Like Allison, the relationship between Carmel and Eugénie struck me. It was challenging to read because the power dynamic was so strong for so much of their storyline. Eugénie had such power over Carmel that she was more than willing to yield despite her young age and that was difficult to grapple with. Therefore, when those hierarchical lines began to blur, it made me rather anxious.

I found it fascinating, yet rather unsurprising, when it came to light that Carmel’s connection to Eugénie was more transactional than anything. She was able to gain a form of very limited power through learning from the other girl, which was greatly appreciated in the wake of Carmel’s wholly unjust treatment and position. It brings a certain level of complexity to this narrative that I’ve never heard of before. The depth that Keene lends to these characters is absolutely stunning and it’s something that brings forth an important perspective.

On another point, to echo Sofia, I found the tone with which Keene told Carmel’s story to be rather detached. I feel that I’ve learned little about Carmel through the tone of the narrative that surrounds her. The image that I have of her feels very one-dimensional. At no point do we really get to hear her voice as it is, so I feel like there’s a lot to be questioned surrounding her characterization. It’s interesting that, even in a narrative like this, we never get to hear the voices of those who were so often left voiceless. No matter how much we think we know about these experiences, how much do we actually know?