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Consequences of the Heart
A novel that covers six tumultuous decades in Irish history follows two boys and lifelong friends--Chud Conduit and Jack Santry--from the beautiful Irish countryside to the beaches of Normandy.
310 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1998
About the author
Peter Cunningham
8 books21 followersPeter Cunningham is an award winning Irish novelist.
He is best known for the historical novels The Sea And The Silence, Tapes Of The River Delta, Consequences Of The Heart and Love In One Edition, which chronicle the lives of local families during the twentieth century, in Monument, the fictional version of Waterford in south-east Ireland, where Cunningham grew up.
His novel, The Taoiseach, which was based on the life of former Irish Taoiseach (prime minister) Charles J. Haughey was a controversial bestseller.
Capital Sins, a satirical novel, dealt with the collapse of the Irish economy during the financial crisis that began in 2008.
Cunningham’s work has attracted a significant amount of critical attention and praise. The Sea And The Silence (translated into French as La Mer Et La Silence) was awarded the Prix de l’Europe in 2013. This novel was also short-listed for the Prix des Lecteurs du Telégramme and the Prix Caillou.
Consequences Of The Heart was short-listed for the Kerry Listowel Writer’s Prize. In 2011 Cunningham won the Cecil Day Lewis Bursary Award.
His fiction is distinguished by its fusing of political material with psychological realism and a lyrical sensitivity to place and people.
Peter Cunningham is a member of Aosdána, (the Irish Academy for Arts and Letters). He has judged the Glen Dimplex Literary Awards and the Bantry Festival Writer’s Prize.
Under the pseudonym Peter Wilben, he has published the Joe Grace mystery thrillers series
http://www.amazon.com/Peter-Wilben/e/...
He is best known for the historical novels The Sea And The Silence, Tapes Of The River Delta, Consequences Of The Heart and Love In One Edition, which chronicle the lives of local families during the twentieth century, in Monument, the fictional version of Waterford in south-east Ireland, where Cunningham grew up.
His novel, The Taoiseach, which was based on the life of former Irish Taoiseach (prime minister) Charles J. Haughey was a controversial bestseller.
Capital Sins, a satirical novel, dealt with the collapse of the Irish economy during the financial crisis that began in 2008.
Cunningham’s work has attracted a significant amount of critical attention and praise. The Sea And The Silence (translated into French as La Mer Et La Silence) was awarded the Prix de l’Europe in 2013. This novel was also short-listed for the Prix des Lecteurs du Telégramme and the Prix Caillou.
Consequences Of The Heart was short-listed for the Kerry Listowel Writer’s Prize. In 2011 Cunningham won the Cecil Day Lewis Bursary Award.
His fiction is distinguished by its fusing of political material with psychological realism and a lyrical sensitivity to place and people.
Peter Cunningham is a member of Aosdána, (the Irish Academy for Arts and Letters). He has judged the Glen Dimplex Literary Awards and the Bantry Festival Writer’s Prize.
Under the pseudonym Peter Wilben, he has published the Joe Grace mystery thrillers series
http://www.amazon.com/Peter-Wilben/e/...
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
April 9, 2026
'Consequences of the Heart' is a love story, a war story, a generational story of two Irish families and an unlikely friendship that lasts over the course of six decades.
Chud Conduit (sometimes known as Chud Church) is the wild, illegitimate grandson of Monument's most successful businesswoman. He's a cad, has a gambling addiction, a chronic inability to keep his hands off other men's wives or be faithful to his own.
Chud's life is inextricably tied with those of his unlikely childhood friends, Jack Santry and Rosa Bensey. Jack is the Anglo-Irish heir to the largest landowner in the town whilst Rosa is the beautiful daughter of the local bookmaker. In 1938, whilst they are still teenagers a tragic event will define the rest of their lives, although the full truth is not revealed until the last page.
Chud and Jack (following in the Santry family tradition of wartime service) join the British Army and together are part of the invading force on D-Day. On the first morning of the assault Jack's defining moment occurs -- one that, again, does not become clear until later in the story. Both survive the war physically unharmed and in peacetime continue along with Rosa a sometimes difficult but always evolving friendship.
The story begins with Chud's grandfather in the 1890's and concludes in 2000, the year after Jack's grand-daughters wedding. Cunningham introduces a string of characters, particularly early on in the tale, most come and go, but Chud, Jack, and Rosa are the constants. The novel covers a lot of ground and is rich in detail, the pace is often languid but there are times (particularly on D-Day and near the end) when the action is intense and dramatic. Even at its slowest, I never found the story dull.
