The Duchess
I found this book on
kindle while browsing for something else. As soon as I started looking into the book’s
details, I noticed that unlike other books wherein ‘download sample’ is
available, this book already displayed a few sample chapters. After going
through the blurb of the book, I went on to read those first few lines of
chapter 1 and instantly I fell in love with the story. What started as reading
a first few lines grabbed me on and on that I couldn’t put it down.
Happening centuries back,
the author wanted to take readers to experience how life was in England when
the law allows only the first child to inherit properties from parents and that
the next siblings get nothing remarkable, unless the first child allows any.
Even the elite couldn’t do anything about this law and the story follows how
pathetic situation could turn out to be for a young daughter who is abandoned
when her father passes away. Despite her struggles in her young age, the story
follows how she is comes out successfully in a way unexpected and unexplored by
many.
Phillip Latham has two
sons – Tristan and Edward. While the elder Tristan is married with two
daughters, Edward stays unmarried. While Phillip is a widower since a young
age, he remains single. Phillip, later at the age of 52, marries a young and
beautiful Marie, a French elite by birth having fallen for each other so
quickly, going against the wishes of his sons. She soon gives birth to
Angelique the very next year of their marriage and dies. The author brings in
every fine detail to the story as it progresses, down to the number of servants
in the house and the way the protagonist, Angelique is treated after her father
Phillip dies.
The author brings in the
grandeur to the story giving every detail of the life lead by the Dukes back in
the eighteenth century – the vast land they inherited, the grand houses they
maintain, the farmers who work for them and the list goes on.
Once Phillip dies,
Angelique becomes a burden to both his sons. The way she is treated soon after
her father’s death is an incredible storytelling feat by the author. Most of
the first chapter goes without any dialogue but it fits the story so well as it
doesn’t need any.
There is one powerful
scene – when Tristan says Angelique how she is a burden being in the house
anymore – he sounds so formal but he is actually thrashing her out of her house
which used to be her home since her birth and now she has nothing left for her
and pushed to the streets. The use of words by the author is simply wonderful –
the way the elite (not all) treats a normal person without anything in
possession.
Believe me, I just read
the first two chapters in this book and I couldn’t wait to read the entire
book. But I relished these two chapters to the core and left me asking for
more!
Danielle Steel
I wanted to read this
author for a long time but with this book I picked recently I have fallen in
love with her writing. I began to read some of her interviews in which I came
to know that she used to write 22 hours straight at days when she is working
with her book and the story comes out flowing. If there is any break to writing
it would a maximum of two weeks and not more than that she says.
She would also work on
five different books at a time, when they are in different stages of making. I
came to know that she wouldn’t read when she is working on her book.
As like other authors, she
would practise writing every single day, without a break and while reading her
books, it is very much evident. She has the capability of transporting readers
to her fictional world to such extent that the reader is spellbound and remains
captivated in the same world for days.
Danielle Steel has
authored a whopping 183 books so far and every book is intentionally written in
a different way mostly intertwining between genres leading her way to success.
The effort she has put in on each of her books make her stand out of the crowd.
Well, having a dedicated
work plan and working towards it constantly lead her to great success – I don’t
judge it with the number of books she has written but the way she makes her
readers feel while reading her books!
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