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A review by saeruh
To Sir Phillip, With Love by Julia Quinn
1.5
Hey bridgerton readers, you remember the guy who tried to rape our heroine in the third book? Well now he’s back and he’s mean, inattentive father with strong anger AND daddy issues. I think I know just what to do with this character. Let’s pair him with one of the beloved bridgerton sisters!
In all honestly, I think phillip crane should die in a horrible, gruesome death and then maybe his character would actually have some purpose. There is absolutely nothing romantic about this story, it’s referenced several times that the only reason he feels the need to get married again is to 1) have a mother for his children since he can’t be bothered to actually be a father 2) have a wife that he can have sex with whenever he wants so he can get his rocks off. Everything about the relationship in this story is gross. I felt so bad for Eloise, she actually had a good character but this book just butchered any chance at making me want to think again about her story.
I get that this book came out twenty years ago but the way Quinn treats mental illness is so disgusting. It’s clear that Marina was suffering from postpartum depression and then a generalized depression disorder but all of the story is focused on how much of a burden she was and how much Phillip blamed all of his problems on her. It was so toxic and honestly triggering to read as someone who suffers from depression. I guess the meaning Quinn was trying to say was that if you’re sad at all, you’re a constant burden on those you love.
There is also much misogyny in this book that it hurts my head. It’s referenced to several times that women are confusing creatures that men will never understand/that the two sexes are just so wildly different that they could never understand each other. Again I guess that’s a factor of both of this book being a historical romance that’s semi accurate and also being written twenty years ago but it just isn’t good to read now.
This book gets a 1.5 instead of just a 1 star because I did think the plot was sort of interesting, I liked the runaway plot and then the brothers storming in the house in the middle of dinner. I also thought that using Eloise’s letters as chapter openers was a good way to transition from the absence of lady whistledown’s commentary.
Will I be continuing this stupid book series? Yes I will. Because I want to hate review the rest of them and see if miss Julia Quinn can get any lower than she already has in my opinion.
In all honestly, I think phillip crane should die in a horrible, gruesome death and then maybe his character would actually have some purpose. There is absolutely nothing romantic about this story, it’s referenced several times that the only reason he feels the need to get married again is to 1) have a mother for his children since he can’t be bothered to actually be a father 2) have a wife that he can have sex with whenever he wants so he can get his rocks off. Everything about the relationship in this story is gross. I felt so bad for Eloise, she actually had a good character but this book just butchered any chance at making me want to think again about her story.
I get that this book came out twenty years ago but the way Quinn treats mental illness is so disgusting. It’s clear that Marina was suffering from postpartum depression and then a generalized depression disorder but all of the story is focused on how much of a burden she was and how much Phillip blamed all of his problems on her. It was so toxic and honestly triggering to read as someone who suffers from depression. I guess the meaning Quinn was trying to say was that if you’re sad at all, you’re a constant burden on those you love.
There is also much misogyny in this book that it hurts my head. It’s referenced to several times that women are confusing creatures that men will never understand/that the two sexes are just so wildly different that they could never understand each other. Again I guess that’s a factor of both of this book being a historical romance that’s semi accurate and also being written twenty years ago but it just isn’t good to read now.
This book gets a 1.5 instead of just a 1 star because I did think the plot was sort of interesting, I liked the runaway plot and then the brothers storming in the house in the middle of dinner. I also thought that using Eloise’s letters as chapter openers was a good way to transition from the absence of lady whistledown’s commentary.
Will I be continuing this stupid book series? Yes I will. Because I want to hate review the rest of them and see if miss Julia Quinn can get any lower than she already has in my opinion.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Misogyny, Physical abuse, Sexual content, Suicide, and Violence
Minor: Child abuse