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The Duke of Shadows
In a debut romance as passionate and sweeping as the British Empire, Meredith Duran paints a powerful picture of an aristocrat torn between two worlds, an heiress who dares to risk everything...and the love born in fire and darkness that nearly destroys them.
From exotic sandstone palaces...
Sick of tragedy, done with rebellion, Emmaline Martin vows to settle quietly into British Indian society. But when the pillars of privilege topple, her fiancé's betrayal leaves Emma no choice. She must turn for help to the one man whom she should not trust, but cannot resist: Julian Sinclair, the dangerous and dazzling heir to the Duke of Auburn.
To the marble halls of London...
In London, they toast Sinclair with champagne. In India, they call him a traitor. Cynical and impatient with both worlds, Julian has never imagined that the place he might belong is in the embrace of a woman with a reluctant laugh and haunted eyes. But in a time of terrible darkness, he and Emma will discover that love itself can be perilous -- and that a single decision can alter one's life forever.
Destiny follows wherever you run.
A lifetime of grief later, in a cold London spring, Emma and Julian must finally confront the truth: no matter how hard one tries to deny it, some pasts cannot be disowned...and some passions never die.
From exotic sandstone palaces...
Sick of tragedy, done with rebellion, Emmaline Martin vows to settle quietly into British Indian society. But when the pillars of privilege topple, her fiancé's betrayal leaves Emma no choice. She must turn for help to the one man whom she should not trust, but cannot resist: Julian Sinclair, the dangerous and dazzling heir to the Duke of Auburn.
To the marble halls of London...
In London, they toast Sinclair with champagne. In India, they call him a traitor. Cynical and impatient with both worlds, Julian has never imagined that the place he might belong is in the embrace of a woman with a reluctant laugh and haunted eyes. But in a time of terrible darkness, he and Emma will discover that love itself can be perilous -- and that a single decision can alter one's life forever.
Destiny follows wherever you run.
A lifetime of grief later, in a cold London spring, Emma and Julian must finally confront the truth: no matter how hard one tries to deny it, some pasts cannot be disowned...and some passions never die.
371 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published March 25, 2008
302 people are currently reading
9946 people want to read
About the author
Meredith Duran
21 books1,810 followersMEREDITH DURAN blames Anne Boleyn for sparking her lifelong obsession with British history. She is the author of twelve novels, all published by Pocket Books. Her debut, The Duke of Shadows, has been translated into thirteen languages and was ranked among the top 100 romances of all time by NPR and All About Romance. Her other books include RITA award winner Fool Me Twice and her February 2017 release, A Lady's Code of Misconduct, which was called one of the best romances of the year by BookList and Amazon, and received starred reviews from Publishers Weekly and Kirkus, the latter of which opined: “This book weaves its spell so thoroughly that the most fortunate reader will be the one who has time to read the entire thing in one sitting.” Her next release, THE SINS OF LORD LOCKWOOD, hits the shelves on February 27, 2018.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 987 reviews
September 13, 2015
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!
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!
August 2, 2010
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.
March 5, 2011
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 epic love ... a love that spanned two continents.
I see the threads of Julian’s and Emma’s story as made up shades of earth browns, sand, blood and scarlet reds, ocean and midnight blues, grey, black, and interspersed with threads of gold sunshine. While this tapestry was mostly made up of dark hues, there was beauty within the darkness, and the bright moments were richer and all the more cherished.
The interlacing threads of Julian’s and Emma’s story were woven in tragedy and pain, through events in India in 1857 during the sepoy (Indian soldiers) rebellion against the British East India Company. These violent events unravelled them both in different ways, but the hidden threads tied them so strongly together in ways that neither could deny, in the end. They needed each other to stitch back the parts that were torn apart by the war.
Ms. Duran’s writing made me feel as if I was there in India, as if I could actually smell the night Jasmine and the gunpowder, and feel the heat, and the grit of sand from the dessert. Her prose is beautiful, evocative and almost poetic, weaving me deeply into the story.
I really appreciated this different setting from the usual Regency Historical Romance. Yet, there was still the familiar British culture and it was interesting to see the struggle of trying to transport the rules and etiquette where it did not fit.
I LOVED Julian Sinclair, Duke of Auburn! I related to his mixed British and Indian heritage, being Eurasian, myself, and I empathised with the struggles he faced and being shunned in both cultures. He belonged to neither, and he belonged to both. He was loyal – not to one culture over the other, but to those he loved. He loves intensely, and has a depth of patience and determination to be admired. His yearning for Emma was palpable, with attempts to mask it under his amused and mocking commentary. I am so in love with him. *sighs*
I loved Emma, too. Emmaline Martin, as a result of tragic events she had faced, was a melancholy character (but strong and fierce). This was an aspect I related to in her, as well as her artistic soul and how she dealt with the dark moments in her life through her art. Though, I, like Julian, longed to break through her dark tower, so that they could have the happily-ever-after they both deserved.
One of my favourite parts in this book was the moment the book title gained a deep significance. It made me see how Julian truly understood Emma. I also loved the scene in the London ballroom, which showed the depths of Julian's love for Emma, in that everyone else in the room became insignificant, save her. And I loved the intensity of "the globe scene"! *sighs*
This is not a book packed with love scenes. Each love scene was beautifully crafted by Ms. Duran as an essential element in the development of Julian’s and Emma’s relationship. One scene in particular was raw and powerful, marked by the hidden scars within them, and for these reasons, it moved me and I loved it.
This is no light and fluffy read. This is an achingly beautiful and evocative story, which resonated with me after I closed the last page, and still does, days later. And I know it will for years to come.
One of my most favourite quotes from this book:
This is my image of Julian, with his luminescent green-gold eyes and golden tanned skin - Bollywood actor, Hrithik Roshan…Sorry, I couldn’t decide on just one or two pics! LOL Can you blame me? He has such beautiful eyes!
And a bit of man candy, though I don’t imagine Julian quite as big as this ^_^:
(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 epic love ... a love that spanned two continents.
I see the threads of Julian’s and Emma’s story as made up shades of earth browns, sand, blood and scarlet reds, ocean and midnight blues, grey, black, and interspersed with threads of gold sunshine. While this tapestry was mostly made up of dark hues, there was beauty within the darkness, and the bright moments were richer and all the more cherished.
The interlacing threads of Julian’s and Emma’s story were woven in tragedy and pain, through events in India in 1857 during the sepoy (Indian soldiers) rebellion against the British East India Company. These violent events unravelled them both in different ways, but the hidden threads tied them so strongly together in ways that neither could deny, in the end. They needed each other to stitch back the parts that were torn apart by the war.
Ms. Duran’s writing made me feel as if I was there in India, as if I could actually smell the night Jasmine and the gunpowder, and feel the heat, and the grit of sand from the dessert. Her prose is beautiful, evocative and almost poetic, weaving me deeply into the story.
I really appreciated this different setting from the usual Regency Historical Romance. Yet, there was still the familiar British culture and it was interesting to see the struggle of trying to transport the rules and etiquette where it did not fit.
I LOVED Julian Sinclair, Duke of Auburn! I related to his mixed British and Indian heritage, being Eurasian, myself, and I empathised with the struggles he faced and being shunned in both cultures. He belonged to neither, and he belonged to both. He was loyal – not to one culture over the other, but to those he loved. He loves intensely, and has a depth of patience and determination to be admired. His yearning for Emma was palpable, with attempts to mask it under his amused and mocking commentary. I am so in love with him. *sighs*
I loved Emma, too. Emmaline Martin, as a result of tragic events she had faced, was a melancholy character (but strong and fierce). This was an aspect I related to in her, as well as her artistic soul and how she dealt with the dark moments in her life through her art. Though, I, like Julian, longed to break through her dark tower, so that they could have the happily-ever-after they both deserved.
One of my favourite parts in this book was the moment the book title gained a deep significance. It made me see how Julian truly understood Emma. I also loved the scene in the London ballroom, which showed the depths of Julian's love for Emma, in that everyone else in the room became insignificant, save her. And I loved the intensity of "the globe scene"! *sighs*
This is not a book packed with love scenes. Each love scene was beautifully crafted by Ms. Duran as an essential element in the development of Julian’s and Emma’s relationship. One scene in particular was raw and powerful, marked by the hidden scars within them, and for these reasons, it moved me and I loved it.
This is no light and fluffy read. This is an achingly beautiful and evocative story, which resonated with me after I closed the last page, and still does, days later. And I know it will for years to come.
One of my most favourite quotes from this book:
"I'm not blind," he said, very low. "Words are not the only way we communicate, you and I. They never were."(Edited to add more quotes, though I have so many I more):
"His fingers began to play lightly with hers. "I don't know why I come, myself, since no one seems willing to listen to me." She laughed weakly. Both of their hands were gloved, but the heat of his touch came through the cotton, and she had a sudden vivid image of his naked hand in hers. Their hands intertwined."
"His finger left a trail of warmth across her cheek, like the passing of a sunbeam. “I see," she said faintly, and had enough sense to bite down on the next words that came to her: Would you touch me again?"
" "Emma," he said quietly, and pressed a kiss to her parted lips. She stirred, small twitches and sleepy noises. He kissed her again, more deeply this time, and ran a hand down her side, to the swell of her hip. Her eyelashes fluttered up; color came into her cheeks. He smiled against her. Fairy tales were wasted on children. Until this moment, even he had not fathomed the power of waking someone with a kiss." (Thanks to Quinn for this quote!)
“Her face was turned a little toward him. He kissed her softly on the mouth. No hedge of thorns had ever grown so thick as the cold with which she surrounded herself. With his lips and tongue he willed it to melt. Wake up, Emma. Sleep no longer.”
This is my image of Julian, with his luminescent green-gold eyes and golden tanned skin - Bollywood actor, Hrithik Roshan…Sorry, I couldn’t decide on just one or two pics! LOL Can you blame me? He has such beautiful eyes!
"His eyes were a luminescent green-gold, catlike as they reflected the faint light spilling from the bungalow."My Julian Sinclair (Hrithik Roshan)
….
"The man was unnervingly handsome - like something from a fever dream, brilliant and fierce, skin touched by gold and hair so black it absorbed the light. Earlier, indoors, she had found herself looking at him, thinking his face begged to be sketched. It would take only a few economical strokes - sharp angular slashes for his cheekbones, a bold straight nose, a fierce square for his jaw. Perhaps his lips would take more time. They were full and mobile, and saved his countenance from sternness.
He was very tanned. Doubt flickered through her mind, quashed as she considered his starched cravat and the elegantly cut tailcoat. Of course he was English."
And a bit of man candy, though I don’t imagine Julian quite as big as this ^_^:
My Emma Martin(Rachel Hurd-Wood):
While it didn't quite happen like this (though Julian certainly would have wanted it to! ^_^), I love this image and it reminded me of a scene in this book... *shivers*
COPYRIGHT DISCLAIMER: I do not hold the copyright to any of the images used in this review. They are posted to add visuals to the review and for fun. If any of these images are yours and you would like me to remove them, please let me know, and I will do so as soon as possible. If I can identify the copyright, I will do so.
March 2, 2018
I read The Duke of Shadows for the first time some years ago – before I started reviewing – and I remember being blown away by the quality of the writing, the richness of the setting and the passion and intensity of the romance. I don’t get much time for re-reading these days, but I decided one was in order prior to reading and reviewing The Sins of Lord Lockwood (Lockwood is a major – and very intriguing – secondary character in The Duke of Shadows), and I was once again awed by the author’s talent and this wonderful book which was, incredibly, her début. As I didn’t write a review the first time around, I’m going to do that now.
