Creatures of Will and Temper

This is what I mean when I say that Creatures of Will and Temper reads like a variation in major mode of Dorian Gray: where Lord Henry???s cynicism destroys Dorian, Lady Henry???s sincerity uplifts Dorina, and where Dorian descends into duplicity, Dorina and Evadne quit lying to themselves and decide to be who they truly wish to be. However, all of that positivity is leavened out with a bittersweet note all throughout, which is only as it should be because if it was always upbeat all the time, then the variation would ring utterly false, and become something else entirely ??? something completely different from the original material.

Of course, Creatures of Will and Temper is its own, distinct work, and therefore has its own themes that do not exist in Dorian Gray. One of those is the theme of sisterhood. The emotional heart of this novel is the sisterly connection between Evadne and Dorina, who are almost completely each other???s opposites and yet still rely on and care for each other no matter what. The arguments and fights they engage in with each other throughout the novel are interesting to read because it is through those arguments that the author develops the characters, and to a certain degree the plot as well. Readers may find Dorina???s flightiness and/or Evadne???s narrow-mindedness irritating at times, but not all characters can be likeable all the time ??? even the ones we are supposed to sympathise with.

Full review here: https://wp.me/p21txV-G9