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Morland Dynasty #23
The Cause
1874 - Women's Rights
Venetia is on the brink of marrying Lord Hazelmere when she discovers he does not mean to allow her to continue training as a doctor. She calls the wedding off, and from being the talk of the Season becomes the scandal of the year. Estranged from family and friends, she needs all her determination to continue the fight. At Morland place George and Alfreda continue to spend on grandiose building schemes despite the threat of bankruptcy; while Henrietta's cold marriage to the ascetic Rector of Bishopthorpe brings her close to questioning her religion.
Venetia is on the brink of marrying Lord Hazelmere when she discovers he does not mean to allow her to continue training as a doctor. She calls the wedding off, and from being the talk of the Season becomes the scandal of the year. Estranged from family and friends, she needs all her determination to continue the fight. At Morland place George and Alfreda continue to spend on grandiose building schemes despite the threat of bankruptcy; while Henrietta's cold marriage to the ascetic Rector of Bishopthorpe brings her close to questioning her religion.
544 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2001
About the author
Cynthia Harrod-Eagles
141 books513 followersCynthia Harrod-Eagles (aka Emma Woodhouse, Elizabeth Bennett)
Cynthia Harrod-Eagles was born on 13 August 1948 in Shepherd's Bush, London, England, where was educated at Burlington School, a girls' charity school founded in 1699, and at the University of Edinburgh and University College London, where she studied English, history and philosophy.
She had a variety of jobs in the commercial world, starting as a junior cashier at Woolworth's and working her way down to Pensions Officer at the BBC.
She wrote her first novel while at university and in 1972 won the Young Writers' Award with The Waiting Game. The birth of the MORLAND DYNASTY series enabled Cynthia Harrod-Eagles to become a full-time writer in 1979. The series was originally intended to comprise twelve volumes, but it has proved so popular that it has now been extended to thirty-four.
In 1993 she won the Romantic Novelists' Association Romantic Novel of the Year Award with Emily, the third volume of her Kirov Saga, a trilogy set in nineteenth century Russia.
Cynthia Harrod-Eagles was born on 13 August 1948 in Shepherd's Bush, London, England, where was educated at Burlington School, a girls' charity school founded in 1699, and at the University of Edinburgh and University College London, where she studied English, history and philosophy.
She had a variety of jobs in the commercial world, starting as a junior cashier at Woolworth's and working her way down to Pensions Officer at the BBC.
She wrote her first novel while at university and in 1972 won the Young Writers' Award with The Waiting Game. The birth of the MORLAND DYNASTY series enabled Cynthia Harrod-Eagles to become a full-time writer in 1979. The series was originally intended to comprise twelve volumes, but it has proved so popular that it has now been extended to thirty-four.
In 1993 she won the Romantic Novelists' Association Romantic Novel of the Year Award with Emily, the third volume of her Kirov Saga, a trilogy set in nineteenth century Russia.
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Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews
February 1, 2026
Book 23 in the Morland Dynasty series. Things at Morland Place go from bad to worse as George's wife fritters away money to get her back to her perceived station in life, George's sister, Henrietta, is trapped in a loveless and stifling marriage, and Lady Venetia Fleetwood gives up everything to follow her desire to become a doctor against all the odds. As always, this is another brilliant instalment following the Morland family's fortunes.
September 12, 2026
Die bevorstehende Hochzeit von Venetia Fleetwood und Lord Hazelmere soll DAS Society-Ereignis werden, doch allen vorherigen Absprachen zum Trotz muss sie entsetzt feststellen, dass ihr Verlobter doch nicht so offen dafür ist, dass sie Medizin studieren und Ärztin werden möchte. Das bedeutet, dass sie eine schwere Entscheidung treffen muss zwischen der Liebe und ihrem großen Lebenstraum.
Auf Morland Place veranlasst George für seine anspruchsvolle Gattin Alfreda immer neue große Baumaßnahmen und verschließt gekonnt die Augen davor, dass die Finanzierung alles andere als gesichert ist, bis die große Katastrophe vorprogrammiert scheint. Georges Schwester Henrietta fristet währenddessen ein freudloses Dasein als Gattin eines vergeistigten Pfarrers, der zwar die gemeinsame Tochter über alles liebt, der freiheitsliebenden Henrietta aber ständig die Flügel stutzt, bis sie es kaum noch aushalten kann.
