• ReluctantZen@feddit.nl
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    27 days ago

    I read the first 2 chapters after I saw this post. Correct me if I’m wrong, but Harold was a good guy, treated his wife fine and loved his daughter. No abuse or whatever. His faults were that his status wasn’t that high, wasn’t that rich and was short so she couldn’t wear heels?! Even though it was an arranged marriage, isn’t that way too little to be like ‘hey mum, you don’t have to give birth to me if you get a redo’. It all feels very ungrateful.

    • Kadath (she/her)@lemmy.worldOP
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      26 days ago

      You can be a good guy and still not be a good husband.

      He was polite and somewhat friendly, but he they never really loved each other; never protecting his wife from the abuse from his mother. Their daughter saw this, and saw her mother wither away. As a child (and for the sake of the story) it probably burnt Aster to not see her mother happy, other than the single time she spoken about her first and unrequited love, hence her decision.

      • ReluctantZen@feddit.nl
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        26 days ago

        You can be a good guy and still not be a good husband.

        Very true, but all she said is that he wasn’t a perfect husband. That’s not the same as ‘not a good husband’.

        never protecting his wife from the abuse from his mother and saw her mother wither away

        Is that shown later on? There’s only 1 panel in the 1st chapter with the mother bragging and never really mentioned again. She herself calls her life boring by complaining about very superficial things like dress ornaments and height, nothing mentioned or shown that she’s withering away. It all feels like luxury problems for nobles, especially in the type of setting it is. Makes it hard for me to be sympathetic to the idea.

        • Kadath (she/her)@lemmy.worldOP
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          26 days ago

          Yes, it happens later.

          While I agree with you that it was a bit much, it wasn’t the protagonist that did this. It was her daughter. I really, really suggest you read it all. It’s one of my favorite rofans out there. Absolutely top ten for me.