Family conflicts and buried secrets are pretty familiar ground for novelists, but here Cunningham makes it feel fresh and original. No matter how much I wanted to dislike Chud-- I found it impossible to do so, I even ended up empathizing with him, "if you land at dawn on the shore of a continent and actually take it by force, you are inclined ever afterwards to doubt the merits of caution."
My main quibble however, concerns Jack's daughter-in-law, Brigid, who inexplicably holds a grudge against Chud over an incident that occurred before she was even born. Her ultimate actions just didn't feel credible, although they did make me smile.
This is an odd story about three people who followed their natures and formed a lifelong friendship, if an unconventional one, and on the whole one I thoroughly enjoyed.
Chud Conduit (sometimes known as Chud Church) is the wild, illegitimate grandson of Monument's most successful businesswoman. He's a cad, has a gambling addiction, a chronic inability to keep his hands off other men's wives or be faithful to his own.
Chud's life is inextricably tied with those of his unlikely childhood friends, Jack Santry and Rosa Bensey. Jack is the Anglo-Irish heir to the largest landowner in the town whilst Rosa is the beautiful daughter of the local bookmaker. In 1938, whilst they are still teenagers a tragic event will define the rest of their lives, although the full truth is not revealed until the last page.
Chud and Jack (following in the Santry family tradition of wartime service) join the British Army and together are part of the invading force on D-Day. On the first morning of the assault Jack's defining moment occurs -- one that, again, does not become clear until later in the story. Both survive the war physically unharmed and in peacetime continue along with Rosa a sometimes difficult but always evolving friendship.
The story begins with Chud's grandfather in the 1890's and concludes in 2000, the year after Jack's grand-daughters wedding. Cunningham introduces a string of characters, particularly early on in the tale, most come and go, but Chud, Jack, and Rosa are the constants. The novel covers a lot of ground and is rich in detail, the pace is often languid but there are times (particularly on D-Day and near the end) when the action is intense and dramatic. Even at its slowest, I never found the story dull.
Family conflicts and buried secrets are pretty familiar ground for novelists, but here Cunningham makes it feel fresh and original. No matter how much I wanted to dislike Chud-- I found it impossible to do so, I even ended up empathizing with him, "if you land at dawn on the shore of a continent and actually take it by force, you are inclined ever afterwards to doubt the merits of caution."
My main quibble however, concerns Jack's daughter-in-law, Brigid, who inexplicably holds a grudge against Chud over an incident that occurred before she was even born. Her ultimate actions just didn't feel credible, although they did make me smile.
This is an odd story about three people who followed their natures and formed a lifelong friendship, if an unconventional one, and on the whole one I thoroughly enjoyed.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 19, 2011
This book wasn't at all what I thought it would be like! I think I imagined something a little bit lighter, mainly because of the title. It's not a frothy book at all and at first I really struggled to connect with it and found I just couldn't get a grip on the storyline at all! It seemed to leap around from past to present and I just couldn't keep up with it and was about to abandon (something I very rarely do) but then the pace seemed to pick up and the storyline began to really develop. I loved the ending re the wedding, there really was a sense of urgency and desperation. I can't say I particularly liked any of the characters or had any sympathy for them but it was a good tale and I enjoyed it. Not sure if I'd read any of the author's other work, but never say never! Not 100% sure his style of writing is really my cup of tea.
January 7, 2014
This is one of the most beautiful and unique love stories I have ever read. It tells the story of two childhood friends Chud and Jack and their enduring love for one woman, the beautiful Rosa. It would be dismissive to call this story a love triangle as it is much much more than that. Set against the backdrop of WW2 this story reveals so much about human nature and how the boundaries of who we should love and how much are not set in stone. Stay with this book as the ending is worth the wait.
July 11, 2011
There was one likeable character in this book, Ma Church, and she was deeply flawed. Not one of the characters thought of community or another person. The three main characters, Chud, Rosa, and Jack, shared an obsessive love for each other. It’s a relief to have finished the book.
November 3, 2019
Bello, forse forse andava tradotto prima. Ma anche così va bene.
December 30, 2012
Confusing and lost interest mid way, had to stop which I despise doing!
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews