your mother. Familial bonds and human connection make up the novel’s backbone. Daphne cares for her chaotic family, and they love and protect her in kind. Simon, who was shunned by his father for a perceived defect, has never felt such love and must confront his demons in order to allow himself happiness and a place in a family who care so fiercely for one another.
Written in 2000, The Duke and I came out at a time when “girl power” was on the rise, and Quinn’s heroines are no exception. They are funny, can hold their own in a game of wit, and enter into relationships of their own choosing. While these heroines are more “enlightened”, they are still products of their time and class. Growing up in a restrictive society, young women weren’t always prepared for what married life would expect of them. Throughout the novel, Daphne struggles with her naivety and must trust in Simon and his experience after they are married. This leads to the book’s most infamous scene, where, after learning of Simon’s deception (which was only possible due to her naivety), Daphne chooses to take advantage of him in return. It’s not an easy moment to see our romantic leads at such intense odds, but for the right adult Book Club Group, it opens up the floor for a great discussion on women’s agency in the regency era, their body autonomy, and how our views on marriage and intimacy has changed from the 1800’s, to the 2000’s, to today. Do two wrongs make a right?
If you’re interested in requesting The Duke and I for your book club, you can find the Request Form here. There are 5 copies. (A librarian must request items)
Quinn, Julia. The Duke and I. Avon Books. 2000.
