I liked this chapter because it's when you finally insert some conflict and antagonists into the mix. For the past 2 chapters being caught out by the public and getting all the unwanted attention has been a quiet tension, and in this chapter Irene handles it surprisingly well. I've realised that after they've crossed this threshold Irene gets less and less concerned about her public image. In a way it sounds like the familiarity a person has in a new relationship, and the progress they make towards each other as the self-consciousness wears off.
Irene's father really makes a good antagonist. He pushes all the buttons: disdain for her happiness, putting her down professionally and his surprise appearance to throw her off guard. I can't recall if the mention of the will was originally in the first draft. Seeing it here, along with Irene's father, kind of reminds me that Irene has a lot of family clout behind her. Which I'm glad to used to effect in further chapters.
Comment on In Her Dreams They Were Monsters
shelter on Chapter 5 Mon 01 Jun 2020 01:50PM UTC
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