It is 1857 and the British have ruled India – by fair means or foul (mostly foul) – for many years. Trouble is brewing, but for the majority of the British contingent, who are unable to conceive that anything could challenge the might of the Empire, it’s business as usual and continued obliviousness to the rumblings of disquiet around them. Only one man among their number dares to posit that the country teeters on the brink of revolt and that British lives may soon be endangered – but he is derided and his views dismissed, even though he is an English peer. Julian Sinclair, Marquess of Holdensmoor, is one quarter Indian which makes him someone who lives on the fringes of both English and Indian society. His Indian blood renders him ‘not quite the thing’ among the insular, rule-bound English, who look on him with disdain and suspicion in spite of his being the heir to a dukedom – while his English blood causes the same reaction among his Indian family.
Emmaline – Emma – Martin was travelling to India accompanied by her parents in order to marry her fiancé, an officer in the East India Company, when tragedy struck. Their ship was wrecked and Emma is one of the few survivors. The death of her parents – which she witnessed – has, naturally, affected her profoundly, but of more concern to Delhi society is the fact that she was rescued and transported to her destination on a ship full of rough sailors, so her reputation is now irretrievably tarnished. Emma’s fiancé, Marcus Lindley is handsome and charming, but as Emma has known for some time, does not believe in confining his ‘charms’ solely to his betrothed. Meeting him again for the first time in years, the scales fall from Emma’s eyes completely, and she sees him for what he is; arrogant, spiteful, dismissive of her intelligence and clearly only interested in her dowry. Emma, a spirited and determined young woman, means to break things off with him as soon as she can.
Emma and Julian Sinclair meet at the party being held to celebrate her engagement, where they quickly enter into a wryly humorous conversation and declare themselves to be the black sheep of their respective families. Emma doesn’t know who this intriguing, darkly handsome guest is at first, until she is steered away by Marcus who did not trouble to hide his animosity towards the other man. Marcus criticises Emma for speaking with Julian, telling her that he is pretty much a social outcast owing to his mixed blood – at which point she realises he is Marcus’ cousin, and that Marcus detests him because Julian is next in line to inherit the dukedom Marcus believes should be his.
After this initial meeting, we witness the slow awakening of attraction between Julian and Emma, two social misfits who gradually discover that they have more in common with each other than with those around them. When Julian’s dire predictions come true and Delhi erupts into mutiny and violence, he manages to get Emma away, and the pair head to Sapnagar, from whence Emma can make her way back to England. Ms. Duran does an outstanding job here of building a beautifully tender, passionate and intense emotional connection between the couple as they travel through burned-out villages and battle sites along their journey to safety. The descriptions of the landscape are wonderfully vivid, the pacing is superb and the romantic and sexual chemistry between Julian and Emma just leaps off the page. There is no question whatsoever that these people are kindred spirits and meant to be together – but fate has other plans, and it’s not until the second part of the book (set four years later) that we discover the truth behind the lies and unwarranted interference that cause both of them so much heartbreak.
I really don’t want to say much more about the plot from here on in; things get dark and angsty, and it’s obvious that Emma is still suffering the effects of her ordeals. She is filled with rage and feelings of betrayal and is determined not to allow herself to fall for Julian again given the magnitude of his deception; and Julian, who has somewhat reluctantly picked up the pieces of his life (and is now the Duke of Auburn) is truly knocked-for-six by Emma’s sudden and completely unexpected appearance in London. Misunderstandings lie heavily between them and fortunately Ms. Duran doesn’t allow them to go on for too long; yet even after Emma learns the truth (that Julian didn’t betray or deceive her), she is still unwilling to risk her heart again and is determined to leave England to pursue her artistic studies in Italy. While I understand that Emma is suffering from what we’d probably recognise today as PTSD, I did find her insistence on continually rejecting Julian to be the one discordant note in what is otherwise an outstanding novel. Julian – who has carried a huge burden of guilt from their time in India – realises that what Emma really needs is a friend, someone to talk to who shared many of her experiences, and he sets out to be just that. Gradually, he is able to break down her resistance and show her that he will always be there for her
The Duke of Shadows is an incredibly well-crafted, complex and powerful story that gripped me from first page to last and isn’t one I’m likely to forget in a hurry. The author does a fabulous job of depicting the narrow-mindedness, prejudice and cultural insensitivity that dominated the society of the British Raj, and her descriptions of places and events are incredibly vivid, putting the reader right in the centre of the picture. I’ll admit to being slightly less taken with the second part of the book, and to finding Emma on the verge of becoming unlikeable, but it’s testament to the author’s skill that I was able to understand her pain and her anger even as I didn’t like what it was doing to her and to Julian. Ms. Duran’s portrayal of a young woman who has experienced more tragedy in her life than anyone should have to is superbly multi-faceted; Emma evokes the reader’s sympathy while retaining a steely determination that has clearly supported her in dark times but which could also prove to be her own worst enemy.
Julian has been on my list of top romance heroes ever since I read the book the first time, and I’m pleased to say he’s still there. He’s gorgeous, clear-sighted, compassionate and deeply honourable; and when it comes to Emma he’s most insightful and understanding. He isn’t going to give up on her or let her give up on them, and his patience is justly rewarded.
At a time when the market is simply flooded with predictable, anachronistic wallpaper historical romances, it’s a real pleasure to read something like this, a shining example of what can be achieved in the genre. The Duke of Shadows is, in spite of the small reservations I have expressed, a fantastic read full of warmth, tenderness, humour, pathos and, at times, emotion so raw that it’s almost painful. If you’ve never read it – grab a copy now. If you have and haven’t found time to re-read it, then maybe it’s time to remind yourself just how great historical romance can be in the hands of an author as talented as Meredith Duran.
It is 1857 and the British have ruled India – by fair means or foul (mostly foul) – for many years. Trouble is brewing, but for the majority of the British contingent, who are unable to conceive that anything could challenge the might of the Empire, it’s business as usual and continued obliviousness to the rumblings of disquiet around them. Only one man among their number dares to posit that the country teeters on the brink of revolt and that British lives may soon be endangered – but he is derided and his views dismissed, even though he is an English peer. Julian Sinclair, Marquess of Holdensmoor, is one quarter Indian which makes him someone who lives on the fringes of both English and Indian society. His Indian blood renders him ‘not quite the thing’ among the insular, rule-bound English, who look on him with disdain and suspicion in spite of his being the heir to a dukedom – while his English blood causes the same reaction among his Indian family.
Emmaline – Emma – Martin was travelling to India accompanied by her parents in order to marry her fiancé, an officer in the East India Company, when tragedy struck. Their ship was wrecked and Emma is one of the few survivors. The death of her parents – which she witnessed – has, naturally, affected her profoundly, but of more concern to Delhi society is the fact that she was rescued and transported to her destination on a ship full of rough sailors, so her reputation is now irretrievably tarnished. Emma’s fiancé, Marcus Lindley is handsome and charming, but as Emma has known for some time, does not believe in confining his ‘charms’ solely to his betrothed. Meeting him again for the first time in years, the scales fall from Emma’s eyes completely, and she sees him for what he is; arrogant, spiteful, dismissive of her intelligence and clearly only interested in her dowry. Emma, a spirited and determined young woman, means to break things off with him as soon as she can.
Emma and Julian Sinclair meet at the party being held to celebrate her engagement, where they quickly enter into a wryly humorous conversation and declare themselves to be the black sheep of their respective families. Emma doesn’t know who this intriguing, darkly handsome guest is at first, until she is steered away by Marcus who did not trouble to hide his animosity towards the other man. Marcus criticises Emma for speaking with Julian, telling her that he is pretty much a social outcast owing to his mixed blood – at which point she realises he is Marcus’ cousin, and that Marcus detests him because Julian is next in line to inherit the dukedom Marcus believes should be his.
After this initial meeting, we witness the slow awakening of attraction between Julian and Emma, two social misfits who gradually discover that they have more in common with each other than with those around them. When Julian’s dire predictions come true and Delhi erupts into mutiny and violence, he manages to get Emma away, and the pair head to Sapnagar, from whence Emma can make her way back to England. Ms. Duran does an outstanding job here of building a beautifully tender, passionate and intense emotional connection between the couple as they travel through burned-out villages and battle sites along their journey to safety. The descriptions of the landscape are wonderfully vivid, the pacing is superb and the romantic and sexual chemistry between Julian and Emma just leaps off the page. There is no question whatsoever that these people are kindred spirits and meant to be together – but fate has other plans, and it’s not until the second part of the book (set four years later) that we discover the truth behind the lies and unwarranted interference that cause both of them so much heartbreak.
I really don’t want to say much more about the plot from here on in; things get dark and angsty, and it’s obvious that Emma is still suffering the effects of her ordeals. She is filled with rage and feelings of betrayal and is determined not to allow herself to fall for Julian again given the magnitude of his deception; and Julian, who has somewhat reluctantly picked up the pieces of his life (and is now the Duke of Auburn) is truly knocked-for-six by Emma’s sudden and completely unexpected appearance in London. Misunderstandings lie heavily between them and fortunately Ms. Duran doesn’t allow them to go on for too long; yet even after Emma learns the truth (that Julian didn’t betray or deceive her), she is still unwilling to risk her heart again and is determined to leave England to pursue her artistic studies in Italy. While I understand that Emma is suffering from what we’d probably recognise today as PTSD, I did find her insistence on continually rejecting Julian to be the one discordant note in what is otherwise an outstanding novel. Julian – who has carried a huge burden of guilt from their time in India – realises that what Emma really needs is a friend, someone to talk to who shared many of her experiences, and he sets out to be just that. Gradually, he is able to break down her resistance and show her that he will always be there for her
The Duke of Shadows is an incredibly well-crafted, complex and powerful story that gripped me from first page to last and isn’t one I’m likely to forget in a hurry. The author does a fabulous job of depicting the narrow-mindedness, prejudice and cultural insensitivity that dominated the society of the British Raj, and her descriptions of places and events are incredibly vivid, putting the reader right in the centre of the picture. I’ll admit to being slightly less taken with the second part of the book, and to finding Emma on the verge of becoming unlikeable, but it’s testament to the author’s skill that I was able to understand her pain and her anger even as I didn’t like what it was doing to her and to Julian. Ms. Duran’s portrayal of a young woman who has experienced more tragedy in her life than anyone should have to is superbly multi-faceted; Emma evokes the reader’s sympathy while retaining a steely determination that has clearly supported her in dark times but which could also prove to be her own worst enemy.
Julian has been on my list of top romance heroes ever since I read the book the first time, and I’m pleased to say he’s still there. He’s gorgeous, clear-sighted, compassionate and deeply honourable; and when it comes to Emma he’s most insightful and understanding. He isn’t going to give up on her or let her give up on them, and his patience is justly rewarded.
At a time when the market is simply flooded with predictable, anachronistic wallpaper historical romances, it’s a real pleasure to read something like this, a shining example of what can be achieved in the genre. The Duke of Shadows is, in spite of the small reservations I have expressed, a fantastic read full of warmth, tenderness, humour, pathos and, at times, emotion so raw that it’s almost painful. If you’ve never read it – grab a copy now. If you have and haven’t found time to re-read it, then maybe it’s time to remind yourself just how great historical romance can be in the hands of an author as talented as Meredith Duran.
October 10, 2014
This is one of those books where, after you read it, you think to yourself: "I don't know if I can be friends with someone who doesn't love this book."
To say I loved this book would be a gross understatement.
