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leaningsun's review
4.0
Consequences is the story of Alex Clare who we meet as a young girl learning to play a game of the same name. Alex learns to play the game quickly and wants to show her siblings her way of playing. While we see that she quickly gets the childhood game, she remains perplexed about the life of grown-ups and what she later sees as a mockery of personal closeness for which she desires. The inability or refusal to play this game of navigating through society is of course inexcusable (particularly for women) during this time and since there are limited options for women, leads her to her ultimate consequence...
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balancinghistorybooks's review
3.0
The beginning of Consequences was rather charming, but it settled rather quickly into a typical Virago-esque coming-of-age story. Whilst I adore the notion of such a thing, I always tend to feel a little disappointed when said stories hold no unusual elements or the odd surprise, such as this. Consequences is a sad novel; not as good as The Diary of a Provincial Lady in my opinion, but a worthwhile read which goes surprisingly quickly.
akje's review
5.0
If you liked The Third Miss Symons, The Awakening, or The Tenant of Wildfell Hall, then you might like this book. It's the same kind of social commentary on the plight of women in the late Victorian/Edwardian eras.
Alex Clare is the eldest daughter of Lady Isabel and Sir Francis, a wealthy, aristocratic couple who have a lot of children but little interest or affection for them, and view children mainly as status symbols. They spend as little time with their kids as possible, dumping them on a strict, unpleasant nurse, and don't really ever get to know them as individuals, judging them mostly by physical appearances.
Alex is therefore starved for attention, and does absurd things throughout the book in the pursuit of someone—anyone—who will love her more than anything, just as she loves them. These absurd pursuits result in tragic consequences due to the limited opportunities for women of that time period.
At first I didn't like Alex because she's emo in the extreme and cries at the slightest provocation, but as the story went on I came to sympathize with her. Her only real desire, after all, is for someone to love her. Money, status and material things mean nothing to her...she only wants love. Yet even her own parents have no time for her, so she grows up without any self-esteem or confidence.
She wants to get her mother's attention, for example, but Lady Isabel's a social butterfly who's all about keeping up appearances and never has time for her children because she's out fulfilling society's obligations regarding tea parties and whatnot. Sadly these social obligations are solely for her own benefit, not to advance her children's prospects in life. When her daughters desperately need her to introduce them to young men as marriage candidates, for instance, she's unable to do so. Their only means for meeting men therefore is the debutante circuit, but having no confidence in herself, Alex is unable to land anyone that way. Since women without husbands couldn't survive in that time period, the consequences for a failed debutante are horrific. It's a sad book, but if you're in the mood for a good cry then you'll love this story. (╥︣﹏᷅╥) ❤애!❣♥
Alex Clare is the eldest daughter of Lady Isabel and Sir Francis, a wealthy, aristocratic couple who have a lot of children but little interest or affection for them, and view children mainly as status symbols. They spend as little time with their kids as possible, dumping them on a strict, unpleasant nurse, and don't really ever get to know them as individuals, judging them mostly by physical appearances.
Alex is therefore starved for attention, and does absurd things throughout the book in the pursuit of someone—anyone—who will love her more than anything, just as she loves them. These absurd pursuits result in tragic consequences due to the limited opportunities for women of that time period.
At first I didn't like Alex because she's emo in the extreme and cries at the slightest provocation, but as the story went on I came to sympathize with her. Her only real desire, after all, is for someone to love her. Money, status and material things mean nothing to her...she only wants love. Yet even her own parents have no time for her, so she grows up without any self-esteem or confidence.
She wants to get her mother's attention, for example, but Lady Isabel's a social butterfly who's all about keeping up appearances and never has time for her children because she's out fulfilling society's obligations regarding tea parties and whatnot. Sadly these social obligations are solely for her own benefit, not to advance her children's prospects in life. When her daughters desperately need her to introduce them to young men as marriage candidates, for instance, she's unable to do so. Their only means for meeting men therefore is the debutante circuit, but having no confidence in herself, Alex is unable to land anyone that way. Since women without husbands couldn't survive in that time period, the consequences for a failed debutante are horrific. It's a sad book, but if you're in the mood for a good cry then you'll love this story. (╥︣﹏᷅╥) ❤애!❣♥
absolutive's review
dark
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
muninnherself's review
4.0
Depressing but very telling book about life for young middle class women in the early years of the 20th century. If you want to feel grateful for the many ways your life is different to that of your grandmother or great-grandmother this will probably help.
kxowledge's review
5.0
This was such a good read. Delafield denounces the Victorian mentality. Yet she is not gentle towards the protagonist either – it’s not just others’ failings, it’s also hers. Alex Clare, the protagonist, is unable to find love and understanding, although she is desperate for a real human connection. She is clearly defined by others (as further stressed by the choice for the chapter titles), she’s not expressing herself and not examining herself and her heart, choosing instead to be led by her latest whim. Even when she was excited at the prospect of the next step, she was letting time pass by and not enjoying the moment itself. She’s always waiting, not appreciating the present – Delafield expresses this clearly when she says “The old sense of ‘waiting for the next thing’ was strong upon her, and she spent her days in desultory idleness”.
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