The Duchess

By: Danielle Steel

Narrated by: Gideon Emery

An enthralling novel set in early 19th-century England, Paris, and New York, featuring an indomitable young heroine who rises from ruin to become the toast of Paris, by way of the chic bordello she establishes for the most powerful men in France.

Turned out of her ancestral home by her vicious half brother, the orphaned daughter of an English duke and a French noblewoman makes her way to Paris and takes in abused French streetwalkers, transforming them into sought-after courtesans in the city's most exclusive bordello, Le Boudoir. It is only the beginning of her return to the upper reaches of society and ultimate justice.

©2017 Danielle Steel (P)2017 Recorded Books

An interesting study on privilege

I enjoyed the book, especially the narrator. One thing that was really interesting is that the book seems to be intended as an uplifting story about picking yourself up again after you lose everything, but this is only possible for the main character because she was born into wealth and received a generous gift from her father (25,000 pounds then would be over 2 million pounds today!?!). The book even says that, but for this money, she would have been completely ruined. I guess it is just difficult to feel all that sorry for someone's job troubles when they have 2 million pounds.

I liked the books portrayal of sex workers. It uses words that might be triggering, e.g., the "W" word and the "P" word, but that is probably unavoidable in a historical setting. Overall a very positive representation which I appreciated! Curiously, for a book with a substantial sex work-related story line, there were no graphical depictions of sex, which I personally also appreciated.

Also, the book is a bit repetitive. It will explain something and then explain something another 5 times...

So great!

I was initially thinking it would be a romance novel but Gideon Emery narrated it so I wanted to listen to it. I was so glad how mostly everything worked out. I was definitely emotionally invested in this.

The story

Great read couldn't put it down. Written with love. Can't go wrong with Danielle Steel

Redemption

Loved the characters and the voices and the twists and turns of this story- this was my second time listening

Great story!

I totally loved this book. From beginning to end. Loved the story and the narrative.