I don't know if it's because I've been in a deep, persistent reading funk recently, where every book I pick up strikes me as trite and poorly formed, second rate garbage, but this book felt like FINALLY drinking a cool glass of water after being forced to swallow brackish sludge for weeks.
Thank you, Meredith Duran.
Thank you for being an excellent writer.
Thank you for eliciting emotions in your reader.
Thank you for doing research before writing a book.
Thank you for crafting two magnificent main characters.
Thank you for writing a meaningful and romantic story.
Just... thank you.
To say I loved this book would be a gross understatement.
I don't know if it's because I've been in a deep, persistent reading funk recently, where every book I pick up strikes me as trite and poorly formed, second rate garbage, but this book felt like FINALLY drinking a cool glass of water after being forced to swallow brackish sludge for weeks.
Thank you, Meredith Duran.
Thank you for being an excellent writer.
Thank you for eliciting emotions in your reader.
Thank you for doing research before writing a book.
Thank you for crafting two magnificent main characters.
Thank you for writing a meaningful and romantic story.
Just... thank you.
June 8, 2017
'In a debut romance as passionate and sweeping as the British Empire, Meredith Duran paints a powerful picture of an aristocrat torn between two worlds, an heiress who dares to risk everything...and the love born in fire and darkness that nearly destroys them.'
This book was excellent. I was hooked from the beginning. I loved the history. I really felt I was in India, during the time of the British Raj. Being Irish, I suppose I would have an affinity with any country that was taken over by Britain and ruled by their laws. Part of MY country is still under British rule.
"The British Raj (/rɑːdʒ/; from rāj, literally, "rule" in Hindustani) was the rule by the British Crown in the Indian subcontinent between 1858 and 1947."
"But ..." It was too much to take in. "India without Britain?
"The Americans managed it."
She recoiled at his sarcasm.
"That isn't what I meant."
"I beg your pardon, Miss Martin; what did you mean?"
"Well, we simply can't drop everything and run away, can we?"
Very softly he said, "I see. Is this where you preach to me of how English civilization will save the savages?
The story is told in two parts. We commence in India where Emmaline has travelled with her parents, to be married. She meets Julian, a man of mixed race, British and Indian. He had been educated in Britain. Eton, Oxford. There is an attraction but she is engaged to be married.
His mixed blood had always provided fodder to the wags - after one rather reckless adventure in his youth, the papers in London had dubbed him the "savage noble".
There is unrest in India, especially in the part of India where this is set. The "natives" are restless and are beginning to rue the day the British ever came to try and conquer THEIR country.
I honestly didn't read many reviews, skimmed a few and saw that it got good ratings. It's a debut novel. My expectations for reading her other books might be a little high as she has set the bar quite high.
"But above all, you must understand that they wanted to do to you what has been done to them. Emma, this land has been crushed by the English."
The Commonwealth still exists today. The Commonwealth of Nations is a voluntary association of 52 independent and sovereign states. Most are former British colonies or dependencies of those colonies.
I do hate when some folks assume that Ireland is part of Great Britain ... ignorance on some folk's part I suppose. My son now lives in the UK (although he would be the first to vote for Scottish Independence!! - must be his Irish roots.)
It spans some years and there is heartache.
"I'll come back for you ..."
He was not as strong as Emma. When the tears came, he could not check them.
December 30, 2020
Una novela preciosa, pero que me hizo sufrir lo indecible. Emmaline no termina de salir de una tragedia para entrar en otra, y esta última no es ni más ni menos que la rebelión que se produce en 1857 en la India contra la ocupación británica. Afortunadamente, en el intertanto conoce a Julián, que se transformará en su bastión no sólo frente a los peligros sino también para su magullado corazón, pero, ayyy, el destino...
Quedé muy sorprendida al saber que esta es la primera novela de la autora, porque la ambientación y descripciones, tanto de la India como del conflicto mismo, están muy bien logradas. ¿Y qué decir de los personajes principales? Simplemente maravillosos. Ambos con una cantidad de matices que los hacen terriblemente complejos, pero que indudablemente están hechos el uno para el otro, ya que sólo ellos pueden comprender los miedos, dudas y luchas internas del otro. Especialmente Julián hacia Emma que, a pesar de todo lo que cambia durante la novela por tan duras experiencias, siempre sabe lo que ella necesita. Los últimos capítulos son perfectos.
Por supuesto tenemos un antagonista en toda regla y una intriga que, hacia el final, permite que nuestros protagonistas tengan su segunda oportunidad. Absolutamente recomendable.
Reto #37 PopSugar 2018: Un libro que pretendías leer en 2017 pero al final no lo hiciste
Quedé muy sorprendida al saber que esta es la primera novela de la autora, porque la ambientación y descripciones, tanto de la India como del conflicto mismo, están muy bien logradas. ¿Y qué decir de los personajes principales? Simplemente maravillosos. Ambos con una cantidad de matices que los hacen terriblemente complejos, pero que indudablemente están hechos el uno para el otro, ya que sólo ellos pueden comprender los miedos, dudas y luchas internas del otro. Especialmente Julián hacia Emma que, a pesar de todo lo que cambia durante la novela por tan duras experiencias, siempre sabe lo que ella necesita. Los últimos capítulos son perfectos.
Por supuesto tenemos un antagonista en toda regla y una intriga que, hacia el final, permite que nuestros protagonistas tengan su segunda oportunidad. Absolutamente recomendable.
Reto #37 PopSugar 2018: Un libro que pretendías leer en 2017 pero al final no lo hiciste
November 28, 2022
4.5 Stars
Goodreads asks you to update your progress on the book, and when you're done with it, you click - 'I'm finished'. Well, that seems to echo exactly how I feel, finished, drained out, the kind you feel after an exhilarating experience.
Disclaimer - English occupation of India is a very touchy subject, and I've tried to view this book as a fictional account that it is, even though the atrocities described in the context of The Uprising of 1857 hit a little too close to home. But it was war, now it is history, and this is a romance novel. So let us speak only about this story.
PS - Most of this book is primed for a screenplay, waiting to be turned into a movie.
My Thoughts
- My only other experience with Meredith Duran was not the best. Since I've never been the one to give up so easily, I decided to read this on a recommendation.
- The blurb does not prepare you for what's to come, and this is a debut novel, they say. Well, hell. Pain and anguish seem too tame words to describe this story.
- Even though I have read only two books by Ms Duran, and my opinion of her stories is an even split between great and tiresome, I will maintain that she is a wonderful writer. No matter what you think of the plot, you will keep the pages turning.
- This story was as far as you can get from a sweet little debutante meets Duke in a London ballroom trope. Go far away to India, throw in tragedy after tragedy, experience one horrifying thing after another, light hope like meagre moments of teasing sunshine in a storm, then plunge back into darkness, only to come out again with shaky, unsure legs - such was this perilous romance of these ill-fated lovers.
- Julian, how do you even begin to describe a man like him? You cannot, well, at least I cannot. Single-minded, brave, dedicated, loving, adoring, pained, outsider are the adjectives that come to mind. He was a man who would carry your burdens for you. We need such men in the world, fictional they may be, but hope springs eternal.
- Emma, damn. The word stress in PTSD would be hopelessly inadequate to explain her. No one should experience such things in their early twenties. The woman in me was bawling, and the therapist in me was charting her session plan. But then again, the artworks she created must have been cathartic, and she had a steel-spine, and Julian, in scant moments to provide respite. Woman, I bow to your fortitude.
- This story had a tendency to surprise you and jerk you out of your comfort zone. It was engaging to boot and was intensely passionate and emotionally charged.
Why not the full five stars?
- Alas, somewhere around the 60% mark, the intensity began to fizzle. The pace languished quite badly, and the plot took an utterly whimsical & nonsensical turn with the Marcus drama. It took away from the romance.
- I wanted their reconciliation to be as powerful as their separation was. I needed that painful resolution, not a convenient, rushed one.
The pain in this brought to mind The English Patient. I could imagine Julian (as Ralph Fiennes) pining away.
- The second half, actually, the entire story needed a little more from Julian's point of view.
My Recommendation
This was an absolutely fantastic page-turner that fell just shy of a masterpiece.
Goodreads asks you to update your progress on the book, and when you're done with it, you click - 'I'm finished'. Well, that seems to echo exactly how I feel, finished, drained out, the kind you feel after an exhilarating experience.
Disclaimer - English occupation of India is a very touchy subject, and I've tried to view this book as a fictional account that it is, even though the atrocities described in the context of The Uprising of 1857 hit a little too close to home. But it was war, now it is history, and this is a romance novel. So let us speak only about this story.
PS - Most of this book is primed for a screenplay, waiting to be turned into a movie.
My Thoughts
- My only other experience with Meredith Duran was not the best. Since I've never been the one to give up so easily, I decided to read this on a recommendation.
- The blurb does not prepare you for what's to come, and this is a debut novel, they say. Well, hell. Pain and anguish seem too tame words to describe this story.
- Even though I have read only two books by Ms Duran, and my opinion of her stories is an even split between great and tiresome, I will maintain that she is a wonderful writer. No matter what you think of the plot, you will keep the pages turning.
- This story was as far as you can get from a sweet little debutante meets Duke in a London ballroom trope. Go far away to India, throw in tragedy after tragedy, experience one horrifying thing after another, light hope like meagre moments of teasing sunshine in a storm, then plunge back into darkness, only to come out again with shaky, unsure legs - such was this perilous romance of these ill-fated lovers.
- Julian, how do you even begin to describe a man like him? You cannot, well, at least I cannot. Single-minded, brave, dedicated, loving, adoring, pained, outsider are the adjectives that come to mind. He was a man who would carry your burdens for you. We need such men in the world, fictional they may be, but hope springs eternal.
- Emma, damn. The word stress in PTSD would be hopelessly inadequate to explain her. No one should experience such things in their early twenties. The woman in me was bawling, and the therapist in me was charting her session plan. But then again, the artworks she created must have been cathartic, and she had a steel-spine, and Julian, in scant moments to provide respite. Woman, I bow to your fortitude.
- This story had a tendency to surprise you and jerk you out of your comfort zone. It was engaging to boot and was intensely passionate and emotionally charged.
Why not the full five stars?
- Alas, somewhere around the 60% mark, the intensity began to fizzle. The pace languished quite badly, and the plot took an utterly whimsical & nonsensical turn with the Marcus drama. It took away from the romance.
- I wanted their reconciliation to be as powerful as their separation was. I needed that painful resolution, not a convenient, rushed one.
The pain in this brought to mind The English Patient. I could imagine Julian (as Ralph Fiennes) pining away.
- The second half, actually, the entire story needed a little more from Julian's point of view.
My Recommendation
This was an absolutely fantastic page-turner that fell just shy of a masterpiece.
January 27, 2018
Reread January 2018
I have nothing to add. Only: roll on February 27th.
**********
Original review
The Duke of Shadows is the debut book of Meredith Duran, which at the time I read it, simply floored me. How can a debut book be this good? How can history and romance be put into a context where everything just fits into the right places? I came back to reading HRs after a break of about 10 years. When I left the Historical Romance genre, it was all about the fluffy writing style of Julia Quinn and her Bridgerton series, which is truly good but didn't really engage me as much as I would have liked. At the same time, there weren't simply good enough books that would keep me interested. So I said bye-bye to the HR genre and didn't look back until I remembered some of my all time favourite HR which I wanted to re-read. One book lead to another, and I noticed that the genre had undergone a pleasant change. The Duke of Shadows was one of the first books of the 'newer' generation and it reminded me why I had fallen in love with this genre in the first place.
