What a bonkers book! It's absolutely hilarious in places and had me laughing out loud. It's a complete send up of the Royal Family, but I didn't find it offensive. (They might though!) I think the author is simply elaborating on things we already have wind of. We all know about the teddy bear, right?

Some members of the RF have in the past stepped into the thespian world so it's not too much of a stretch of the imagination that William might be a cockney postman in EastEnders!! Haha!!

My only slight criticism is I felt that there were parts in the middle that needed to pick up the pace, and I found the ending to be a tad rushed.

If you need a light-hearted, very funny read then this book will do the trick. I enjoyed it!

I downloaded this yesterday, sat down and read it in one go.

I adored its dark, droll, incredibly English wit; Charles is exactly how I'd imagine him to be. If you loved Brass Eye and Spitting Image, JB Miller's handling of parasocial relationships, celebrity culture and media will similarly appeal.

I requested and received an eARC of Duch by JB Miller via NetGalley. I can't lie, I was immediately drawn to this book because of the cover. Although, I prefer my royal reading to be nonfiction, the image of Diana and and the blurb really sold me. In a hospital in Paris, a woman in her 60's leaps into the Seine. Upon being rescued, she only remembers one thing: that she is Diana. Meanwhile, Charles III contemplates his reign and position in the world, as well as his role on EastEnders, threatened by the introduction of a character portrayed by Prince William. Harry and Meghan live doing whatever it is they aspire to do in California, the reveling in the chaos of their own narcissism.

What a wild ride. I wasn’t really sure how Miller would approach this story, so I was excited to dive in, and was instantly charmed by the humor of the story. I have to admit, I wasn’t exactly all that invested in the Diana storyline. It didn’t necessarily hook me in the way I hoped, but I was absolutely sold on the often hilarious character portraits that emerge of the royals in Duch. Miller relies on the normal cultural depictions of figures like Charles III and Meghan and Harry with an added dash of something special that really make them quite interesting to follow in the story.

Not much happens in this story, but then again not much needs to. I was admittedly always waiting for the other shoe to drop, but I really enjoyed spending time with the characters along the way. Like true satire, this book was quite funny but would often make me do a double-take and reconsider. Miller excels at exploring the current state of cultural production and consumption in regard to celebrity and royals. I have to admit, wouldn’t it be sort of fun? For Diana to magically reappear? Sure, we’d instantly cast her aside with claims of being some sort of Anne Delvey, but I thought this was a wonderfully whimsical premise that plays to an idea many have, however wrongly, harbored for years! I say wrongly, but who knows. Maybe there is a Diana Inconnue roaming around out there. An interesting reading experience!

liked it pretty well. it was definitely funny and had a strong sesne of self, as well as its discussions of the royal family, parasocial relationships, identity, and such. 3.5, rounded up. tysm for the arc.

I really don't lnow what to think of this book.

Like many I loved Princess Diana and this book is very unique telling a story of 'what if Diana didn't die'

It has an 'Anatasia' kind of vibe and is a very interesting read.

3 stars

A woman jumps into the Seine in Paris. She is rescued. She says her name is Diana and she appears to be in her 60s. She is taken to a local hospital. She has a locket with pictures of William and Harry. She looks like she could be an older Diana. She knows things that only Diana, Princess of Wales would know. A friend from boarding school vouches for her. But she says she has no memory of who she is and doesn’t claim to be that Diana…but doesn’t say she isn’t, either.

The book covers the three weeks of the fallout from this with the mystery woman, Charles, his private secretary, Charters, Camilla, Diana’s sons, their wives, a reporter and, well, the whole world (concentrating mostly on France.).

I was less interested in the Diana character than in the other royals in the book, particularly Charles, who is struggling to come to terms with finally becoming King as well as the loss of a very important bear and saving the world. This was fun and I enjoyed it.

Good premise, and I loved the way the real characters felt real and also a novelized version of themselves. The pacing is also very good overall, the ending goes off the rails a little bit, I think some things the author could have handled with a bit less rush but this book was a surprised that I enjoyed very much.

A lady in France is rescued after jumping off a bridge into the river. She claims she is named Diana and the people believe she is their princess even though she never states this as fact. The press has started calling her "her royal maybeness”. And of course, the Windsors want nothing to do with it.

The royal family has other important matters at hand. King Charles has lost his teddy bear (Mr. Beasley), and Harry and Meghan are trying their best to develop a new streaming series. Prince William is earning a BAFTA for playing a commoner on EastEnders. Charles is also on EastEnders, but he's playing himself and is very jealous of William's prestigious award. Queen Camilla can't believe she actually married into this crazy family.

This was such a fun read and I found myself smiling and giggling a lot. I like how the author rips on the media, the Royal Family and the former's obsession with the latter; but in a very non-serious way. I love how the reporter's name is Fox, not to be confused with the media company of the same name. The book takes place over three weeks and we get multiple points of view… The Royal Family, Fox the reporter and Charles's secretary, Charters.

This was a pretty good sartorial take on the royal family and their grievances with the media, the public, and each other. Other than the fact that it kind of dragged towards the end and became a bit repetitive, I enjoyed this romp. It's good for a laugh or two.

I had a rocky start with this one. I did not enjoy the writing style - more a matter of personal taste than quality. I almost stopped reading around 1/3rd in, but I found myself so caught up in the story that I could disregard the writing. I ended up enjoying it a good deal although I do wish the ending could have been a bit more definitive.

Thanks to Riverdale Avenue Books and NetGalley for this ARC of 'Duch' by JB Miller.

This is an intriguing 'is she, isn't she' tale of a possible reappearance of Princess Diana in Paris, nearly 30 years after her 'death.'

This older woman appears, essentially out of nowhere. and reluctantly starts a 'movement' and we get a good look into how these 'movements' rely on social media, a longing for something else (better?), and sheer delusion.

The best parts for me were where the author imagines the goings on with the current royal family, the 'ripped from the headlines' and exaggerated things they get up to (but not so exaggerated that you wonder if they're actually true).

There are some very funny and very insightful elements to the novel but ultimately this went on a bit too long and there was at least one too many twists or turns,

On the surface, this is a lighthearted speculative novel that explores the question: what if Diana survived? The story centers on Diana Inconnue, a woman fished out of the Seine with no memory, who claims to be Diana. Is her return apocryphal or legitimate? Does it even matter? People believe what they want to believe, after all.

On a deeper level, the novel asks whether we tend to project idealized images onto people and places, even when evidence contradicts our expectations. Can we force someone to live up to an identity they don’t claim? And how do we, as a society, respond when someone claims that identity for themselves?

The novel also delivers a powerful message about the ways women experience danger and exploitation, often with others dictating what they should be or do, regardless of consent or safety.

It delves into the nature of parasocial relationships, showing how, despite our belief that we "know" public figures, the public persona is often far removed from the real person, creating worship of a fictionalized version. People are complex, with beliefs, motives, and actions that defy simplistic categorization.

Finally, the book highlights the impact of platforms and the power of words. Anyone with a platform can say anything, and their words can have far-reaching consequences.

Thank you to NetGalley and the Publisher for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This starts off well as an amusing satire on the Diana phenomenon and the British royal family but it lacks substance and soon begins to drag. I kept waiting for an interesting plot to develop but sadly it failed to materialise and I struggled to keep reading.

JB Miller, Duch, Riverdale Avenue Books, February 2025.

Thank you, NetGalley, for providing me with this uncorrected proof for review.

What fun, I thought, as I saw the premise for this book – Diana is living in Paris, having lost her memory but recognised as Diana by a school friend. But JB Miller has given so much more to attract a much broader audience than those who miss Diana, might like to see the British royal family exposed, or want a partisan view of the William and Kate versus Harry and Meghan stories that clutter the media.

The essential Diana is no longer her appearance, although that remains attractive at times; her fashionable dress, although the white pyjamas she wears have their place on the catwalk under her spell; or her ability to speak and be heard, although that too, is sometimes successful. It is the hugs that she bestows that have a mystical quality, somewhere Diana’s magic is intact - and possibly in this woman in her sixties who is saved from the Seine, her first words being that she is Diana.

JB Miller has woven an elegant story line with understanding of the hearts of those who miss her, those who feared or resented the public’s fascination with her while she was alive, and those for whom she became an icon after her death. Her followers, her detractors, and the royal family to which she belonged and then left behind, as well as the media feature. All are treated with humour and sensitivity, as well as being metaphorically prodded with wonderfully sharp observations.

Together, Duch and her friend Wombat, are poignant characters, contributing to a belief that this woman in her sixties with greying hair and a worn expression, together with a fleeting beguiling smile, could be Diana. But there are also intricate explanations and interpretations of her life before she was saved from the Seine. The relationship between Duch and her publicist of ‘that’s news to me’ fame provides the questioning attendant on the public’s wholehearted endorsement of Diana’s return. King Charles also has a full role, and he and their sons and daughters-in-law are portrayed with wit, and kindness as well. Camilla is quietly and covertly important, as is Camille.

This is a book to be savoured, to meditate upon, and to enjoy. As I thought, fun, but also poignant and so clever.

Quite funny with some insights which seems pretty spot on, but the pace dragged a bit for me. The ending was an unexpected twist and brought it back to life,

It's an interesting premise, but the problem with books that try to imagine what the Royal Family is like is that the characters all come off looking like caricatures and/or buffoons. The satire just didn't keep me interested.

This isn't my usual kind of book but I'm always interested in Diana. However this book left me flat and it just felt a bit ridiculous. I know it's lighthearted/satire but Charles having therapy and imagining a French teacher suckling Camilla's breasts? William being on Eastenders?
Sorry, but not for me.

This book was a trip! I’ll never pass anything Princess Diana related. It was satire but as a person who definitely wasn’t ready to see Diana go (I was actually a kid when it happened) it’s nice to think of a version of her out there somewhere living her best life. Although we know she would never abandon her sons it’s still nice to think about. I also enjoyed the fun insights on Prince Charles and William.
Definitely an entertaining read to get lost in. Excited to hear people’s thoughts and how the book is received