Reviews
Reviewed by Austenprose (August 2012)
"Brasure’s vision of Thornton was a truly spectacular one. In the original North and South we know from his interactions with Mrs. Thornton that he is a caring, hardworking man. From his interactions with Margaret we know him to be a stoic intellectual. Brasure’s vision of him as a completely besotted husband was wonderful new layer. This softer side of Thornton, falling in love with Margaret, as well as the beauty of southern England, made the story warming and romantic. It was wonderful to see the side of him that is wholly mesmerized by his wife. It was also wonderful to see Margaret not only as a doting wife, but a woman that still stuck to her principles. Their developing relationship was a worthwhile journey to follow."
Reviewed by From Pemberley to Milton (March 2016)
"I’ve read In Consequence a while back and it has become one of my favorite fan fiction books from North and South. It is not a continuation, but a variation that starts with Mr. Thornton’s dinner party and follows the premise that it is not Margaret who is hit by the rock during the strike, but Mr. Thornton. This may seem a small change in the story, as Margaret still attempts to protect Mr. Thornton and therefore he still proposes to her, but it is actually an important detail as it soften Margaret’s heart towards Mr. Thornton, and may be the reason why she finds herself accepting his proposal without really knowing why she is doing it."
Review and commentary by Me + Richard Armitage
"The inner landscapes of North & South characters: Trudy Brasure’s In Consequence"
"I’ve never met an author of fanfic — or now published novels — who cares as much about development of the characters and fidelity to what she sees as their true natures as Trudy Brasure. I love her approach to these stories — retellings and sequels that explore every detail of the minds and spirits of the main characters in minute detail and with care and even passion. I love best the passages in which she gives the characters free reign to ponder their pasts, presents, futures, and decisions — mirroring the Victorian world in which people thought much more than they said and in which, as a consequence, a gesture or sign took on grand meaning in ways foreign to us today."
the BBC's John Thornton in his silent anguish
"Trudy twists the plot slightly and looks to see what these characters will do in response. But because her allegiance to the characters is so strong, when I read her retellings I end up believing the plot because she just knows Mr. Thornton and Margaret so incredibly well. Her portrayals of the supporting characters — particularly Mrs. Thornton — are incredibly sympathetic."
"... the little sex Trudy writes is strongly historically accurate. Trudy gets what I’d call the “ineffability and sublimity” orientation of the mid-Victorians right on without ever getting oversweet — a love that is spiritual and avoids our confusion of that quality with romance. As a consequence, the sex in In Consequence, when it appears, is quite effective. But that’s not the whole story."