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A review by _rutaceae
A Lady for a Duke by Alexis Hall
emotional
hopeful
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
I struggle with historical fiction sometimes - it's not my favorite to read, and it's never my first choice - but this is one of my best friend's favorite books, so it was no question I would pick this up while I was on a roll with reading Alexis Hall.
While the language of the narration was fairly modern, the language of the dialogue was exactly as it should be to fit the times. It was the perfect mix of both, which is where I feel some historical fiction falls flat. Hall gets the mix just right, while others I find are either too modern, or too period based.
The relationship between Viola and Gracewood was so beautifully handled. Viola being trans is something that you would have thought would have been the thing they struggled with the most. It's something that is not widely accepted in the current day and age, and something that would probably have gotten you killed in the early 1800s. So the fact that their difference in social class, the fear of ruining their friendship, and the fear that the other may not feel the same were the biggest worries in their relationship was so perfect.
This book deals with some difficult topics - from Gracewood's difficulties after the war, to Viola being trans - and Alexis Hall handled them all perfectly.
Feeling how I do about historical fiction, I wasn't expecting to love this as much as I did.
While the language of the narration was fairly modern, the language of the dialogue was exactly as it should be to fit the times. It was the perfect mix of both, which is where I feel some historical fiction falls flat. Hall gets the mix just right, while others I find are either too modern, or too period based.
The relationship between Viola and Gracewood was so beautifully handled. Viola being trans is something that you would have thought would have been the thing they struggled with the most. It's something that is not widely accepted in the current day and age, and something that would probably have gotten you killed in the early 1800s. So the fact that their difference in social class, the fear of ruining their friendship, and the fear that the other may not feel the same were the biggest worries in their relationship was so perfect.
This book deals with some difficult topics - from Gracewood's difficulties after the war, to Viola being trans - and Alexis Hall handled them all perfectly.
Feeling how I do about historical fiction, I wasn't expecting to love this as much as I did.