A review by briarfairchild
Regiment of Women by Alison Hennegan, Clemence Dane

3.0

This book would definitely have had four stars if it hadn't been for the Lesbian Bad, Heterosexual Good vibe. It's well-written and the characters are really skilfully drawn. And, frankly, it's obvious that Alwynne will be twenty times happier with Roger than with Clare; her relationship with Clare is abusive and scary. The main character is really Clare, though, and she is portrayed very cleverly: her desire for control and possession; her thought processes as she controls and manipulates her human possessions; her occasional self-awareness. As for Alwynne and Roger; he is obviously a genuinely good, caring person who loves her and wants to make her happy... Despite all this, there's a very uncomfortable message that romantic relationships between women are unhealthy and even if healthy could never ever match up to the relationship between and man and a woman. Sigh.