Book
Name – The Duchess.
Name – The Duchess.
Author – Danielle Steel.
Publisher -Pan Macmillan
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My Review
Rating : 5.0
After reading ‘Gone with the wind’, I didn’t expect a woman character that his stronger, smarter and admirable than Scarlett oHara. To expect a character that would be neck to neck with her in this era was unexpected but Danielle Steel, as always surprised and enchanted the readers with another woman steel- Angélique Latham. Daughter of a Duke but not a duchess. Sister of another Duke but penniless.
Angélique is brought up like a princess by her father who taught her everything including the administration. Smart by birth and trained by a Duke , Angélique grows to be a smart, educated and attractive girl. But a year short of her coming off season, her father passes away leaving her bereft. Owing to the laws of Britain those days, Angélique’s step-brother who inherited everything including her father’s title throws her out of the castle and sends her away as a nanny of four kids whom their parents hardly met. With grace, Angélique embraces her fate and does a fantastic job as a nanny of four and new born twins whom her bosses have during her stay.
Even after being a perfect nanny to their kids, her employers sack her without any reference as a punishment to an unpardonable offence which she apparently did not do. Angélique sets out to Paris in search of job but without any reference, she could not find any. Thenceforth ‘The Duchess ‘takes a detour taking the readers to an unreaped area of stroytelling.
A demure,sophisticated and aristocratic girl indulging in a business that refuses a life in the respectable society with utmost dignity is something that beyond a common man’s imaginations. Why Angélique did what she did is conveyed to the readers without any judgement on the woman’s character though fictional. How she went on unharmed in such a circumstance is beyond anyone’s logic though it cannot be counted on as impossible.
Angélique’s characterization is perfect. The fact that she is demure, dignified, sophisticated and respectful is registered well but somewhere down the line over exertion of the same seems like a confusion on author’so part as to whether the readers would accept her.
Overall the book is a literary feast. The most exciting and well executed Historical women’s fiction published off late. After Scarlett O’Hara of ‘Gone with the wind ‘, here is Angélique to win the readers’ heart.
This review is in return of a free book from the publisher
