A review by foggy_rosamund
Regiment of Women by Clemence Dane

2.0

Dane sets out to create an evil lesbian, and in doing so show the reader the evils of lesbianism. But instead, in Clare, she creates a complex, magnetic woman, who champions education and intellectualism, and puts forth good arguments for why women don't need to get married. Though Clare is cruel and malicious, she is also an archetype of the unavailable older woman in a position of authority, and it is easy to see why the women in the book find her so attractive. Dane may have wanted to make Clare unambiguously evil, but actually she is the most interesting character in the book. It is easy to understand why this book has been regarded as a lesbian classic: the love story between Alwynne and Clare is far more compelling than the book's heterosexual ending, and though Dane may have wanted to show the evil of lesbianism, she actually creates believable and moving relationships between women. Only the heterosexual ending and Alwynne's decision to marry Roger make this story feel clunky and lacking in complexity: otherwise it's a compelling and enjoyable read.