I enjoyed this book up until I went back and read the introduction. Why does every story with female characters have to be some sweeping statement about women and changing gender roles / society? I really didn’t get that at all from this book, but purportedly if one were to listen to the introduction, that’s what it is about.

You see, I thought this book had much more to say on how women and men can relate to one another within a romantic relationship, both treacherously, devotedly, dotingly - and not to mention Ursula’s lesbian affair with Winifred which very well gobsmacked me and put a huge grin on my face (because we love representing, particularly in such an old novel). I thought this book was just as much about men as women, so that’s why the intro has me all confused - because I wish I hadn’t read it. I quite think that the way individuals relate to one another within a relationship is important enough. So I just don’t really see how Lawrence could be writing only about the women here… I mean perhaps it was reductive on the part of the introduction’s writer to assume that anything with female characters and period romance has to do with women’s lib. I mean it does, but to solely focus on that seems to miss the point.