Part 2 Finished: Continued Impressions
Things certainly picked up in Part Two! It’s in this section that we’re introduced to the plot. The characters we met in part one continue to develop, and there are new characters introduced, but for those less interested in character development, this is probably where the story really starts.
Briefly, I’ll update you on how our point-of-view characters have developed for me:
Lady Henry: remains my favorite; she is nuanced, with part two giving us more insight into the intricacies of her personality and philosophies. While both Dorina and Evadne are largely struggling against external forces, Lady Henry’s battles are internal as doubt, guilt, grief, and desire vie for supremacy.
Dorina: The more we see of Dorina, the more I appreciate her tenacity and hunger for knowledge and new experiences. That being said, in any situation that level of passion, absent restraint, can be dangerous. In a Victorian Gothic novel, it can be disastrous. Dorina encompases the experience of many young adults, trying to discover who they really are and what they want out of life. At times, her surety about her desires is shaken and she questions herself, at other times, she plows ahead and accepts any challenge she comes across. Where Lady Henry personifies the appreciation of an experience, Dorina is that experience.
Evadne: Well, the man has appeared and she has become more bearable for his influence. However, I am never satisfied. I have made predictions concerning Evadne’s point-of-view arc and have put them on record with a friend so I won’t put them here for fear of spoilers but let me simply say that I think something is afoot. Evadne, as a character, is a good foil for Lady Henry and Dorina; all three are intense and passionate but the passions of Evadne are hard and violent (metaphorically as well as literally) compared to the softer, but in many ways equally energetic passions of the other two.
If I had to assign a cardinal sin to each of our point of view characters (and I’m going to, because: demons…) I would say Lady Henry is pride, Dorina is lust, and Evadne is wrath. I was tempted to assign Evadne envy, but I think, if it comes down to it, wrath would win the day.
Now, the plot! It is still heavily character driven, with each POVs ambitions and desires driving the plot more than any external device or entity. It is not a particularly complicated plot; it’s largely spelled out in the synopsis and though it promises to be an engaging and interesting journey to reach conclusion, I don’t expect to be significantly surprised before we get there.
As I mentioned above, I will refrain from posting my predictions on character or plot developments here for fear of being proven right and accidentally spoiling something. However, I am recording them and sending them to a third party, and may make a separate post for them before I finish the book.
Overall, I would still recommend this book to anyone with a penchant for the Victorian Gothic genre. I’m thoroughly enjoying myself, especially as the pace of the story has increased.
