I love Tom's family. LOVE. THEM. I can picture them all perfectly. I love his mother, I love his brothers, I love his sister, I love that his family are making the best out of a bemusing situation, and that some of them don't know what to make of it, some of them don't like it, some of them are accepting of it, but that for the most part everyone is as supportive as they can be and no one is being openly horrible to either of them. Even the reaction of the one brother who just ignores Sybil is very understandable and mild compared to other stories I've read where members of his family are portrayed as these militantly anti-English, revolutionary zealots. It's just very realistic to me. I particularly love Nora, even though she thinks they're both crazy, showing so much concern for Sybil at Tom's expense when she realizes Tom writing her to tell her he's coming home with the Earl's daughter in tow was not a joke. And then I love her subsequently being protective of her son, with the hints that she's suspicious of Sybil's motives and her love for him.
Sybil's insecurities with the situation, being in an unfamiliar place with unfamiliar people and with regards to her own feelings, are very well written and developed throughout the story. I love that her conscious fear that her love for Tom doesn't measure up to his love for her contrasts so subtly with all the times that when she is in danger of being overwhelmed by all the uncertainties, family angst, or potential hardships, she's able to take genuine comfort in how happy and safe being with him makes her feel. So we are not in doubt that Sybil loves him very deeply, it's just left for her to realize it herself.
Wow, thank you so much! You have no idea how much I enjoyed this comment. I'm delighted that you're enjoying the story so much, and I promise I'm hard at work on the next chapter, so hopefully you won't have to wait too long.
I love Tom's family. LOVE. THEM. I can picture them all perfectly. I love his mother, I love his brothers, I love his sister, I love that his family are making the best out of a bemusing situation, and that some of them don't know what to make of it, some of them don't like it, some of them are accepting of it, but that for the most part everyone is as supportive as they can be and no one is being openly horrible to either of them. Even the reaction of the one brother who just ignores Sybil is very understandable and mild compared to other stories I've read where members of his family are portrayed as these militantly anti-English, revolutionary zealots. It's just very realistic to me. I particularly love Nora, even though she thinks they're both crazy, showing so much concern for Sybil at Tom's expense when she realizes Tom writing her to tell her he's coming home with the Earl's daughter in tow was not a joke. And then I love her subsequently being protective of her son, with the hints that she's suspicious of Sybil's motives and her love for him.
Sybil's insecurities with the situation, being in an unfamiliar place with unfamiliar people and with regards to her own feelings, are very well written and developed throughout the story. I love that her conscious fear that her love for Tom doesn't measure up to his love for her contrasts so subtly with all the times that when she is in danger of being overwhelmed by all the uncertainties, family angst, or potential hardships, she's able to take genuine comfort in how happy and safe being with him makes her feel. So we are not in doubt that Sybil loves him very deeply, it's just left for her to realize it herself.
GAH, I JUST LOVE THIS STORY SO MUCH.
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Seriously - thanks. :)
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