This book is meaty, substantial, full of background - enough for me to actually properly read up on the Sepoy Mutiny of 1857. The book is divided into two parts. The first half gives us a glimpse of the British Raj shortly before the Mutiny. The undercurrent tension is beautifully reflected in the character of Julian Sinclair, later Duke of Auburn, who is of British-Indian heritage. Being of mixed heritage myself, I could instantly relate to this man who doesn't belong to either culture and is being made painfully aware of it by his British peers as well as his Indian relatives. Both sides view him with suspicion, the accusation of treasonous tendencies never far off. There is an anger boiling underneath his polished manners, as well as a sort of resignation when confronted with the ignorance of those around him.
On the other side, we have Emmaline Martin, a very wealthy, sheltered young woman, loved by her parents, on her way to India to finally marry the man her parents had chosen for her and whom she thinks she loves. But before she actually reaches India, tragedy hits. The ship she travels on with her parents sinks, she's the sole survivor. Once in India, she's all alone. Yet, the blows keep coming. She's in a foreign country, the life and customs are new, the British community is not truly welcoming, and on top of it, her fiance, who is Julian's cousin, turns out to be a proper bastard. Like Julian, she doesn't belong, she's lonely, and it's that what attracts them to each other. What follows can only be described as a slow dance of two people discovering similarities which binds them. It's so wonderfully tender, MD gives those two so much space, that the growing attraction between them is as natural and inevitable as possible.
All hell breaks loose when the Mutiny starts. We are thrown into the chaos of the rebellion and the journey of Emma and Julian, trying to escape the violence. And it is on this journey, where the two give in to their feelings. Again, it's incredibly warm and tender. He takes her to a place where he thinks she will be safe and has to leave her behind.
This is where they lose each other for the next four years. Emma has to flee the place Julian thought safe, and for the next months safety is the last thing she will find. The things she experiences, the atrocities on both sides she has to watch and the hope she loses that Julian will find her, change her completely. Her, by now former, fiance plays a big role in her belief that Julian has forgotten about her. Gone is the innocence, replaced by rage and endless sadness. Julian, of course, searches for her, but can't find her and is led to believe that she died. His reaction to this news is incredibly heartbreaking.
Fast forward four years, and they meet again. Oh my, what a scene. If the first part of the book is about the growing tenderness between Emma and Julian, the second part is all about overcoming the feeling of rage and betrayal. Emma has been back in England for three years, but believing her ex-fiance's lies that Julian didn't look for her, never let him know she was back. Julian, on the other hand, doesn't know what's hit him when he sees the woman he's loved and lost to be alive and - at least to the outside - well. Thankfully, Duran doesn't let this misunderstanding stay for too long. The culprit, Emma's ex-fiance is being dealt with very swiftly, at least for now. I'm not too keen on violence, but the confrontation between Julian and her ex was one of the most satisfying outbursts of violence I've read.
After that what's left is the rage both have for another. Emma's, because Julian left her behind; Julian's, because Emma never let him know she was alive.
There are so many scenes in this book that have stayed with me, I could probably not stop quoting. But if I had to choose, it would be this one:
I have nothing to add. Only: roll on February 27th.
**********
Original review
The Duke of Shadows is the debut book of Meredith Duran, which at the time I read it, simply floored me. How can a debut book be this good? How can history and romance be put into a context where everything just fits into the right places? I came back to reading HRs after a break of about 10 years. When I left the Historical Romance genre, it was all about the fluffy writing style of Julia Quinn and her Bridgerton series, which is truly good but didn't really engage me as much as I would have liked. At the same time, there weren't simply good enough books that would keep me interested. So I said bye-bye to the HR genre and didn't look back until I remembered some of my all time favourite HR which I wanted to re-read. One book lead to another, and I noticed that the genre had undergone a pleasant change. The Duke of Shadows was one of the first books of the 'newer' generation and it reminded me why I had fallen in love with this genre in the first place.
This book is meaty, substantial, full of background - enough for me to actually properly read up on the Sepoy Mutiny of 1857. The book is divided into two parts. The first half gives us a glimpse of the British Raj shortly before the Mutiny. The undercurrent tension is beautifully reflected in the character of Julian Sinclair, later Duke of Auburn, who is of British-Indian heritage. Being of mixed heritage myself, I could instantly relate to this man who doesn't belong to either culture and is being made painfully aware of it by his British peers as well as his Indian relatives. Both sides view him with suspicion, the accusation of treasonous tendencies never far off. There is an anger boiling underneath his polished manners, as well as a sort of resignation when confronted with the ignorance of those around him.
On the other side, we have Emmaline Martin, a very wealthy, sheltered young woman, loved by her parents, on her way to India to finally marry the man her parents had chosen for her and whom she thinks she loves. But before she actually reaches India, tragedy hits. The ship she travels on with her parents sinks, she's the sole survivor. Once in India, she's all alone. Yet, the blows keep coming. She's in a foreign country, the life and customs are new, the British community is not truly welcoming, and on top of it, her fiance, who is Julian's cousin, turns out to be a proper bastard. Like Julian, she doesn't belong, she's lonely, and it's that what attracts them to each other. What follows can only be described as a slow dance of two people discovering similarities which binds them. It's so wonderfully tender, MD gives those two so much space, that the growing attraction between them is as natural and inevitable as possible.
All hell breaks loose when the Mutiny starts. We are thrown into the chaos of the rebellion and the journey of Emma and Julian, trying to escape the violence. And it is on this journey, where the two give in to their feelings. Again, it's incredibly warm and tender. He takes her to a place where he thinks she will be safe and has to leave her behind.
This is where they lose each other for the next four years. Emma has to flee the place Julian thought safe, and for the next months safety is the last thing she will find. The things she experiences, the atrocities on both sides she has to watch and the hope she loses that Julian will find her, change her completely. Her, by now former, fiance plays a big role in her belief that Julian has forgotten about her. Gone is the innocence, replaced by rage and endless sadness. Julian, of course, searches for her, but can't find her and is led to believe that she died. His reaction to this news is incredibly heartbreaking.
Fast forward four years, and they meet again. Oh my, what a scene. If the first part of the book is about the growing tenderness between Emma and Julian, the second part is all about overcoming the feeling of rage and betrayal. Emma has been back in England for three years, but believing her ex-fiance's lies that Julian didn't look for her, never let him know she was back. Julian, on the other hand, doesn't know what's hit him when he sees the woman he's loved and lost to be alive and - at least to the outside - well. Thankfully, Duran doesn't let this misunderstanding stay for too long. The culprit, Emma's ex-fiance is being dealt with very swiftly, at least for now. I'm not too keen on violence, but the confrontation between Julian and her ex was one of the most satisfying outbursts of violence I've read.
After that what's left is the rage both have for another. Emma's, because Julian left her behind; Julian's, because Emma never let him know she was alive.
There are so many scenes in this book that have stayed with me, I could probably not stop quoting. But if I had to choose, it would be this one:
On a breath, he leaned forward. It was such a small space to close. Such an infinite distance to cross.They are both very strong, very well drawn characters, but in a different way. Julian grew up knowing he didn't belong, he had years of experience to shield himself. Emma's trauma is swift and extremely violent, but she's a true survivor. Julian belongs to the list of my all time favourite heroes. Tormented by guilt for leaving her behind, he realises that Emma needs understanding, a person who listens, who is there for her. And he does just that. From tenderness, to rage and back to tenderness. Emma's process is more difficult. The violence and tragedy she experienced, along with the belief that the man she loved left her behind, is not easily overcome, nor should it. Duran's prose gives these feelings a depth that is poignant and infinitely breathtaking. I soaked up every word, went back to a paragraph to re-read it, tried to linger as much as possible. I simply didn't want the book to end, and it took me a couple of days to pick up a new book. I didn't want to let go.
August 2, 2010
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.
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.
August 8, 2009
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/
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/
October 10, 2011
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.
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.
July 12, 2024
2024 re-read Still love it, such rich storytelling.
2022 re-read
When I read this about four or more years ago, before joining Goodreads, I enjoyed it, but it was a bit too angsty and heartbreaking for me. With this re-read, I decided to move it up a star. Knowing some of the difficult parts ahead of time helped me be prepared and see it for the growth needed in the characters as they battled personal and shared demons. Things I love about this book:
1. Emma - she was an independent thinker, who didn't care what others thought, BUT she was still raise by British parents in a British society in a sheltered way. She had prejudices to overcome and harsh realities to face. It made her seem real and tangible. She was a resilient heroine, a survivor, but sometimes that surviving was not always a healthy existence.
1. Julian - He's just amazing. Fiercely protective. He know exactly how to bring Emma out of her shell. I loved his reactions to her, even in public settings. Like Emma, he felt real and tangible.
1. Emma & Julian together -- perfect together. Because their journey isn't easy, it is all the more sweeter.
2. The setting. The true to time descriptions and details without sugar-coating. Loved that it wasn't all in England.
3. Getting to see Lord Lockwood and his wife (the reason I wanted to reread this).
1 again because this is key -- Duran's easy writing style that wasn't heavy but gave us so much insight into the characters and the setting. Flows so well.
Area that I think needed work:
1. The Bad Man and His Motives and the subplot associated with it. The villain is a bit too bad, too far. The mystery is a really huge deal that is wrapped up way too easily. The romance overshadowed this part, and that is a good thing. That is why most of us read HR, but on the flip side, when you have such major mystery like this one was, it didn't feel properly balanced and should have been toned down to fit with the story better.
In the end, I went with five stars because the romance is a helluva good one that it needs to be up there with the faves, and my only problem is that my next read has some big shoes to fill.
2022 re-read
When I read this about four or more years ago, before joining Goodreads, I enjoyed it, but it was a bit too angsty and heartbreaking for me. With this re-read, I decided to move it up a star. Knowing some of the difficult parts ahead of time helped me be prepared and see it for the growth needed in the characters as they battled personal and shared demons. Things I love about this book:
1. Emma - she was an independent thinker, who didn't care what others thought, BUT she was still raise by British parents in a British society in a sheltered way. She had prejudices to overcome and harsh realities to face. It made her seem real and tangible. She was a resilient heroine, a survivor, but sometimes that surviving was not always a healthy existence.
1. Julian - He's just amazing. Fiercely protective. He know exactly how to bring Emma out of her shell. I loved his reactions to her, even in public settings. Like Emma, he felt real and tangible.
1. Emma & Julian together -- perfect together. Because their journey isn't easy, it is all the more sweeter.
2. The setting. The true to time descriptions and details without sugar-coating. Loved that it wasn't all in England.
3. Getting to see Lord Lockwood and his wife (the reason I wanted to reread this).
1 again because this is key -- Duran's easy writing style that wasn't heavy but gave us so much insight into the characters and the setting. Flows so well.
Area that I think needed work:
1. The Bad Man and His Motives and the subplot associated with it. The villain is a bit too bad, too far. The mystery is a really huge deal that is wrapped up way too easily. The romance overshadowed this part, and that is a good thing. That is why most of us read HR, but on the flip side, when you have such major mystery like this one was, it didn't feel properly balanced and should have been toned down to fit with the story better.
In the end, I went with five stars because the romance is a helluva good one that it needs to be up there with the faves, and my only problem is that my next read has some big shoes to fill.
February 4, 2018
Always, she thought. He said "always," but he had forgotten to say finally. Finally you are here. Thank God, finally at last.
I think I need a t-shirt that says "I survived DUKE OF SHADOWS". It's not that this story is traumatic, though it's occasionally hard and brutal and emotional. It's not that this story is overly violent, though it does take place during the revolution in India against the British and so there is war and inhumane actions and of course all the usual harassment and violence against women as befitting the times. And it's not even that the story is hopeless or devastating, though there are moments that you do feel left in the wake of beautiful heartwrenching and awful devastation; only half of which is actually romantic.
"You're Indian then. You don't consider yourself English. You are Indian."
"What nice, convenient labels. If one works for you, by all means, don't mind me."
Duran's writing is spectacular, vivid, smart, layered, clever, multi-faceted, and sexy. Your heart will pound, it will break, and the events that weave these two characters together, and tear them apart, are just.. wow. So many of my favourite historical romances are often light or filled with humour, because that's kind of my thing, and so when I say that this might be my new favourite I don't want to mislead you. This is a very serious, very real, fiction but take note that doesn't mean it's without any levity or joking. It's complicated and fascinating and also so unique. It's dark and not always pleasant but.. I don't even know. Intense. Stunning.
Being with her felt like charting the sea : there were marvels beneath, and they lured him, and he wondered whether he ever might reach the bottom.
I kept putting this book down not because it was hard or I was bored but because I couldn't believe how good it was (how in the actual fuck was this her debut?). Unlike my normal binge or devour mode, I needed to savour this. This read was all the more delicious because of a string of recent disappointments but I absolutely would've loved this regardless. I now understand why this is so highly recommended by so many people and I cannot wait to read more by this author.
India seemed to draw out her very soul. Perhaps that was why she felt so bruised inside -- as though her defenses were laid bare, allowing a terrible melancholy to settle in her core.
This review is crap but better people than I have already tried their hand at it. Read their thoughts. Or better yet just trust the hype and add it to your tbr. You won't regret it.
4.75 "every part of her answered to him" stars
I think I need a t-shirt that says "I survived DUKE OF SHADOWS". It's not that this story is traumatic, though it's occasionally hard and brutal and emotional. It's not that this story is overly violent, though it does take place during the revolution in India against the British and so there is war and inhumane actions and of course all the usual harassment and violence against women as befitting the times. And it's not even that the story is hopeless or devastating, though there are moments that you do feel left in the wake of beautiful heartwrenching and awful devastation; only half of which is actually romantic.
"You're Indian then. You don't consider yourself English. You are Indian."
"What nice, convenient labels. If one works for you, by all means, don't mind me."
Duran's writing is spectacular, vivid, smart, layered, clever, multi-faceted, and sexy. Your heart will pound, it will break, and the events that weave these two characters together, and tear them apart, are just.. wow. So many of my favourite historical romances are often light or filled with humour, because that's kind of my thing, and so when I say that this might be my new favourite I don't want to mislead you. This is a very serious, very real, fiction but take note that doesn't mean it's without any levity or joking. It's complicated and fascinating and also so unique. It's dark and not always pleasant but.. I don't even know. Intense. Stunning.
Being with her felt like charting the sea : there were marvels beneath, and they lured him, and he wondered whether he ever might reach the bottom.
I kept putting this book down not because it was hard or I was bored but because I couldn't believe how good it was (how in the actual fuck was this her debut?). Unlike my normal binge or devour mode, I needed to savour this. This read was all the more delicious because of a string of recent disappointments but I absolutely would've loved this regardless. I now understand why this is so highly recommended by so many people and I cannot wait to read more by this author.
India seemed to draw out her very soul. Perhaps that was why she felt so bruised inside -- as though her defenses were laid bare, allowing a terrible melancholy to settle in her core.
This review is crap but better people than I have already tried their hand at it. Read their thoughts. Or better yet just trust the hype and add it to your tbr. You won't regret it.
4.75 "every part of her answered to him" stars
September 7, 2024
I’m not sure why it has taken me so long to read DUKE OF SHADOWS, Meredith Duran’s much-praised 2010 debut novel, because I was totally swept away by this powerful and beautiful love story.
Accompanied by her parents, Emmeline (Emma) Martin is on her way to Delhi to marry her fiancé Marcus Lindley, an army colonel employed by the British East India Company. Tragedy strikes when the ship sinks in a storm, leaving Emma as the sole survivor. She is rescued by a passing freighter, but the knowledge that she has spent time alone with a crew of rough and ready sailors leaves her reputation, among the Anglo-Indian, tainted by association. Emma discovers that her fiancé is no longer the charming man she knew back in England; he is now a philanderer, gambler and only interested in marrying her for her money. Emma is determined to break off the engagement.
Julian Sinclair, Marquess of Holdensmoor and heir to the Duke of Auburn, has mixed blood – his father was British and his mother was of mixed British and Indian descent. He is torn between two worlds, neither of which he feels he truly belongs to and both cultures regard him with suspicion and disdain. Julian is aware that there is unrest among the Indian troops (sepoys) in the service of the British East India Company and fears a mutiny. However, the British authorities consider Julian an alarmist and fail to heed his warnings.
From their initial meeting, it is obvious that Julian and Emma share a mutual attraction and I love how Ms. Duran develops their romance in the first part of the book. It is so beautifully done and I really believed in their falling in love.
She stirred, small twitches and movements. Soft, sleepy noises. He kissed her again, more deeply this time, and ran a hand down her side, to the swell of her hip. Her eyelashes fluttered up; color came into her cheeks. He smiled against her. Fairy tales were wasted on children. Until this moment, even he had not fathomed the power of waking someone with a kiss.
I could feel how torn Julian is when he makes the difficult decision to leave Emma in Sapnagar. He wants to protect the woman he has come to love and also ensure that his Indian family are safe but, most importantly, he sees it as his duty to try to stop the bloodshed between the two sides. He is a honourable man and does what he believes to be right, unaware of how much it will cost him personally.
Ms. Duran doesn’t shy away from portraying the horror and brutality following the uprising and some of the scenes are harrowing to read, but I feel this is crucial to understanding Emma’s emotional state and her motivations in the second half of the book.
The second half, which takes place in London 4 years later, is such an emotional roller-coaster and I felt as though I was living every moment with Julian and Emma, such was the power and skill of Ms. Duran’s writing. Julian is full of guilt for having left Emma and there is so much anger on Emma’s side, believing that Julian had broken the promise he made and deserted her. I could understand Emma’s anger towards Julian, knowing all the horrific sights she saw and everything she had endured. It is heart-breaking to see how emotionally fragile she is and her paintings seems to represent a way of purging herself of those terrible memories.
When Julian sees Emma for the first time in 4 years, his pain and yearning is a palpable thing but I love him for being so patient with Emma and refusing to let her go. Emma fears that should he learn the truth about her, he would surely reject her.
He was so sure his opinion would be unaffected by anything she told him. But he could not know what was in her head. What was in her. And he would not like it. He would recoil and she would not be able to bear it. Seeing him leave again.
There is no doubt that they still love each other, but it seems that the past will always remain an insurmountable obstacle. Only when they are forced to work together to solve the mystery of who is trying to kill Emma are they able to talk openly and honestly and shed the darkness of the past to find the happiness they truly deserve.
Marcus Lindley was truly despicable in his actions towards Emma and his betrayal of her, but gets a suitable comeuppance in the end.
I was especially intrigued by Julian’s friend and Emma’s patron, Lord Lockwood, whose story is told in Ms. Duran’s latest release The Sins of Lord Lockwood.
MY VERDICT: If you are in the mood for something dark and intense with an original plotline, fascinating characters, suspense and a heart-stopping romance, I can definitely recommend this book.
Accompanied by her parents, Emmeline (Emma) Martin is on her way to Delhi to marry her fiancé Marcus Lindley, an army colonel employed by the British East India Company. Tragedy strikes when the ship sinks in a storm, leaving Emma as the sole survivor. She is rescued by a passing freighter, but the knowledge that she has spent time alone with a crew of rough and ready sailors leaves her reputation, among the Anglo-Indian, tainted by association. Emma discovers that her fiancé is no longer the charming man she knew back in England; he is now a philanderer, gambler and only interested in marrying her for her money. Emma is determined to break off the engagement.
Julian Sinclair, Marquess of Holdensmoor and heir to the Duke of Auburn, has mixed blood – his father was British and his mother was of mixed British and Indian descent. He is torn between two worlds, neither of which he feels he truly belongs to and both cultures regard him with suspicion and disdain. Julian is aware that there is unrest among the Indian troops (sepoys) in the service of the British East India Company and fears a mutiny. However, the British authorities consider Julian an alarmist and fail to heed his warnings.
From their initial meeting, it is obvious that Julian and Emma share a mutual attraction and I love how Ms. Duran develops their romance in the first part of the book. It is so beautifully done and I really believed in their falling in love.
She stirred, small twitches and movements. Soft, sleepy noises. He kissed her again, more deeply this time, and ran a hand down her side, to the swell of her hip. Her eyelashes fluttered up; color came into her cheeks. He smiled against her. Fairy tales were wasted on children. Until this moment, even he had not fathomed the power of waking someone with a kiss.
I could feel how torn Julian is when he makes the difficult decision to leave Emma in Sapnagar. He wants to protect the woman he has come to love and also ensure that his Indian family are safe but, most importantly, he sees it as his duty to try to stop the bloodshed between the two sides. He is a honourable man and does what he believes to be right, unaware of how much it will cost him personally.
Ms. Duran doesn’t shy away from portraying the horror and brutality following the uprising and some of the scenes are harrowing to read, but I feel this is crucial to understanding Emma’s emotional state and her motivations in the second half of the book.
The second half, which takes place in London 4 years later, is such an emotional roller-coaster and I felt as though I was living every moment with Julian and Emma, such was the power and skill of Ms. Duran’s writing. Julian is full of guilt for having left Emma and there is so much anger on Emma’s side, believing that Julian had broken the promise he made and deserted her. I could understand Emma’s anger towards Julian, knowing all the horrific sights she saw and everything she had endured. It is heart-breaking to see how emotionally fragile she is and her paintings seems to represent a way of purging herself of those terrible memories.
When Julian sees Emma for the first time in 4 years, his pain and yearning is a palpable thing but I love him for being so patient with Emma and refusing to let her go. Emma fears that should he learn the truth about her, he would surely reject her.
He was so sure his opinion would be unaffected by anything she told him. But he could not know what was in her head. What was in her. And he would not like it. He would recoil and she would not be able to bear it. Seeing him leave again.
There is no doubt that they still love each other, but it seems that the past will always remain an insurmountable obstacle. Only when they are forced to work together to solve the mystery of who is trying to kill Emma are they able to talk openly and honestly and shed the darkness of the past to find the happiness they truly deserve.
Marcus Lindley was truly despicable in his actions towards Emma and his betrayal of her, but gets a suitable comeuppance in the end.
I was especially intrigued by Julian’s friend and Emma’s patron, Lord Lockwood, whose story is told in Ms. Duran’s latest release The Sins of Lord Lockwood.
MY VERDICT: If you are in the mood for something dark and intense with an original plotline, fascinating characters, suspense and a heart-stopping romance, I can definitely recommend this book.
February 25, 2024
Reread 10/28/18: I have no more words nor desire to try to sum this up. I’ll keep my 50+ quotes to myself for now.
*********************
There are a lot of thoughts swirling around in my head. First, I caught this book as a BR - I was having trouble bringing myself to read it otherwise for some reason so it was just the push I needed.
I'll probably recycle some thoughts from that forum as well as borrow upon others as a result. Also, spoilering for sake of that...
*********************
There are a lot of thoughts swirling around in my head. First, I caught this book as a BR - I was having trouble bringing myself to read it otherwise for some reason so it was just the push I needed.
I'll probably recycle some thoughts from that forum as well as borrow upon others as a result. Also, spoilering for sake of that...
December 19, 2014
AMAZING!!! I couldn't read another book for a day and even went back to re-read the best parts as soon as it was over.
Part One: Delhi, India as the Indians' revolution against the English begins.
Emmaline and Julian have known each other for a few days but have taken a liking on each other. They are both outcasts: she has been tainted after been saved from drawning from a boat full of men while he has a half Indian mother. Unfortunately she is also betrothed to Julian's cousin and life-long enemy. When the Indians invade Delhi, he helps her get out of the city. The scenes that follow are gruesome and intense, filled with action, angst and eventually passion. However, these two people tragically get separated in the midst of the war.
Part two: 4 years later, London.
After 4 years, Julian still hasn't got over Emma, believing her to be dead and blaming himself for it. Emma on the other hand, knows Julian is alive in England but stays away from him, blaming him for the trials she's been through after their separation. After the things she witnessed, she is permanently depressed and sad, without spark for life. But she has drawn some magnificent -if too violent- paintings from the scenes she witnessed in India, that attract the notice of a nobleman who wants to exhibit them in London. She agrees to travel there to present them, hoping she won't run into Julian. Unfortunately, at the very first night, Julian sees her and that scene, where they meet after years, is one I read over and over because it was simply, heart-breakingly stunning. Julian wants to continue where they left off where Emma tries to send him away. But soon it becomes obvious that someone is trying to destroy the paintings or kill Emma or perhaps both, and Julian is the only one who can help her.
Simply one of the best books I've ever read. Very emotionally powerful, heart-wrenching and angsty. It is not for the weak at heart and I can even understand it may seem maudlin to those who prefer lighter stuff. I suspect though, that readers who loved Private Arrangements will find this memorable as well, since that heart-breaking intensity found in PA is here as well, even if their plots are completely different.
Part One: Delhi, India as the Indians' revolution against the English begins.
Emmaline and Julian have known each other for a few days but have taken a liking on each other. They are both outcasts: she has been tainted after been saved from drawning from a boat full of men while he has a half Indian mother. Unfortunately she is also betrothed to Julian's cousin and life-long enemy. When the Indians invade Delhi, he helps her get out of the city. The scenes that follow are gruesome and intense, filled with action, angst and eventually passion. However, these two people tragically get separated in the midst of the war.
Part two: 4 years later, London.
After 4 years, Julian still hasn't got over Emma, believing her to be dead and blaming himself for it. Emma on the other hand, knows Julian is alive in England but stays away from him, blaming him for the trials she's been through after their separation. After the things she witnessed, she is permanently depressed and sad, without spark for life. But she has drawn some magnificent -if too violent- paintings from the scenes she witnessed in India, that attract the notice of a nobleman who wants to exhibit them in London. She agrees to travel there to present them, hoping she won't run into Julian. Unfortunately, at the very first night, Julian sees her and that scene, where they meet after years, is one I read over and over because it was simply, heart-breakingly stunning. Julian wants to continue where they left off where Emma tries to send him away. But soon it becomes obvious that someone is trying to destroy the paintings or kill Emma or perhaps both, and Julian is the only one who can help her.
Simply one of the best books I've ever read. Very emotionally powerful, heart-wrenching and angsty. It is not for the weak at heart and I can even understand it may seem maudlin to those who prefer lighter stuff. I suspect though, that readers who loved Private Arrangements will find this memorable as well, since that heart-breaking intensity found in PA is here as well, even if their plots are completely different.
January 24, 2018
Update 09/23/17:
While waiting for February (!) release of The Sins of Lord Lockwood, I decided to re-read The Duke of Shadows. Sometimes, re-reads can be disappointing. Not so on this occasion. I actually loved the story more. When I first read it, I thought the first part deserved 10+ stars but the second part paled in comparison. This time around, the second part had a huge emotional impact on me. Intense, unique, gripping, spellbinding and I can go on and on… It's hard to believe it was the author's debut. I think this is the best of all Duran's works.
I love Meredith Duran's writing and this book, her debut novel, is a powerful, memorable and very original story.
I'm not going to describe the plot as it's been done by many reviewers already. Let me just say that the first half of the book set in India in 1857 during the Mutiny deserves more than 5 stars. It is a powerful intense multi-layered story that gripped me from the start and kept me on the edge of my sit long pass my bedtime. I am still stunned by it. The masterful characterization, the vivid portrayal of events (be warn: some of them are very disturbing), the beautiful romance are all top notch. The second half, set four years later in London, looses the emotional grip it had on me. The plot, the characters became less interesting and the story started to drag. Still for the debut, it was an amazing accomplishment. I 'm looking forward to read MD's new story coming this month.
While waiting for February (!) release of The Sins of Lord Lockwood, I decided to re-read The Duke of Shadows. Sometimes, re-reads can be disappointing. Not so on this occasion. I actually loved the story more. When I first read it, I thought the first part deserved 10+ stars but the second part paled in comparison. This time around, the second part had a huge emotional impact on me. Intense, unique, gripping, spellbinding and I can go on and on… It's hard to believe it was the author's debut. I think this is the best of all Duran's works.
____________________________
07/19/15I love Meredith Duran's writing and this book, her debut novel, is a powerful, memorable and very original story.
I'm not going to describe the plot as it's been done by many reviewers already. Let me just say that the first half of the book set in India in 1857 during the Mutiny deserves more than 5 stars. It is a powerful intense multi-layered story that gripped me from the start and kept me on the edge of my sit long pass my bedtime. I am still stunned by it. The masterful characterization, the vivid portrayal of events (be warn: some of them are very disturbing), the beautiful romance are all top notch. The second half, set four years later in London, looses the emotional grip it had on me. The plot, the characters became less interesting and the story started to drag. Still for the debut, it was an amazing accomplishment. I 'm looking forward to read MD's new story coming this month.
January 15, 2019
Dear Meredith Duran's fans.
It's with utmost concern and heartfelt empathy that I must relate my elopement with the Duke of Auburn. Julian sends his deepest sympathies.
It's not you dear, it never was— it's me. 😉
More reviews and book talk at :
You can find me here too ☞
It's with utmost concern and heartfelt empathy that I must relate my elopement with the Duke of Auburn. Julian sends his deepest sympathies.
It's not you dear, it never was— it's me. 😉
#TheDukeOfShadows #HesMineNow
More reviews and book talk at :
You can find me here too ☞
June 2, 2025
”Blood and guts and gore.”
Set in 1857 right before the Sepoy Rebellion, the violence to romance ratio did me in.
This was supposed to be a sure bet—at least a four star read. But what can I say? I’m a resident of Outlier Island, located on a planet in a galaxy far, far away.
Additional TW:
Death of parents
Domestic abuse
Death of pet
Set in 1857 right before the Sepoy Rebellion, the violence to romance ratio did me in.
This was supposed to be a sure bet—at least a four star read. But what can I say? I’m a resident of Outlier Island, located on a planet in a galaxy far, far away.
Additional TW:
Death of parents
Domestic abuse
Death of pet
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 15, 2021
I must admit, I was not impressed with other Duran's works I've tried so far. I thought they were formulaic and attempted, not very successfully in my opinion, at humorous banter.
And then there is this book. And it’s her debut.
I was hooked from the prologue. It starts with our heroine stranded in the middle of the sea after surviving shipwreck that killed everyone including her entire family on their way to India. Because of that you are instantly on the heroine's side and want her to succeed. Her parents arranged for her to be married in India to a fortune hunter. Now she is lonely, still grieving in this foreign land, engaged to a man who doesn't care for her and that's when she meets our hero. He is a duke (of course) with a mixed ancestry, who is simultaneously part of the upper crust of English society (duke duh) and also who grew up in Indian culture with his Indian family and is very sympathetic to the idea of Indian independence.
I've seen people saying it's intense and I think it's because this novel is really a few novels - Falling in love in India and war for independence; Second chance love story in London; Mystery plot with treason. It's a little messy as a result and felt like she had maybe too many ideas for one shortish book.
But I'm not really complaining, it was memorable and very well written, with a passionate love story between two smart complicated and good people.
And then there is this book. And it’s her debut.
I was hooked from the prologue. It starts with our heroine stranded in the middle of the sea after surviving shipwreck that killed everyone including her entire family on their way to India. Because of that you are instantly on the heroine's side and want her to succeed. Her parents arranged for her to be married in India to a fortune hunter. Now she is lonely, still grieving in this foreign land, engaged to a man who doesn't care for her and that's when she meets our hero. He is a duke (of course) with a mixed ancestry, who is simultaneously part of the upper crust of English society (duke duh) and also who grew up in Indian culture with his Indian family and is very sympathetic to the idea of Indian independence.
I've seen people saying it's intense and I think it's because this novel is really a few novels - Falling in love in India and war for independence; Second chance love story in London; Mystery plot with treason. It's a little messy as a result and felt like she had maybe too many ideas for one shortish book.
But I'm not really complaining, it was memorable and very well written, with a passionate love story between two smart complicated and good people.
September 5, 2022
A very enjoyable book that is split into two halves. The first half takes place in 1850s India, during the dramatic and dangerous period when native Indians were rebelling against the harshness of the British regime. Emmaline is a young and naive Englishwoman, whose journey out to join her English military fiancé in India takes a dramatic turn. In India she also meets (and falls for) her fiancé's cousin Julian, a future duke, who is torn between two worlds, as he is one quarter native Indian. This first half of the book is emotional, eventful and has some scenes of violence that reflect the ugly history of the period.
In the second half, the scene moves to London four years later, and we see Julian and Emma's second chance romance blossom amidst, again, dramatic and emotional events. There is a lovely HEA, and the bad guy gets his just desserts.
This book is not your typical cookie-cutter HR. It is powerful and emotional, which seem to be hallmarks of Duran's writing. The history and settings are credible, and the storyline is interesting and well-developed. Overall, well worth your time.
Historical Romance Book Club BOTM for September 2022, 'Second Chance' trope.
In the second half, the scene moves to London four years later, and we see Julian and Emma's second chance romance blossom amidst, again, dramatic and emotional events. There is a lovely HEA, and the bad guy gets his just desserts.
This book is not your typical cookie-cutter HR. It is powerful and emotional, which seem to be hallmarks of Duran's writing. The history and settings are credible, and the storyline is interesting and well-developed. Overall, well worth your time.
Historical Romance Book Club BOTM for September 2022, 'Second Chance' trope.
July 5, 2015
Relectura!!!!
Y lo he disfrutado como la primera vez. Una novela muy muy recomendable!!!
La primera parte lo tiene todo, una ambientación fantástica, con escenas trepidantes, giros en la historia, choques entre cultura y, un retrato de la situación de la India de aquella época bastante bien conseguida.
Unos personajes que me han encantado, sobre todo Julian, es de esos protagonistas por los que suspiro desde el principio, esa mezcla de culturas de las que recoge lo mejor de cada una.... otros secundarios que también me han gustado mucho, por ejemplo Kavita, que aunque poco me ha encantado como habla
La segunda parte me ha parecido menos original y decae un poco, pero luego la autora juega con un tema que aunque previsible, te mantiene atrapado.
No son muchas las escenas hot, pero es de esas novelas en las que la autora, desde el primer momento, consigue que entre los protagonistas salten chispas
Y lo he disfrutado como la primera vez. Una novela muy muy recomendable!!!
La primera parte lo tiene todo, una ambientación fantástica, con escenas trepidantes, giros en la historia, choques entre cultura y, un retrato de la situación de la India de aquella época bastante bien conseguida.
Unos personajes que me han encantado, sobre todo Julian, es de esos protagonistas por los que suspiro desde el principio, esa mezcla de culturas de las que recoge lo mejor de cada una.... otros secundarios que también me han gustado mucho, por ejemplo Kavita, que aunque poco me ha encantado como habla
La segunda parte me ha parecido menos original y decae un poco, pero luego la autora juega con un tema que aunque previsible, te mantiene atrapado.
No son muchas las escenas hot, pero es de esas novelas en las que la autora, desde el primer momento, consigue que entre los protagonistas salten chispas
July 19, 2011
MASTER PIECE.
Is there a better way to describe this book? I don't think so. I just can't believe I've never heard a thing about it before a week from now, it amazes me to realize such an amazing read might have been forever lost to me if I it wasn't for one of the most amazing friends I have here on Goodreads (Ally I will be FOREVER GRATEFUL to you). I will say this is a book beyond compare in this genre, which is a lot to say as I have read a lot of hist-romances. OMG, where to start? I can't remember the last time I was this absorbed about a book. I spent the whole freaking day shut up in my bedroom reading without stopping. Seriously, I only stopped to eat, that's how much obsessed I got with it. I was so consumed with the story I forgot I was reading a book and actually felt I was living it. This author is amazing, she just does magic with words. I suffered terribly with some parts while I laugh and cried at the same time with others. I got so immersed I lost all track of time. I cried the strongest once it was over because I didn't want it to end.
THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THIS BOOK AND THE REST IN THE GENRE:
Probably that the plot was way better developed than in most of my past reads. I felt so enthralled by it, I just wanted to keep reading in order to discover even more information. I had forgotten what it felt to be taken into the past, to really feel you were living things that authentically happened. Only books can do this, but not many of them can actually make you feel you're truly experiencing these events from the past. Only for this reason I will add this book to my 50-favorite-books shelf. Sigh, I just can't believe how inspiring the book was, how it transported me to a time where things you just can't bare to even imagine where common.
AN ASTONISHING & UNCONVENTIONAL PLOT:
While most books in this genre concentrate on describing the upper classes and their daily dilemmas, this author always finds a way to surprise us. In this amazing book, we read about a woman who was supposed to reunite with her fiance who was momentarily staying at India while England was trying to rule it. While she discovers he is not what she thought he would be she also meets the man she was always meant to be with, something it's clear form their very first interaction. We get to see how this romance develops while the mutiny of the Indians takes place. Be ready and have some tissues at hand because you will accompany our brave characters through this very same revolution and suffer and witness some very devastating tragedies.
To sum up I just wanna emphasize that this book is definitely a must read and a literal work of art in the hist-romance genre. The author knew how to give us an abundance of background information but without being aggravating. This book will always remind as one of my favorites and I'll definitely be reading it again some years from now.
Moreover, the romance will always be there too, and it such a powerful connection between this characters that you will just want to weep for how strong this link between them feels:
Is there a better way to describe this book? I don't think so. I just can't believe I've never heard a thing about it before a week from now, it amazes me to realize such an amazing read might have been forever lost to me if I it wasn't for one of the most amazing friends I have here on Goodreads (Ally I will be FOREVER GRATEFUL to you). I will say this is a book beyond compare in this genre, which is a lot to say as I have read a lot of hist-romances. OMG, where to start? I can't remember the last time I was this absorbed about a book. I spent the whole freaking day shut up in my bedroom reading without stopping. Seriously, I only stopped to eat, that's how much obsessed I got with it. I was so consumed with the story I forgot I was reading a book and actually felt I was living it. This author is amazing, she just does magic with words. I suffered terribly with some parts while I laugh and cried at the same time with others. I got so immersed I lost all track of time. I cried the strongest once it was over because I didn't want it to end.
THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THIS BOOK AND THE REST IN THE GENRE:
Probably that the plot was way better developed than in most of my past reads. I felt so enthralled by it, I just wanted to keep reading in order to discover even more information. I had forgotten what it felt to be taken into the past, to really feel you were living things that authentically happened. Only books can do this, but not many of them can actually make you feel you're truly experiencing these events from the past. Only for this reason I will add this book to my 50-favorite-books shelf. Sigh, I just can't believe how inspiring the book was, how it transported me to a time where things you just can't bare to even imagine where common.
AN ASTONISHING & UNCONVENTIONAL PLOT:
While most books in this genre concentrate on describing the upper classes and their daily dilemmas, this author always finds a way to surprise us. In this amazing book, we read about a woman who was supposed to reunite with her fiance who was momentarily staying at India while England was trying to rule it. While she discovers he is not what she thought he would be she also meets the man she was always meant to be with, something it's clear form their very first interaction. We get to see how this romance develops while the mutiny of the Indians takes place. Be ready and have some tissues at hand because you will accompany our brave characters through this very same revolution and suffer and witness some very devastating tragedies.
To sum up I just wanna emphasize that this book is definitely a must read and a literal work of art in the hist-romance genre. The author knew how to give us an abundance of background information but without being aggravating. This book will always remind as one of my favorites and I'll definitely be reading it again some years from now.
Moreover, the romance will always be there too, and it such a powerful connection between this characters that you will just want to weep for how strong this link between them feels:
"Words are not the only way we communicate, you and I. They never were."
August 1, 2011
Sometimes in life you read a book that is so great, you wish you would've been more discriminate with 5 star ratings. This is definitely a 5 star read, and it makes me wish I had more stars to give it the credit it's due. This one was remarkable.
Told in 2 parts, the first half of the book is set in Delhi, India. This begins the story of Emma Martin and Julian Sinclair.
Although Emma is engaged to Julian's cousin, it is with Julian that chemistry sparks. Emma's fiance is a true villain. Selfish, unfeeling, and only interested in Emma's money. It doesn't take long for Emma to tire of her finance's antics and break off the engagement. If only that were the end of the story.....
A rebellion breaks out between the English and the Natives. Emma and Julian are forced to flee Delhi for their lives. The suspense in this book is tangible. You feel like you are right in the middle of the chaos and horror as the brutalities of war are shed to light. On their journey out of the country, Julian and Emma fall in love. If only that were the end of the story.........
Part 2 is set in London, England. This is an epic tale that spans many years and even different continents. Emma and Julian are separated during the war. Julian believes Emma is dead and Emma believes Julian didn't care for her and broke a promise. Whereas part 1 contains action and suspense, it is part 2 that will break even the hardest of hearts. There are so many scenes that will stay with me. The scene where Julian and Emma are reunited, the love scene in the locked room, the scene where Julian wants to recount the events of the past with the globe, and especially the final scenes of the book.
Basically, this is a superb story about a man and his astounding love for one woman. Julian's love for Emma knows no end. He pursues her relentlessly. No matter how many stop lights she gives him, he pursues her. His devotion, love, and commitment to her is simply stunning. One of the main themes I will take from this book is the power of true love.
Duran's writing ability is superb. The poignancy, emotion, and rawness of this novel astounds me. Save this one for when you need something special.....something "other". It is awesome.
Told in 2 parts, the first half of the book is set in Delhi, India. This begins the story of Emma Martin and Julian Sinclair.
Although Emma is engaged to Julian's cousin, it is with Julian that chemistry sparks. Emma's fiance is a true villain. Selfish, unfeeling, and only interested in Emma's money. It doesn't take long for Emma to tire of her finance's antics and break off the engagement. If only that were the end of the story.....
A rebellion breaks out between the English and the Natives. Emma and Julian are forced to flee Delhi for their lives. The suspense in this book is tangible. You feel like you are right in the middle of the chaos and horror as the brutalities of war are shed to light. On their journey out of the country, Julian and Emma fall in love. If only that were the end of the story.........
Part 2 is set in London, England. This is an epic tale that spans many years and even different continents. Emma and Julian are separated during the war. Julian believes Emma is dead and Emma believes Julian didn't care for her and broke a promise. Whereas part 1 contains action and suspense, it is part 2 that will break even the hardest of hearts. There are so many scenes that will stay with me. The scene where Julian and Emma are reunited, the love scene in the locked room, the scene where Julian wants to recount the events of the past with the globe, and especially the final scenes of the book.
Basically, this is a superb story about a man and his astounding love for one woman. Julian's love for Emma knows no end. He pursues her relentlessly. No matter how many stop lights she gives him, he pursues her. His devotion, love, and commitment to her is simply stunning. One of the main themes I will take from this book is the power of true love.
Duran's writing ability is superb. The poignancy, emotion, and rawness of this novel astounds me. Save this one for when you need something special.....something "other". It is awesome.
March 15, 2018
As often happens lately, I'm in minority here...
I found the book interesting because of the hystorical moment it was happening in, not for the romance...
The Sepoy Mutiny was a very bloody and the horrors inflicted on the innocent were terrible...
From both sides...
first from the Indians ...
and, as retribution, from the British...
I loved how the hero, Julian, understood this horrible fact. He, as a half (or quarter) blood, saw how the Indian people were suffering under the British heel and, even if he understood, he didn't condone what was done by them.
The heroine, Emma, continued to be blind to this, even when the circumstances proved her wrong. Only after being confronted with cruelties from both parties, she did get it. But her reaction was wrong and continued to be wrong even when in England. Her paintings showed more than her actions.
Both of them didn't want to speak and explain to each other why they acted as they did. Emma, obviously suffering from PTSD and Julian feeling guilty without reason.
I hate when that happens in romance.
I didn't get why they wouldn't speak with each other. Why Emma didn't want to explain what happened to her and where she found the incriminating letter. If only they spoke many things would have been avoided.
Also, why Marcus choose to pursue Emma for her money only after she got reconnedcted with Julian? Because he knew that the letters were his because hse put the Urdu phrases on her painting? OK, that could be an explanation, but it didn't ring true to me. He was a villain since the beginning and I dodn't know why Emma spoke to him in the first place!
The love story between Emma and Julian didn't rung true too. He fall for her because...she's young? Beautiful? She was another memsahib. Maybe a little bit less idiotic than the others, but she didn't have anything interesting IMHO...
Also, there's too much internal musing all around...
So, just for the parts regarding the revolt this deserves 3 stars. Not for the love story!
I found the book interesting because of the hystorical moment it was happening in, not for the romance...
The Sepoy Mutiny was a very bloody and the horrors inflicted on the innocent were terrible...
From both sides...
first from the Indians ...
and, as retribution, from the British...
I loved how the hero, Julian, understood this horrible fact. He, as a half (or quarter) blood, saw how the Indian people were suffering under the British heel and, even if he understood, he didn't condone what was done by them.
The heroine, Emma, continued to be blind to this, even when the circumstances proved her wrong. Only after being confronted with cruelties from both parties, she did get it. But her reaction was wrong and continued to be wrong even when in England. Her paintings showed more than her actions.
Both of them didn't want to speak and explain to each other why they acted as they did. Emma, obviously suffering from PTSD and Julian feeling guilty without reason.
I hate when that happens in romance.
I didn't get why they wouldn't speak with each other. Why Emma didn't want to explain what happened to her and where she found the incriminating letter. If only they spoke many things would have been avoided.
Also, why Marcus choose to pursue Emma for her money only after she got reconnedcted with Julian? Because he knew that the letters were his because hse put the Urdu phrases on her painting? OK, that could be an explanation, but it didn't ring true to me. He was a villain since the beginning and I dodn't know why Emma spoke to him in the first place!
The love story between Emma and Julian didn't rung true too. He fall for her because...she's young? Beautiful? She was another memsahib. Maybe a little bit less idiotic than the others, but she didn't have anything interesting IMHO...
Also, there's too much internal musing all around...
So, just for the parts regarding the revolt this deserves 3 stars. Not for the love story!
May 12, 2019
(Tropes: Forbidden Love, Opposites Attract, Unrequited Love)
I thought the 1st half was way better than the 2nd - the latter is challenging as they are both in very dark places - but on a whole another fascinating read.
- “You do not frighten me. You alarm me.”
- “You’re not meant to be grateful, Emma; you’re meant to be flattered. And perhaps a small bit flustered, if you can manage it. That would give me the advantage I seem to need one where you’re concerned.”
She eyed him warily. “You’re being silly, I think.”
- “You do not strike me as a Lothario. You’re far too serious for the part.”
“Oh? I did give it a small try, if you recall. And your mouth tasted quite sweet. But perhaps I was too subtle?”
- He pressed his face fully into her throat. For the space of several breaths he remained like that, breathing deeply against her. Her hand moved up to grip the back of his head, threading through the softness of his hair. A strange impulse to grip him harder, to cradle him fully, had her biting her lip. The urge was animal. Unnerving. Entirely out of her experience.
- He spoke against her neck. “Have I kissed you, then?”
“Not yet,” she whispered.
“Then you should be content.”
“I am certainly awake.”
He pulled away a little, just far enough to show her his appreciative smile.
- “I’m here,” he said into her ear, as the tears came faster. “Emma, I’m here with you now. Listen to me: I will always be here.”
Always, she thought. He said “always,” but he had forgotten to say finally. Finally you are here. Thank God, finally at last.
- There was so much to be said and asked between them. Being with her felt like charting the sea: there were marvels beneath, and they lured him, and he wondered whether he ever might reach the bottom.
- “Do you remember?” he said, shaping the words against her skin, so the memory that broke over her was not visual, but physical. He had brought stars out in her stomach that time. She had liked it then but now it made her want to scream; it was soft torture, the drip of a water clock when one had a migraine; it exacerbated the pain she already felt.
I thought the 1st half was way better than the 2nd - the latter is challenging as they are both in very dark places - but on a whole another fascinating read.
- “You do not frighten me. You alarm me.”
- “You’re not meant to be grateful, Emma; you’re meant to be flattered. And perhaps a small bit flustered, if you can manage it. That would give me the advantage I seem to need one where you’re concerned.”
She eyed him warily. “You’re being silly, I think.”
- “You do not strike me as a Lothario. You’re far too serious for the part.”
“Oh? I did give it a small try, if you recall. And your mouth tasted quite sweet. But perhaps I was too subtle?”
- He pressed his face fully into her throat. For the space of several breaths he remained like that, breathing deeply against her. Her hand moved up to grip the back of his head, threading through the softness of his hair. A strange impulse to grip him harder, to cradle him fully, had her biting her lip. The urge was animal. Unnerving. Entirely out of her experience.
- He spoke against her neck. “Have I kissed you, then?”
“Not yet,” she whispered.
“Then you should be content.”
“I am certainly awake.”
He pulled away a little, just far enough to show her his appreciative smile.
- “I’m here,” he said into her ear, as the tears came faster. “Emma, I’m here with you now. Listen to me: I will always be here.”
Always, she thought. He said “always,” but he had forgotten to say finally. Finally you are here. Thank God, finally at last.
- There was so much to be said and asked between them. Being with her felt like charting the sea: there were marvels beneath, and they lured him, and he wondered whether he ever might reach the bottom.
- “Do you remember?” he said, shaping the words against her skin, so the memory that broke over her was not visual, but physical. He had brought stars out in her stomach that time. She had liked it then but now it made her want to scream; it was soft torture, the drip of a water clock when one had a migraine; it exacerbated the pain she already felt.
October 20, 2022
4,5 estrellas.
Entre mis objetivos de lectura está conseguir leer todos los libros del Top 100 All About Romance, tanto de la lista de 2013 como de la de 2018 (de la primera aún me faltan 50 y de la segunda 43, aunque muchos de ellos coinciden) y esta novela de romance histórico se encuentra en ambas listas, así que gracias a ella estaré un poco más cerca de mi objetivo.
Su presencia en ambas listas es más que merecida. La pluma de Meredith Duran es una maravilla, la ambientación está muy cuidada, el trabajo de documentación brilla a gran altura a lo largo de esta apasionante historia que transcurre a mediados del siglo XIX, en plena época victoriana, y cuenta con dos partes bien diferenciadas: una en el Raj británico en la India y otra en Inglaterra.
La primera es la que más me ha gustado, pues en ella la autora trata temas como el imperialismo, el nacionalismo, el racismo, la identidad cultural, los prejuicios, el horror que traen consigo los conflictos armados y, si, también el surgimiento del amor en un época convulsa y sangrienta de la historia de la India.
Sus protagonistas, Julian y Emmaline, son dos seres complejos, condicionados y estigmatizados por sus circunstancias personales (más ella que él, pues, a pesar de su herencia mixta, es un hombre y cuenta con un título nobiliario), a los que les toca viajar al infierno y volver (nuca mejor dicho en el caso de Emmaline, ¡qué manera de sufrir!). Dos protagonistas maravillosos para una historia que recomiendo mucho, aunque reconozco que la parte que transcurre en Inglaterra me ha gustado menos.
#Popsugar22 Reto 34: Un libro ambientado en la época victoriana.
Entre mis objetivos de lectura está conseguir leer todos los libros del Top 100 All About Romance, tanto de la lista de 2013 como de la de 2018 (de la primera aún me faltan 50 y de la segunda 43, aunque muchos de ellos coinciden) y esta novela de romance histórico se encuentra en ambas listas, así que gracias a ella estaré un poco más cerca de mi objetivo.
Su presencia en ambas listas es más que merecida. La pluma de Meredith Duran es una maravilla, la ambientación está muy cuidada, el trabajo de documentación brilla a gran altura a lo largo de esta apasionante historia que transcurre a mediados del siglo XIX, en plena época victoriana, y cuenta con dos partes bien diferenciadas: una en el Raj británico en la India y otra en Inglaterra.
La primera es la que más me ha gustado, pues en ella la autora trata temas como el imperialismo, el nacionalismo, el racismo, la identidad cultural, los prejuicios, el horror que traen consigo los conflictos armados y, si, también el surgimiento del amor en un época convulsa y sangrienta de la historia de la India.
Sus protagonistas, Julian y Emmaline, son dos seres complejos, condicionados y estigmatizados por sus circunstancias personales (más ella que él, pues, a pesar de su herencia mixta, es un hombre y cuenta con un título nobiliario), a los que les toca viajar al infierno y volver (nuca mejor dicho en el caso de Emmaline, ¡qué manera de sufrir!). Dos protagonistas maravillosos para una historia que recomiendo mucho, aunque reconozco que la parte que transcurre en Inglaterra me ha gustado menos.
#Popsugar22 Reto 34: Un libro ambientado en la época victoriana.
February 26, 2024
Freaking fantastic! I needed a strong romance read and this was it! Perfectly done. Loved the historical bits we get and the super RED HOT love scenes. I started imagining what the hero (Julian) could look like in real life after a while. Happy sigh.
Full review:
Wow. I rooted for Emma and Julian throughout this book!
"The Duke of Shadows" follows Emma, newly orphaned. She arrives in British India after the ship her parents and she were on, sank. She's there to marry her fiancée, Martin. Emma though finds herself drawn to Martin's cousin, Julian, the Duke of Auburn. Julian is not totally acceptable in British India or Britain itself. He has "native" blood in him and is looked down upon for that. Emma though, cannot stop herself from being drawn to him. With the Indian Rebellion of 1857 as a backdrop, we have Julian and Emma thrown together and Emma finally saying the hell with what everyone expects of her.
I have to say Emma is hands down one of my favorite historical romance heroines ever. Do you want to kick her in the shin once in a while? Yes. But I can see the differences in her from before to where we see her years after. And I sympathized and maybe yelled at her to just go and talk to him like a thousand times.
Julian is the best! Seriously.
Okay. Enough fan-girling.
The setting of British India, to Britain itself dealing with the after shocks of that, Duran does a great job of showing just everyday people's views and how Julian had to struggle to be in different worlds.
The ending was fantastic!
Full review:
Wow. I rooted for Emma and Julian throughout this book!
"The Duke of Shadows" follows Emma, newly orphaned. She arrives in British India after the ship her parents and she were on, sank. She's there to marry her fiancée, Martin. Emma though finds herself drawn to Martin's cousin, Julian, the Duke of Auburn. Julian is not totally acceptable in British India or Britain itself. He has "native" blood in him and is looked down upon for that. Emma though, cannot stop herself from being drawn to him. With the Indian Rebellion of 1857 as a backdrop, we have Julian and Emma thrown together and Emma finally saying the hell with what everyone expects of her.
I have to say Emma is hands down one of my favorite historical romance heroines ever. Do you want to kick her in the shin once in a while? Yes. But I can see the differences in her from before to where we see her years after. And I sympathized and maybe yelled at her to just go and talk to him like a thousand times.
Julian is the best! Seriously.
Okay. Enough fan-girling.
The setting of British India, to Britain itself dealing with the after shocks of that, Duran does a great job of showing just everyday people's views and how Julian had to struggle to be in different worlds.
The ending was fantastic!
July 14, 2021
3.5 stars
A truly unique HR. Heiress Emmaline Martin travels to India to meet her long-time betrothed Colonel Marcus Lindsley. While settling into expat life in Delhi, she meets Julian Sinclair, heir to the dukedom of Auburn and Marcus’ mixed race British Indian cousin. Their love story is tried and tested over racial prejudice, unspeakable violence, trauma, and years of longing and separation.
Part 1 takes place in India, where there are quite a few foreign-to-me terms and phrases. Part 2 is set in London four years later when Emma and Julian reunite. There is a lot of action and everything moves briskly throughout.
Well-written; almost too well-written and prose-like but in the best possible way, if that makes sense. I had to really concentrate to get the most out of the words, because there is so much depth to them. Very emotional and heavy in some parts, but also lot of enjoyable witty repartee between Emma and Julian.
The Duke of Shadows is a great story you need to be in the right mood for to truly appreciate. This is not a fluffy, easy read—at least to me it wasn’t. I highly recommend setting aside time to really immerse yourself in this one!
A truly unique HR. Heiress Emmaline Martin travels to India to meet her long-time betrothed Colonel Marcus Lindsley. While settling into expat life in Delhi, she meets Julian Sinclair, heir to the dukedom of Auburn and Marcus’ mixed race British Indian cousin. Their love story is tried and tested over racial prejudice, unspeakable violence, trauma, and years of longing and separation.
Part 1 takes place in India, where there are quite a few foreign-to-me terms and phrases. Part 2 is set in London four years later when Emma and Julian reunite. There is a lot of action and everything moves briskly throughout.
Well-written; almost too well-written and prose-like but in the best possible way, if that makes sense. I had to really concentrate to get the most out of the words, because there is so much depth to them. Very emotional and heavy in some parts, but also lot of enjoyable witty repartee between Emma and Julian.
The Duke of Shadows is a great story you need to be in the right mood for to truly appreciate. This is not a fluffy, easy read—at least to me it wasn’t. I highly recommend setting aside time to really immerse yourself in this one!
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