Wie gewohnt zeichnet Cynthia Harrod-Eagles ein detailreiches Gesellschaftsporträt und zeigt am Beispiel unserer vertrauten Charaktere, was die Gemüter in den 1870er Jahren in England bewegt hat, insbesondere der Kampf um mehr Rechte für Frauen im Berufsleben und an der Wahlurne spielen eine wichtige Rolle dabei. Die Figuren bleiben dabei aber nicht bloß Träger irgendwelcher Ideen, sondern sind wie immer voller Leben und auch oft voller Überraschungen. Das unsympathischste Personal findet sich ausgerechnet auf dem Familiensitz. Der charakterschwache George gefährdet den Fortbestand des altehrwürdigen Familiensitzes, nur um seiner ewig unzufriedenen und übermäßig anspruchsvollen Frau gerecht zu werden - ich hoffe sehr, dass wir irgendwann mal wieder ein etwas verantwortungsbewussteres Familienoberhaupt am Start haben werden.
Es bleibt spannend, wie es mit Morland Place und seinen Abkömmlingen weitergeht und ich bin ganz bestimmt auch wieder beim nächsten Band dabei.
Auf Morland Place veranlasst George für seine anspruchsvolle Gattin Alfreda immer neue große Baumaßnahmen und verschließt gekonnt die Augen davor, dass die Finanzierung alles andere als gesichert ist, bis die große Katastrophe vorprogrammiert scheint. Georges Schwester Henrietta fristet währenddessen ein freudloses Dasein als Gattin eines vergeistigten Pfarrers, der zwar die gemeinsame Tochter über alles liebt, der freiheitsliebenden Henrietta aber ständig die Flügel stutzt, bis sie es kaum noch aushalten kann.
Wie gewohnt zeichnet Cynthia Harrod-Eagles ein detailreiches Gesellschaftsporträt und zeigt am Beispiel unserer vertrauten Charaktere, was die Gemüter in den 1870er Jahren in England bewegt hat, insbesondere der Kampf um mehr Rechte für Frauen im Berufsleben und an der Wahlurne spielen eine wichtige Rolle dabei. Die Figuren bleiben dabei aber nicht bloß Träger irgendwelcher Ideen, sondern sind wie immer voller Leben und auch oft voller Überraschungen. Das unsympathischste Personal findet sich ausgerechnet auf dem Familiensitz. Der charakterschwache George gefährdet den Fortbestand des altehrwürdigen Familiensitzes, nur um seiner ewig unzufriedenen und übermäßig anspruchsvollen Frau gerecht zu werden - ich hoffe sehr, dass wir irgendwann mal wieder ein etwas verantwortungsbewussteres Familienoberhaupt am Start haben werden.
Es bleibt spannend, wie es mit Morland Place und seinen Abkömmlingen weitergeht und ich bin ganz bestimmt auch wieder beim nächsten Band dabei.
November 26, 2019
This book covers about ten years, from the mid 1870s to the mid 1880s, when Women's Rights were an enormous issue. The story focuses on members of the extended Morland family, placing them against the backdrop of history. But, if you haven't been reading the series from the beginning you may not quite understand who all the characters are and how exactly they are related.
November 9, 2008
Another interesting chapter in the Morland Dynasty. Enjoyed Venetia's struggle to become a doctor and the disruption to Morland Place. Already started the next book!
October 6, 2026
Historical fiction I discovered a library book sale.
I enjoyed this book, with caveats. I did not expect it to cover so much ground, or so much time. The large cast made it hard to get to know people on an individual level, and with the time and scope, they seemed even more distant. I was also frustrated at how repetitious a lot of storylines were; it seemed like the two main female characters were treading a lot of the same ground in parallel. They had loves, they were separated from those loves for a time, and then they were each reunited at the end of the book. As much as I enjoy a romance/feel-good story, this was irritating and felt like lazy writing on the part of the author.
George Morland was an entitled ass, and I didn't care that his story was nothing but a series of unfortunate events. (He brought most of them on himself anyhow.) I was frustrated by how careless and self-centered he was, and all the bad fortune in the world couldn't make me care about or sympathize with him. I don't know what the author was trying to do here; perhaps I'll find out in future installments.
For all my griping, I did like it enough to continue. I think the writing is solid, and I am invested in the two female leads, Venetia and Henrietta. I want to see where their stories go.
I enjoyed this book, with caveats. I did not expect it to cover so much ground, or so much time. The large cast made it hard to get to know people on an individual level, and with the time and scope, they seemed even more distant. I was also frustrated at how repetitious a lot of storylines were; it seemed like the two main female characters were treading a lot of the same ground in parallel. They had loves, they were separated from those loves for a time, and then they were each reunited at the end of the book. As much as I enjoy a romance/feel-good story, this was irritating and felt like lazy writing on the part of the author.
George Morland was an entitled ass, and I didn't care that his story was nothing but a series of unfortunate events. (He brought most of them on himself anyhow.) I was frustrated by how careless and self-centered he was, and all the bad fortune in the world couldn't make me care about or sympathize with him. I don't know what the author was trying to do here; perhaps I'll find out in future installments.
For all my griping, I did like it enough to continue. I think the writing is solid, and I am invested in the two female leads, Venetia and Henrietta. I want to see where their stories go.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 18, 2020
The Cause is #23 in the Morland Dynasty series, set in the Edwardian period when women were expected to stay home and keep their mouths shut. Venetia is not about to do that, but what I love about Ms Harrod-Eagles' books is that even the more enlightened characters are accurate as to their thinking processes. They're not modern characters in period costumes. And in a book like this, it would be easy to make all the men either extremely conservative or adorably liberated but she doesn't - the men are conflicted in many ways too. Some may be quite sure that THEIR wife is not going to become a doctor, but some of them can also see how much their wife wants it. None of her characters are one-dimensional and they are true to their time, with all the variations that allows. The only reason I didn't give this book five stars is that, in order to understand it, you really need to read the series. (Not that I MIND reading the series - this is my second time through the whole thing!) I'm a huge fan of Ms Harrod-Eagles (her Bill Slider mysteries are good too and the War at Home series). Read this book, but read the earlier books first!
August 15, 2017
I was utterly confused when I first commenced to read this book because so many characters were introduced and I found it difficult working out all the relationships. I did like the way the author set the story in the context of history and also gave insight into the ways of the aristocracy of that time and contrasted them with the struggles of the middle classes and the destitution of the poorest classes. She portrayed clearly the fight women had to be accepted in the professions ie as doctors and surgeons and the demeaning manner with which women by men were treated in all strata of society.
May 13, 2020
Read May 2020
October 23, 2020
Can't get enough of the Morland dynasty. In this one Venetia finally becomes a doctor and Morland Place falls on bitter days.
September 24, 2024
Continuing the saga of the Moreland Family - I love that the Women are the lead and the strongest characters in these books.
August 17, 2009
Venetia Fleetwood would like to become a surgeon and she is going to get married to hazelmere.
On the eve of their wedding hazelmere realised that venetia was still going to try to be a surgeon when she was married. The wedding was called off. in later years venetia was shunned slightly because she was seeing someone without being chaperoned. George morland was married to Alfreda and she starts to change moorland place and they then run into debt. George does not listen when his accountant tells him he needs to stop all the changes or he will become bankrupt but he doesn't listen. They loose their son. good ending.
On the eve of their wedding hazelmere realised that venetia was still going to try to be a surgeon when she was married. The wedding was called off. in later years venetia was shunned slightly because she was seeing someone without being chaperoned. George morland was married to Alfreda and she starts to change moorland place and they then run into debt. George does not listen when his accountant tells him he needs to stop all the changes or he will become bankrupt but he doesn't listen. They loose their son. good ending.
February 12, 2009
The Morland Dynasty series reaches the High Victorian era of the 1870s in this book, which deals, among other things, with some of the first stirrings of women's rights in Britain.
May 22, 2012
I think this was my favorite out of all 33 morland books - the other books are great and Harrod Eagles is a wonderful author but this one had to be the best.
March 8, 2014
This is one of the most depressing books I have ever read. It was wrapped up at the ending with contrived happiness, but overall a cloud of doom.
Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews