The Duke of Shadows

Mar 05, 2011 Lady Jayne *~*The Beach Bandida*~* rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: Anyone interested in a rich, dark and emotional Historical Romance, or in the British-India setting

Recommended to Lady Jayne *~*The Beach Bandida*~* by: Dhestiny's Review

Shelves: romance-historical, author-meredith-duran, reviewed, owned-read, favourites

5+ Stars!!! - Also reviewed at: Lady Jayne's Reading Den

(Note: I had such a hard time letting this one go, that I just had to read it twice in a row!)

Some reviews seem to come easier than others, but it seems the books that touch me the deepest are the hardest to write about. This was my first read of Meredith Duran’s work and it certainly won’t be my last! I LOVED this!!! AMAZING!!!

For me, The Duke of Shadows was like a rich, beautiful and complex tapestry. A tapestry depicting the tale of an e...more

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Dec 14, 2010 ♥ Sam ♥ ~S2~Im made of awesomness rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Recommended to ♥ Sam ♥ ~S2~Im made of awesomness by: Rhonda

Shelves: historical-romance

Oh holy hot damn! FINALLY - a romance novel that's smart, lively, wicked, fast-paced, well-written, intense passion and a sense of love thats totally palpable.

Meredith Duran does what few romance writers do: tackle British rule in India in the mid 1800s. I've ready plenty of books where the hero is scarred, but never have I read where the hero and heroine live through and experience the horror of the uprising.

Emmaline and Julian are both strong characters. It has been said the Emma is hard to e...more

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Aug 24, 2011 Lady Danielle aka The Book Huntress rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: historical-romance, owned-copy, set-in-india, character-multi-ethnic-heritage, starcrossed, victorian, angsty-read, uf-challenge-summer-2011, lovers-reunited, back-from-the-dead, prejudice, hero-in-pursuit, bad-boy-rake-or-rogue, hero-i-loved, heroine-i-loved, artistic-hero-or-heroine, 2011-reading

The Duke of Shadows was a meaty, involving historical romance, the kind I love! I admit I put off reading this book because I wanted to be in the right mood for it. I was hesitant when I started it, feeling it would be too much for me right now. However, it turned out to be a good book to read at this time, because I was completely focused on the storyline.

I completely respect the way Ms. Duran addressed the setting of the British Raj in India, mid 1800s. She showed the complex issues at work: n...more The Duke of Shadows was a meaty, involving historical romance, the kind I love! I admit I put off reading this book because I wanted to be in the right mood for it. I was hesitant when I started it, feeling it would be too much for me right now. However, it turned out to be a good book to read at this time, because I was completely focused on the storyline.

I completely respect the way Ms. Duran addressed the setting of the British Raj in India, mid 1800s. She showed the complex issues at work: nationalism, prejudice, exploitation, cultural insensitivity, imperialism, loyalty, race; and for Julian and Emmaline, add falling in love to that picture. Although I have discussed with some romance fans who don't enjoy exotic settings about the tendency to pander to stereotypes or to oversimplify the pertinent issues, I enjoy exotic settings very much. Probably because I crave a good story of adventure and of travel to far away destinations--it adds another desirable layer to the escapist joy of romance reading. Of course, I do want to experience writing that does reach that 'next level,' and that addresses the important topics that go along with imperialism in a clear, thoughtful, and honest way. I feel that Ms. Duran did accomplish this in writing The Duke of Shadows.

As the descendant of African slaves, Native American tribespeople, and Irish immigrants to America, I can identify with the anger and sense of injustice of being under someone's economic and social yoke, with the wrong belief by the overrriding culture that they are bettering the savage or inferior race, showing a profund lack of respect for the beliefs and cultures of that 'conquered' group of people. I definitely could see the side of the native Indians, their land taken over, their cultures devalued, their people abused. On the other hand, the savagery in which the natives attack the British residents, civilian (including children and women) and soldier alike was very difficult and injust in a different way. Two wrongs never make a right. Duran shows both cultures at their best and their worst, making it clear that at the heart, we are all humans, good and bad.

I'm sure that Julian felt like he was being ripped in two by the uprising, having both Indian and English blood flowing in his veins. Not to mention that he never seemed to belong fully to either culture--too Indian to be a British person, and too British to be an Indian man. On top of that, was the fear that he couldn't protect Emmaline, the woman he'd fallen in love with, or his Indian relatives. This made for a very dramatic, somewhat shocking in parts, and extremely poignant read. Also, seeing Emma's breakdown and her struggle to survive after what she'd seen and experienced, and had to do for her survival. I can understand her anger at Julian in believing he'd failed to honor his promise to her, that he'd forgotten about her. Especially after the traumatic loss of her parents.

The reunion between these reunited lovers in London had me glued to the page. It was both what I would expect, and completely different. I was prepared to it to be powerful. I had not counted on Emma's rage. I didn't expect for Julian to be so out of control and primal in his need to hold Emma, even in polite company. Of course it made sense. Although their time together in India was short, a profound bond had formed, and their separation had left enormous holes in each other's hearts. They had come to love and rely on each other deeply, both in the tamer times in the British Raj, and during the fires of blood-soaked revolt. Despite all that had passed while they were separated, that love still simmered deep inside them both. However, they had to break past the barriers and the pain that Emma faced. From what I surmised, Julian would have taken up where they left off without a second thought, making Emma his duchess, since his love had never died. To my surprise, Emma turns out to be the more tortured person in this book. Julian's life had always been troublesome to some extent, because of his mixed heritage. He had many years to develop strong defense mechanisms that protected him from the scorn of society, and he had cultivated a reputation for being a fairly notorious, edge-riding member of the Ton. Not one easily dismissed, but not completely accepted by all in the snooty British society realms. For Emma, to go from being a coddled young girl with loving parents, to an orphan forced into a loveless engagement, to fighting for her life in a world in which she is hated and people want to kill her and her kind (and seeing her countrymen commit their own unspeakable acts of brutality), was no simple thing to recover from. It left deep scars on her psyche. It might have destroyed a more frail person, I'm sure.

Meredith Duran's writing reminds me of some of my favorite historical romance writers, like Laura Kinsale, Connie Brockway, and Anna Campbell, in a good way, although she establishes her own unique style and voice. It has a depth and an authenticity that shows me that she respects the time period and the impact of a historical romance with a powerful sense of period, texture, and intensity of emotion and passionate romance. Julian and Emma both are potent, vivid characters that resonated within me as I read. I think that Ms. Duran will likely become a favorite for the manner in which she writes, and the compelling charisma of her characters. This book just has that 'extra wow factor' that I look for in a historical romance, after more than twenty years of reading this genre.

Although there were parts of this novel that I felt weren't ideally paced, I think this is a five star read, because I was so involved and transfixed by this story. And I have to say this is an excellent effort for a first time author. I formed a bond with this book. I didn't just read it, I experienced the story of Julian and Emma as an active participant. The powerful pull into a story will urge me to give a book five stars, as I did in this case. Recommended!(less)

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Aug 02, 2010 UniquelyMoi *Dhestiny* BlithelyBookish rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: People who like a little angst and darker characters to their HR.

Shelves: 5-stars, 2010-reads, artist, dead-no-more, emotional-rollercoaster, historical-romance-stand-alones, keepers, military, must-reread, top-heroes, author-meredith-duran, british-india, war-battle, cultural-biases-between-couples, first-read-of-an-author, reviewed-by-me, favorites, mind-candy

I’m really indebted to my Goodreads friends who encouraged me to read The Duke of Shadows because it turned out to be a very, very good experience. Sometimes, though, the best books are the most difficult to review because they evoke such deep emotions or cause me to examine, and maybe question, my own beliefs. This is one such book.

In some ways this is a typical historical romance because we’re still dealing with British society, protocol, etc., and yet the first part of the story takes place i...more
I’m really indebted to my Goodreads friends who encouraged me to read The Duke of Shadows because it turned out to be a very, very good experience. Sometimes, though, the best books are the most difficult to review because they evoke such deep emotions or cause me to examine, and maybe question, my own beliefs. This is one such book.

In some ways this is a typical historical romance because we’re still dealing with British society, protocol, etc., and yet the first part of the story takes place in British occupied India where these rules really don’t apply, so that in itself is a struggle for the characters, all of them, who are waging a battle of cultures, traditions and religion. I found there to be a level of arrogance that we still see in societies today – people thinking that their way is the right way, so everyone else is wrong and insisting that ages old traditions and beliefs be altered to fit their standards. Quite arrogant indeed. So while this book is historical fiction, I also saw the non-fictional parallels and that was part of what made this such an interesting read.

Meredith Duran did a fantastic job of giving us truly tortured characters who are not just ink on a page, but living, breathing human beings. They struggle, like most of us do, with rights, wrongs and all the gray areas in between. Their emotions and convictions run deep and so I found myself cheering them on, even when I might have disagreed with their choices or became frustrated with their inaccurate perceptions. I’ve always said that we hurt to the extent that we love, and based on the pain they both endured because of one another, it was very clear to me that they loved each other a depth and intensity than neither ever thought they were capable of.

Before her parent’s deaths, Emma had been so full of joy, looking forward to her future, but witnessing their drowning when the ship they were aboard enroute from England to India sank, while she herself survived the tragic event, could be the only explanation for why she went from being a happy, emotionally healthy young woman to being the morose, dark character she became. She was so resolved with what her situation in life had become, that she no longer seemed to think that she could change the direction things were going in, nor did she seem to care enough to want to.

Julian is very close to being one of my all time favorite heroes, in fact, the more I think about it, he is. I couldn’t imagine what it must be like for him, living in a country which doesn’t consider him a native son, and living amongst a people within this country, the British, who consider him someone to be shunned – a Duke, but *gasp* not a blue blood! He was like a man without a country or family, so where were his loyalties to lie? Well – and this is one of the things I love most about him – they lay within himself. Regardless of what anyone else thought, he was true to what he believed in. He didn’t fight for one side or the other, rather he fought for what was right and it cost him dearly because it only continued to drive the wedge deeper, further alienating him from those who should care about him the most… those who he loved.

And when it came to patience, Job had nothing on Julian. As I said, he and Emma been through so much, and Emma just wasn’t able, or willing, to risk her heart again but Julian didn’t give up. He was willing to do whatever she wanted, be whoever she needed, just to have her in his life again. He seemed almost a desperate man where she was concerned. Had she not been so troubled herself, I’d have resented her for the lengths he had to go to get her attention, to earn her affection. I’d have said she wasn’t worthy to lick his boots, but alas, in the end it was clear that they were perfect for each other, for only together could they be completely healed.

I have to say, I was sitting on the edge of my seat stressing out while reading this, worried about how there could possibly be a happy ending with all Julian and Emma had been through, but in a wonderful plot with many twists and turns, they are compelled to rely on one another once again to help each other solve a deadly mystery and to lift one another from their dark pasts, back into the light where they can love and have the happily ever after that they are so deserving of.

This is yet one more in an ever growing list of books by an author new to me that was truly wonderful. Rich with detail and emotionally poignant, The Duke of Shadows has everything I need, and then some, for a book to be a 5 star read.
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Mar 04, 2011 KatLynne rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: keeper, favorite-treasures, g-historical-romance, smokin-hot-steamy, east-india-co-1857, 2011-reads

5+ Stars

“I am half sick of Shadows…said the Lady of Shalott”…Tennyson

Another amazing story that held me prisoner until the last page!

This is my second book by this author. Ms. Duran’s writing is like a form of poetry; it's lyrical and smooth, full of dialog and emotion. And this is an emotional story; no fluff here.

The story begins in Delhi at the beginning of the Indian Rebellion of 1857. Ms. Duran has done an amazing job reminding us of the horrors, the prejudice, and the tragedy of this upr...more

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Aug 07, 2009 Angelc rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: already-own-read

I read this book because of all the great reviews of Meredith Duran's writing. But after struggling to finish, I realized this book was just not for me. Duran is an excellent writer, and wrote a very well developed plot, but I didn't care for the descriptive violence that permeated the book.

At the start of the book, Emma Martin has been through a tragedy, the first of many, and emerged wanting to truly live life. Julian Sinclair, the Duke of Auburn, feels at home neither in India or in London,...more I read this book because of all the great reviews of Meredith Duran's writing. But after struggling to finish, I realized this book was just not for me. Duran is an excellent writer, and wrote a very well developed plot, but I didn't care for the descriptive violence that permeated the book.

At the start of the book, Emma Martin has been through a tragedy, the first of many, and emerged wanting to truly live life. Julian Sinclair, the Duke of Auburn, feels at home neither in India or in London, as a son of both worlds. The last thing they expected was to be caught up in the political turmoil between Britain and India with only each other. They survive the unthinkable together, but ultimately are separated by the political unrest. Years later, they are reunited in London, only to discover how much they both have changed.

The book is split into two parts, and the first part was more promising than the second. The second book didn't tell me enough from Julian's viewpoint, the only side of the story I saw was Emma's. Julian was downright mean and cruel to Emma, and since I didn't see his point of view, I didn't understand his motives. Honestly, his cruelty might have been the breaking point for me, where I just completely stopped enjoying this book. In the first part, Julian was loving, caring, and kind to Emma, and wanted her to know how much he loved her. In the second part, he was constantly mocking her and condescending. The only part of the second half that I liked was the storyline with Emma's paintings. She worked through her grief by painting the horrors that she had seen. I didn't think the cold, dark secret she was keeping was something that she couldn't share with Julian after everything that they had been through together.

I am a sucker for a reunion story, and the actual reunion scene in the London ballroom was by far my favorite scene of the book. This is the Julian that I wanted to see through the entire book, so caught up in his love for Emma that the rest of the world disappears.

This book is very dark and filled with tragedy and violence. When the couple does let their love show, the result is beautiful and tender. However, these moments are just too few in my opinion.

Reviewed for: http://inthehammockblog.blogspot.com/

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May 10, 2008 Readdiction rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Recommended to Readdiction by: The Good, The Bad, The Unread

Shelves: tearjerker, keepers, historicalromance, tormentedheroine

Duran's use of language leaves me breathless, anticipating the unraveling of the story and the love between two strong and emotionally scarred people. She effectively brings to life not only their world but their emotions and personalities enabling a reader to become fully absorbed into the world. Their pain becomes your pain. And you cannot help but feel such joy in their much deserved happy ending.

The excerpt of The Duke of Shadows' first few chapters lured me into a world so adeptly described...more Duran's use of language leaves me breathless, anticipating the unraveling of the story and the love between two strong and emotionally scarred people. She effectively brings to life not only their world but their emotions and personalities enabling a reader to become fully absorbed into the world. Their pain becomes your pain. And you cannot help but feel such joy in their much deserved happy ending.

The excerpt of The Duke of Shadows' first few chapters lured me into a world so adeptly described that it surpassed even my own colourful, and rather fanciful, memories of India. As these descriptions are seen through the eyes of Emmaline, a gifted artist, it poignantly reflects her outlook in life and the changes she goes through after she leaves India. Emma's descriptions of England prove such a contrast to the vibrancy of India and acts as a great device to show just how much she has actually changed. And although several reviewers feel that they cannot connect with her, I am of a different view. Her perspective leaves me feeling as much as an observant as she does and her narration helps me understand her inner conflicts. I just want to add that she did not have any TSTL moments, and I applaud Duran on creating an intelligent and strong heroine!

I think that Duran has written the most compelling hero in Julian - the Duke of Auburn who happens to be a half-breed too. He is not your typical rake (although he is described as such), he is noble and is tormented, and oh god, i want him. He is not afraid to express his feelings and prove his devotion to Emma and its done in a way that doesn't make his character any less "manly", more so in fact. You can feel his devastation over the loss of the Emma he had known and his determination to bring her back from her lonely tower, to make her live and feel again. The only criticism I would make is that I wish I had more from his point of view.

The story was believable and while the villain may have been a bit one-dimensional, the secondary characters were well developed. I will definitely be looking out for more editions from Meredith Duran. That said, GET THIS BOOK!

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Nov 06, 2011 Vidya-BooksAreMagic rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Recommended to Vidya-BooksAreMagic by: Lady Valee

Shelves: based-on-good-reviews, recommended-by-friends, historical-romance, favorites

This is my first real historical romance novel and its about my country, India, and I finished this on our Independence day. Speak of the coincidence! :)

Now to the review, I loved this book, not because of its strong story, the beautiful portrayal of the background and the unique lead characters, but because of the pain, it caused during the second half of the book.

When Rhonda said, "This book is so good, kinda dark. I think my chest ached for the entire second half of the book.", while I start...more

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Jun 10, 2012 Kathleen rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This is one of the best historical romance novel I’ve ever read. The cover does it no justice--because first glance, I was thinking, "is this something trashy, geez!" But it was FAR from it! For me, it was so sweeping, so compelling, so heart rendering, and utterly breathtaking. This is my first time reading a novel that travels between two continents, and the setting/scenery is definitely magnificent—so much that this is my first review EVER. I normally just go about rating the books I read, bu...more This is one of the best historical romance novel I’ve ever read. The cover does it no justice--because first glance, I was thinking, "is this something trashy, geez!" But it was FAR from it! For me, it was so sweeping, so compelling, so heart rendering, and utterly breathtaking. This is my first time reading a novel that travels between two continents, and the setting/scenery is definitely magnificent—so much that this is my first review EVER. I normally just go about rating the books I read, but for this, I just had to. I won’t delve into the plot much because a lot of wonderful readers have already done such a phenomenal job recapturing the story’s premises, so I will go on feelings, thoughts, and spazziness.

After spending a day and a half going through it, I find myself unable to stop thinking about how epic the love story was here between Emma and Julian. They’re such endearing characters, and I seriously fell in love with Julian’s character. I wish the story took more time exploring his story in depth as well. As many of the readers have mentioned, the story is divided into two parts, with the latter half taking place four years after the first part. I have to agree that the second half was not as spectacular as the first, but I find myself still coming back even though I wasn’t truly satisfied with the end. Even at that though, I can’t bear to give it anything less than five stars.

Part One was simply utterly, breathtaking. From the first chapter, I was absolutely hooked. The chemistry between our leads just sparked and bloomed. Their love story was so endearing to follow and the way they traveled together and how Julian was so drawn to Emma was absolutely touching. I also think it’s rare that the heroes in a love story confess that they love a heroine first in a story, and I am so glad Meredith did what she did her. I feel as if the author poured her heart and soul into writing the love story between these two leads. Again, the scenery/time setting is amazing. Meredith described things so vividly, and raw, at times it made my heart ache reading, and I would find myself holding my breath being right there in the streets of India during the British East India time period.

The whole first part was so well-written; I couldn’t put the book down! The way Emma and Julian slowly were drawn to each other and the things Julian did and said speaks volumes of his love for Emma already. As I read Part Two of the novel, I kinda wish they didn’t have to return to England and stay in that rich culture of India. The second part of the novel was definitely slower for me than the first. But it had several scenes that made me teary-eyed and made my heart ache and quell.

It was their reunion scene, leading up to the globe scene. That moment was just one of the most touching things I’ve read in a story, period—even though I haven’t read a whole lot of romance novels. The love scenes in here were written so tastefully and beautifully—and they always have purpose. I love it when a story has so much foundation instead of just simply relying on smut. So the bars have definitely been raised now. I am going to start stacking other books against this, like I did for some of Judith McNaught’s historical romance novels.

The are only two things I didn’t like about the novel, and will forgive it anyways, because everything else is just so endearing not to love: It was Emma’s attitude for Julian after everything had happened that separated them. The way she was upset and how she handled the situation made me angry that she didn’t thoroughly think things through or see it from Julian’s POV. And for a leading gal to be so fierce and intelligent from the get-go…it was kinda hard to accept her stance on the situation given what she did. I also did not like how Emma was afraid Julian would not love her anymore for the “crime” she committed. Seriously? For someone of her caliber and understanding, I would think Emma would’ve known better than that.

But like I said, I will forgive those critiques, simply because the story was so compelling and breathtakingly beautiful. It’s a keeper for me! :]
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Jun 12, 2011 .þµŋψà. [Punya Reviews...] rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: meredith-duran, favorites, no-no-no-noooo, ewww-wtf-was-that

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. My review contains spoilers and they're mostly my thoughts as I went with the book. This one's got 2 parts.

Oh, well, I like this book. 1st few chapters were slow, mainly due to all the historical stuffs/associations of British-India during 1857. It's always slow for me to get into the book when so much historical stuff is there but I have to say MD did her research well and her Hindi was quite good. I understand Hindi so had no problems getting the lines. Then, after chapter 7, specially after t...more

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Jan 13, 2011 skein rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: rrrrromance-novels, 5-star

in-the-middle-of-the-book-review:
You know how you'll be reading something and someone comes and you have to sort of ... hide the cover? or immediately issue a disclaimer: It's not like THAT! Happens to me with romances and the Bible, mostly. (Although I have since sold my copy of the Bible.)
Yeah, that.
This book shouldn't be a romance. Or maybe it should: the story of its world -- our world -- is sorrowful and dark and agonizingly recognizable. Maybe it needs the junk-licking and fast heartbea...more in-the-middle-of-the-book-review:
You know how you'll be reading something and someone comes and you have to sort of ... hide the cover? or immediately issue a disclaimer: It's not like THAT! Happens to me with romances and the Bible, mostly. (Although I have since sold my copy of the Bible.)
Yeah, that.
This book shouldn't be a romance. Or maybe it should: the story of its world -- our world -- is sorrowful and dark and agonizingly recognizable. Maybe it needs the junk-licking and fast heartbeats to keep a reader from the bottle. It's horrible tormenting vibrant fast-paced misery. I love it. It made me cry.
DON'T YOU JUDGE ME.

finished-the-book-review:

It's a dark and stormy night, tonight, which is appropriate for this season and this longitude and this hour of the day; I have finished this book twice (the second time I cried a lot more) and have begun it again. I don't want to talk about why I cried or why I enjoy it -- that's none of your goddamn business, and no-it-is-not-about-sex -- so let's go straight on to the plot/writing/characterization.
The characters were admirably drawn - I liked Emma and Julian (but bleh: the names bugged me). I liked her not-flowers-and-teacups art. I liked her holding-on-to-the-boat determination, and her PTSD, and her complaints about wine. I liked Julian, too, for not being a jerkass rogue tempered by her beauty and lack of crinolines. I liked his polite shall-we-proceed-upon-your-say-my-lady way of dealing with sex.

I liked (for that reason I will not explicate) their relationship. Especially after the (OMG SPOILER) separation. When you think someone is dead, when you think you've been abandoned, you get REALLY FUCKING PISSED OFF if they come back. You're not happy to see them. You don't go canoodling in corners. You pick fights and throw things and get furious all over again that they can still tear your heart in two. You've been perfectly happy with your sickness and your loss, and now they're come back to prove all your pain was useless and false? FUCK THAT.
You're going to go into the garden and drink now, and if they come to ask for conversation you are going to throw this champagne bottle at their head.

Four stars for a romance novel. Not, you know, as compared to Lolita or whatever.

(update: oh, fuck. it's a five-star book. I GIVE IN TO THE TRUTH.)(less)

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Nov 27, 2010 Rhonda rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I have really turned this book over in my head, trying to come up with a review, and hoping I can do it some justice. A book this good, and so well written deserves something from me.
I can hardly believe this a first novel from Meredith Duran!! I’m not going to go into the plot. I feel like it’s best left to unfold for the reader in the pages of this remarkable book.

The characters were written perfectly, primary as well as secondary.
Emmaline Martin is an heiress who is beautiful, smart, courageo...more I have really turned this book over in my head, trying to come up with a review, and hoping I can do it some justice. A book this good, and so well written deserves something from me.
I can hardly believe this a first novel from Meredith Duran!! I’m not going to go into the plot. I feel like it’s best left to unfold for the reader in the pages of this remarkable book.

The characters were written perfectly, primary as well as secondary.
Emmaline Martin is an heiress who is beautiful, smart, courageous, strong willed, and brave!! Her father saw to it that she retain an excellent education, and she was willing to stand up for herself in a manner that in extremely frowned upon of women of this era. So many times she found the strength, and courage to keep moving forward in her life in spite of the pain, sorrow, and inner turmoil it caused her. Beginning with the loss of her parents. Finding out the truth about her betrothed, Lindley. Then finding herself alone in war torn India, surrounded by death and destruction.

Now we have Julian Sinclair, whom I found to be a little complex. Julian was born of English and Indian descent, whom from birth to childhood wasn’t embraced by either side of his family. Also being Lindley’s cousin and next in line to inherit the dukedom, over Lindley causes some issues. Julian seems perfectly content to let people believe what they choose to believe of him, believe whatever rumor they choose, draw whatever conclusions they like from them. He also let’s Emma sort through the rumors, and accusations of himself to figure out for herself what kind of man he is. I applaud Emma for being not only willing, but able to look into Julian and know who he is.

This book is NOT a normal fluffy, nice read one might expect of historical romance. I went through a series of emotions with this one, heartbreak, ( and ooh, my heart broke ) to the point that it made me nauseous, for several chapters! This was a very emotional journey on many levels.

While I am new to the HR genre, I absolutely love this book beyond words!! The Duke of Shadows has trumped any other HR book I’ve read so far!! I give this book one standing ovation, and 2 handfuls of stars, thrown in the air like confetti!!

If you’re a fan of historical romance, I highly recommend this book. It will definitely be worth your time!!

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Dec 28, 2011 Mer rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: a-f, a-hr, favourite

Everything about this book is first to me

First read written by Meredith Duran
First read of historical fiction half of it outside England
First read with British-India setting
First read historical romance that is moved, emotional and heart-wrenching
Finally, first read with Hindi in it

Yeah, it's all about it.

At first, I wasn't really fond with this book but as I kept moving on, flipped each page, I found that I started to love it. I must say that this book is vastly different from any other histori...more Everything about this book is first to me

First read written by Meredith Duran
First read of historical fiction half of it outside England
First read with British-India setting
First read historical romance that is moved, emotional and heart-wrenching
Finally, first read with Hindi in it

Yeah, it's all about it.

At first, I wasn't really fond with this book but as I kept moving on, flipped each page, I found that I started to love it. I must say that this book is vastly different from any other historical romance books I've read. It's a love story but yet it's not entirely about love story. It's also about death, fear, war, conquer, grief, discrimination, and trauma. Gore and horror, you name it.

Plus, it has got something to do with East India Company. It's one of the parts in history subject I took in high school that I loved to read the most. Don't bother to ask me because I have no answer for my interest reading about East India Company.

The romance was great, true love and full of passion. The characters were great too! Julian, our hero, he's English-Indian and he's a likable character I guarantee you'll instantly fall in love with him. Emma, our heroine, she's one tortured-soul heroine. Got annoyed with her at some little part but she's pitiful. I felt sympathy and really bad for her. And her ex-fiance Marcus, he's a jerk. I love his character because he's so hateful. You wish to put a bullet straight into his head the moment you read about him.

The Duke of Shadows is one hell of intense. Very intense. For me, reading this book was never easy. It got with all sorts of emotion rise about and mixed together. It was a mess! I really hate this book. Hate in a good way, anyway. Hate it because it made me shed tears. Even tiny little bit. I have never had cry whilst reading emotional book before and this is a first! Again, another first. Call me melodramatic but it was the truth, that was how I feel.

Now I finally get it why people like it. It's brilliant, you know. Brilliant, indeed. This book is oh-so-damn-well. Truth to tell, this book worth your energy and time. You won't regret it. I highly recommend this.(less)

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Aug 04, 2011 Marilyn rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: romance-historical, kindle

This romance is set first in India, 1857, at the start of the Sepoy Rebellion and concludes in London in 1861. The first part seemed a little slow but afterwards it really catches on and has a HEA. The Sepoy Rebellion is something I knew a little about but which I appreciate even more having read Ms. Duran's depiction.

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Aug 27, 2011 Cheryl rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Recommended to Cheryl by: Dhestiny

Shelves: historical-romance, recommended-to-me, books-i-own, all-time-favorites

Wow! What can I say about this book that has not been said already? I think I'll skip describing the plot, for it has been done in other magnificent reviews, instead I'll describe my feelings for it the best I can. In one word, this book is sublime!

This book put me through a broad range emotions -laughter, anger, sadness and anxiousness. I loved the conversations between Julian and Emma, some of them were so funny -especially when Julian was taunting Emma!

The scenes in India were so vivid to m...more

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Aug 02, 2010 Catherine rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: historical, romance, angst, india, england, excellent, it-moved-me, dark

Every once in a while I will find a book that will move me. It's more than just enjoying the storyline or characters or even just the beauty of the prose. It's all that and more. It's some indefinable spark in the story that draws me in and makes me feel transported. I love when I find that quality. It varies from person to person, but wherever it's found it's something to be treasured. I found that quality in this book. I know that it is one that I will be able to read again and again and still...more Every once in a while I will find a book that will move me. It's more than just enjoying the storyline or characters or even just the beauty of the prose. It's all that and more. It's some indefinable spark in the story that draws me in and makes me feel transported. I love when I find that quality. It varies from person to person, but wherever it's found it's something to be treasured. I found that quality in this book. I know that it is one that I will be able to read again and again and still find some new element of the story that will entrance me all over again.

I loved the undercurrents in the characters. There was never anything cut and dry about them. There was always layer after layer of meaning and motivation behind their actions. So much tragedy surrounded them, but so much strength too. The personal tragedies compounded by the tragedies they experienced during the revolt in India made for very complex characters. As I read the story I kept thinking about Jo Goodman's books. This author gave me the very same qualities that I love about Goodman's books.

Emma was a very well drawn character. She came off as very dark to me, even in the beginning. The death of her parents seemed to seep into her. Her indifference toward her betrothed's betrayals and total change of character, as well as her dissatisfaction with society seemed to echo that depression in her. The passage:

"She sat down. The solitude suited her. She had known the room would be deserted; it was too early for damage to have been done to dresses and gloves. Later, women would crush inside, anxiously pacing the floor as their ayahs struggled along behind, patching ripped hems and scrubbing at stains. The charm of the shadows would fade, and the music would be drowned out by snapped complaints and snickered gossip.
"And this is my life," she whispered. This was what she had fought so hard to survive for when she had floated for endless hours on the breast of the ocean, the sun cracking her skin and settling salt beneath her fingernails." (pg. 49)

particularly moved me. Throughout the story the sadness and hopelessness seemed to breathe off the pages. It was very beautiful. It seemed at times, from my point of view at least, that she was almost suicidal. Which is an odd perception, because when in danger she never seemed to want to die. I just couldn't shake the thought that she teetered a little too close to wanting to be totally lost. Things like this passage:

"He grasped her face in his hands to slant her head, to give him deeper access, to fill her. Yes, do it, she thought, consume me, swallow me whole. Odd feelings with no root tore through her. She felt frenzied, almost angry, ready to jump out of her skin. He would take her before she went. How would she go? Would she die? Would she face the water again? Could anyone keep the promises she suddenly wanted from him?" (pg. 131)

made me really wonder about her state of mind. I don't know though... It was in the middle of a love scene. Possibly it was just an expression of how consumed by him she was? Either way, it just made me more fascinated by her character.

Julian was less well drawn than Emma. I appreciated the author showing the dueling cultures in his nature. The fact that no matter what he did, he would never be a true part of either country made him a very sympathetic character. In truth, the most intriguing parts of his character came in moments that gave more depth to Emma. I particularly liked the insight he showed in the fragment of the poem he quoted to her. I think that a defining moment of the change in her character came when she discovered what he had meant by that statement. I don't know if these thoughts of his character make it really only Emma who carried the story or whether Julian only really came to life when dealing with her.

I liked all of the love scenes, especially because they seemed to add something to the story. The love scene that occurred at Mr. Cothurst's house touched me in particular. It showed so much insight into who Emma had become and the sorrow and self-mockery that Julian suffered from because of that. It was raw and not really romantic, but I loved it because of those reasons. I felt it fit perfectly with their characters. I felt so badly for Julian. His yearning and his pain when he was only given crumbs of what he needed from her felt like a living thing. I thought it was a powerful scene and that Meredith Duran has great skill.

I cannot recommend this book enough. It lived for me in a way that very few books do. I cannot wait to see what comes next for this author. However, be aware that this book is not perfect. I thought that Marcus was a thinly drawn character and I would have enjoyed nuance in him and less simple "bad guy". Also, my copy needed more editing. There were times that an extra word would be inserted into a sentence or a letter was missing in a word. It was very distracting in a love scene. Instead of "take her" it was "ake her". It wasn't horrible; it just kept pulling me out of the story. Despite that, I think that this book will be one of my favorites of the year.(less)

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Dec 10, 2008 Abby rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: historical-fiction, romance, favorites

Oh holy hot damn! FINALLY - a romance novel that's smart, interesting, fast-paced, well-written, and and and and I'm out of adjectives.

Meredith Duran does what few romance writers do: tackle British rule in India DURING the uprising in the mid 1800s. I've ready plenty of books where the hero is scarred, internally or externally, because of the conflict, but never have I read one where the hero AND heroine live through and experience the horror. Brilliant move, Duran.

Also, both protagonists, Em...more Oh holy hot damn! FINALLY - a romance novel that's smart, interesting, fast-paced, well-written, and and and and I'm out of adjectives.

Meredith Duran does what few romance writers do: tackle British rule in India DURING the uprising in the mid 1800s. I've ready plenty of books where the hero is scarred, internally or externally, because of the conflict, but never have I read one where the hero AND heroine live through and experience the horror. Brilliant move, Duran.

Also, both protagonists, Emmaline and Julian, are as richly textured and rendered as one of Emma's paintings. Both are deeply flawed characters, but whose actions to the challenges thrown at them and created by them are believable, real responses. There are no TSTL moments to be found here and Julian never goes all-out Alpha Male.

The secondary character are delightful and I hope we're going to learn much more about Lockwood and his mysterious red-headed wife!!

I adored this book so much that when I finished it, I went BACK to page one and re-read it. That is a first ever for me. Some people did it for Harry Potter, me, it was Duke of Shadows that so inspired me and drew me so completely into their world, that I couldn't let it go after one reading. The descriptions of India, the conversations and conflict between Emma and Julian, representative of the larger conflict between India and Britain ... absolutely captivating.

OK - so enough praise. Let's look at the one, tiny detail that wasn't A+ perfect: the villain. Pretty stock, white-bread villain if you ask me. But he manages to thrown in enough tension to get a satisfying ending, so he's not completely useless.

Some reviews claim Emma is hard to empathize with. Damn right she's hard to empathize with! Probably the only people who could even remotely understand what she's gone through would be women who have been forced into exile and made to endure horrors that no person should ever have to suffer through. In my head I likened Emma to an Afghani woman, fleeing her country for the still-unstable refugee areas of Northern Pakistan. It is much the same for Emma -- and Julian to a certain extent.

If you have never read a romance novel before, I highly recommend starting with this one. If you're already a romance fan, be prepared to have your mind blown.(less)

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Apr 08, 2008 Eliza rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Recommended to Eliza by: Smart Bitches Trashy Books

Fantastic. Just - fantastic. This book takes romance novel cliches and turns them on their head, all the while making a real, believable, heartbreaking, satisfying relationship out of two messed up but completely in love people. Nobody is, as the Smart Bitches put it, Too Stupid To Live, nobody does anything without motivation... even the villains are scary while still having completely believable motivations, without being cartoon villains. The book's author was the "first chapter" contest winn...more

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Jan 26, 2013 Lizzy rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: favoritos, review

Esse livro é absolutamente perfeito. Inteligente, maduro, sensual e fala de um amor realmente verossímil. Julian, o herói, é um inglês com sangue indiano que está longe de ser arrogante e cheio de si diante de seu título de marquês e depois de duque. Na verdade, sua má fama não corresponde ao que ele realmente é. Ele é um homem seguro de si e muito envolvente. Ele mistura cinismo e maturidade. Um herói esplêndido. Emma, a heroína, perdeu seus pais em um naufrágio quando ia ruma à India encontrar...more

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Jan 03, 2013 elstaffe rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: the-things-i-do-for-erdahs

Having finished this book, I can almost understand why someone neglected to return the only copy of this to my local library*. The only reason I cannot bring myself to five-star The Duke of Shadows is a spoiler, so click ahead at your own risk. (view spoiler) That aside, I am having trouble resisting the urge...more

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Sep 05, 2012 Chenoa C rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

First of all, I did not finish this book I got to chapter 8 and now I'm glad (after reading the reviews) that I stopped where I have. God this book is just slow, insanely slow. Even when it was supposed to be fast paced I couldn't get into it.

I love books that take place in unusual countries (read: not in America) however this book felt like it was put together from travel guides. If you're not from Delhi than you're going to have to constantly look up words in the dictionary (or if you use an...more First of all, I did not finish this book I got to chapter 8 and now I'm glad (after reading the reviews) that I stopped where I have. God this book is just slow, insanely slow. Even when it was supposed to be fast paced I couldn't get into it.

I love books that take place in unusual countries (read: not in America) however this book felt like it was put together from travel guides. If you're not from Delhi than you're going to have to constantly look up words in the dictionary (or if you use an ereader app like I do than the equivalent) in order to figure out what she's talking about in the early chapters. That's the thing though I really didn't feel like this author had any clue what India really looks like. She literally sounds like she copied and pasted from a travel blog when describing Emma's surroundings.

This is the second book by Meredith that I tried to read and couldn't finish so maybe it's just the authors style but her characters don't have enough depth. They have a few background tragedies and then a bunch of one dimensional qualities that really don't give you a real idea of who these characters are.

Basically here we have the cold, abusive husband who [almost] marries a damsel in distress who he's grown up with simply because he wants her fortune. In comes his bad boy relative, who's the typical rogue with a slandered reputation built upon sexual (mis)adventures. Damsel in distress falls in love with him after he repeatedly saves her from something that the author told us was going to happen from the first few pages (you can only foreshadow something so many times before it's very obvious it's going to happen). It wouldn't have been so bad if she didn't pretty much tell us word for word exactly how things would play out through "political discussions at the dinner table".

Anyways, almost husband falls out of the story and we're left with the damsel in distress and sexy rogue relative who fall in love but then separate anyways for a few angsty chapters.

That's where I stopped because we all knew they were going to get together in the end and that's what happens so there really was no reason to continue reading any farther into the book.

(less)

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Mar 17, 2012 Gaylin Walli rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: historical, romance

This romance is not for the faint of heart. If very real descriptions of violence and helplessness bother you, it may be wise for you to pass this one by. That having been said, this was one of the first times I've really seen attention to the British Raj and the uprisings treated as the complex, gritty, messy and terrifying situations that I've always believed they really must have been. And yet this book still sits firmly in the category of historical romance. Trust me.

I had to set down for a...more

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Oct 10, 2011 Felicia rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: historical-romance

Ok whatever, I'm not gonna apologize for reading the occasional historical romance novel (although the fact I preface the whole review with this probably indicates a modicum of self-consciousness, but I'm overcoming that by posting a public review, so progress maybe?)

I am a sucker for the corset ones, I got hooked on Eloisa James a few years ago (Right after I got my Kindle and could hide the covers), but then I started browsing around other authors and there are a LOT OF BAD ONES, GUYS! Like co...more Ok whatever, I'm not gonna apologize for reading the occasional historical romance novel (although the fact I preface the whole review with this probably indicates a modicum of self-consciousness, but I'm overcoming that by posting a public review, so progress maybe?)

I am a sucker for the corset ones, I got hooked on Eloisa James a few years ago (Right after I got my Kindle and could hide the covers), but then I started browsing around other authors and there are a LOT OF BAD ONES, GUYS! Like completely chauvinist and un-empowering, where the lady always ends up happy sewing at home and then knocked up in the epilogue. Blerg. Yes, there are some pretty racy sex scenes in these books, but it's gotta have a good story and good characters or the naughty bits just make you go, "ew". At least for me.

For the record I only list ones I really like on here, the rest I just leave off, and I've gone through several unlisted ones in the last months before posting this one here. Duke of Shadows is a REALLY good story that I feel is elevated above the average romance in tone. It is set between British occupied India and London, it deals with really interesting issues and complicated character problems, especially for the genre. I loved the main character and the love interest, and some scenes were like, "NOOO DONT BE CRUEL TO EACH OTHER NOOO"
I just read another one by this author that I enjoyed, although I preferred this one, but both were a cut above. She takes things like class and poverty and status and digs much deeper than the surface, "isn't it fun to be a duke" sort of thing. I really liked it, I liked that the heroine had a genuine talent, and if you are a fan of say Outlander this could be a lighter type of novel you might enjoy.

There are several pretty racy scenes though guys, heads up. Not that that's disincentive if you have a Kindle hiding what you're reading lol!
Ok promise my next book will be a sci-fi to balance all the vaginal books I've been reading lately. Iain Banks maybe.
(less)

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Aug 19, 2011 Bookwormgirl rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: historical-romance

So I am back on the historical romance reading kick again. And this book is a good reason why I keep reading this genre. It has a broody hero, spunky heroine and some great story telling.

The first part of this book is intense. It follows the couple through India's First War for Independence in 1857. In some respects it is a story that could fit in a contemporary romance. The two must deal with survivors guilt, war and separation as well as ostracism from main stream society (her by being rescued...more

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Jan 14, 2011 Bronwyn Rykiert rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: historical-romance

What a fantastic book. I loved it from start to finish could not put down until it was finished. It was a bit different and it had a bit of everything in it.

Part 1

We meet Emmaline Martin as she is holding onto a life boat after the ship was on sank killing both her parents. They were on their way to India to meet her betrothed, Marcus Lindley who is a Viscount and a Colonel with the East India Co – they have been promised to each other since childhood.

She is not happy to be marrying Marcus as sh...more

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Sep 26, 2010 Jane Stewart rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: historical-romance-prior-to-wwll

Excellent plot and events, but I was frustrated with the heroine. Motivations and characters could have been better.

STORY BRIEF:
Emma is a wealthy heiress. Her parents arranged her marriage to Marcus, who was stationed in India. Emma was on a ship going to India when it sunk. She was the only survivor, floating on the sea. An Irish ship picked her up and took her to India. She doesn’t love Marcus. She knows he is sleeping with other women. He only wants her for her money. Julian is ¼ Indian and ¾...more Excellent plot and events, but I was frustrated with the heroine. Motivations and characters could have been better.

STORY BRIEF:
Emma is a wealthy heiress. Her parents arranged her marriage to Marcus, who was stationed in India. Emma was on a ship going to India when it sunk. She was the only survivor, floating on the sea. An Irish ship picked her up and took her to India. She doesn’t love Marcus. She knows he is sleeping with other women. He only wants her for her money. Julian is ¼ Indian and ¾ British. He is heir to a title and wealth in England, but currently lives in Delhi. He and Emma meet and later fall in love. The Indians rebel against British occupation. Julian takes Emma to a safe place in another town and then returns to Delhi to help negotiate between the Indians and the British. He promises Emma he will come back for her. Due to rebels killing British women, Emma is forced to flee and ends up with British troops, constantly moving to new locations. A few years later she returns to London. She is an artist and paints pictures of the horrors she witnessed. The pictures sell quickly.

REVIEWER’S OPINION (WITH SPOILERS):
I had trouble with Emma being mad at Julian. He searched extensively in many locations for her during the rebellion. After he was told she was dead, he left India. For her part, she was hiding with British troops and using a false name Anne. Her plan was that if Julian came to her location, someone would say to her, there’s a man looking for someone named Emma. Then she would come out and say “I’m Emma, I’m not really Anne. Where is he?” She hated Julian for leaving her in India. Four years later they accidentally see each other in London. Julian is shocked because he thought she was dead, and he told her so. Emma is angry and tells him to stay away from her. She plans to leave the country to get away from him. Her reason was (page 227) “her rage had made her strong. But what of the time when rage began to fail her? It surely would, eventually. Her heart was breaking, when she had thought it in bits already. To go through all this again, to let him smash her once more, was not a choice.” In my opinion, a rational person would have understood and forgiven Julian, once she learned the facts. She had been in love with him and still was. He did nothing wrong. Emma’s anger at Julian was the basis for conflict between them for the next third of the book. I could not sympathize.

This book gets high marks for plot, intrigue and events. I learned about the British occupation and the Sepoy uprising. There was a lot of potential with all the different characters - who was doing what and why. My problem was I didn’t care enough about the characters, other than feeling sorry for Julian being matched up with this irrational heroine (Emma). The dialogue was ok but nothing special.

An example of an intriguing event had to do with “the evidence.” I liked the creativeness of how the evidence was displayed. But I had trouble with “why” it was displayed as it was, without knowing what it said. The person displaying “the evidence” feared being hanged for it. I also had trouble with “why” the evidence was hidden where it was. In other words, the events surrounding the evidence were interesting and different, but it was not logical that someone would do this. I suppose one might say that after experiencing horrible events, post-traumatic-stress-syndrome might cause someone to do illogical things, but it didn’t feel that way to me.

DATA:
Story length: 371 pages. Swearing language: mild. Sexual language: strong. Number of sex scenes: 3. Total number of sex scene pages: 18. Setting: 1857 India and 1861 London. Copyright: 2008. Genre: historical romance.(less)

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Aug 31, 2010 LibraryLass rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 2010, h-romance, library-book

All I can say is WOW!!! I have been off the historical romance genre, but this one caught my eye at work and I thought I would give it a go. I am so glad I did. One of the reasons I have gone off the HR genre is the lacklustre novels that seem to be getting churned out lately. They seem to be all about jumping into bed immediately or redeeming rakes and ex-courtesans. There is no romance to it. They just seem to be light erotica with a historical setting. I like my historicals to have the feel o...more

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Aug 04, 2010 Katyana rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: fiction, girly-books, historical, abuse, favorites

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. This book was utterly engrossing to me. Something about the characters was really magnetic, and even when I had to step away from the book, it remained on my mind.

I loved the character of Emma. This book really is her story - her journey, her survival. Honestly, this book felt more to me like the story of a woman's fight for survival than even a love story. Julian was something so much more than her lover - he became her center. I think that's why, even after she escapes London, Emma is still l...more This book was utterly engrossing to me. Something about the characters was really magnetic, and even when I had to step away from the book, it remained on my mind.

I loved the character of Emma. This book really is her story - her journey, her survival. Honestly, this book felt more to me like the story of a woman's fight for survival than even a love story. Julian was something so much more than her lover - he became her center. I think that's why, even after she escapes London, Emma is still lost because she has lost that center. But Emma is a fighter. Even when her conscious mind is unable to take any more, she continues to fight to survive. But her despair really ... soaks through the pages. Emma tries to shut down her emotions, to preserve her sanity, and it is like she builds a wall of despair around herself. Even in the middle of a reunion with Julian, even in a love scene, she is choking on the despair. You can feel her unconscious terror at the idea of allowing this reconnection. I think Emma knows that if the waves pull her under for a third time, she won't come back up. And so, because she is a survivor, she fights to maintain the cold distance from the world.

The scenes where Julian patiently rebuilds the bridge to Emma... they are really just beautiful. And when I say that this is Emma's story, please do not discount Julian. To me, Julian's journey in this book is... one of a man looking for his home. He's an outcast to both of the bloodlines he was born into, and so he has chosen to live his life apart from the world. Like Emma, he has withdrawn. I think, in Emma, he sees a kindred soul - when he meets her, she has just survived the shipwreck, and as a result, is largely adrift in her life. She can't make sense of the world around her anymore, and he understands. They connect as two outsiders, observing the world from a perspective that no one else shares.

And so Emma becomes Julian's center too, because he had, I think, resigned himself to being alone. In London, when he rediscovers Emma, he struggles to show her that she's not alone on the outside - that he's there too, has always been there.

Ugh, I feel like I am rambling. It is hard to express how touching this book was. The story of two utterly lost souls finding each other on the outside is really a powerful one, and I imagine it resonates with a lot of people. If you have any interest in this genre, you really should pick this book up. You won't be disappointed.(less)

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Feb 15, 2010 Jenny rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: adult-historical-fiction, adult-romance

This novel is labeled a romance, and while it certainly does qualify as one, it transcended the stereotypes that are often assigned to books of that genre (despite the classic "faceless hero with an unbuttoned, tucked-in shirt" cover).

A young woman, the only surviver in a devastating shipwreck, arrives in India to meet her fiance. She's barely given time to get sense of her new life when the the country implodes. The native solders have finally decided to stand against the British and the stree...more

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Jul 06, 2009 Jocelyn Zombie rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Oh, the angst. Man, this book had everything but the kitchen sink filled with secret babies in the angst department. And I loved it. So much that I forgive it it's cover (where the hero is half decapitated and doesn't know how to tuck in or button his shirt).

When you take a step away from the novel, the events are patently unbelievable, but when you're wrapped up in reading, the book is seriously compelling. The blurb on the main page describes the plot well enough, so I'm not going to rehash it...more

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