Land of Dreams

by Gian Sardar

In the 1930s, scandal, secret loves, and murder shatter a woman’s Hollywood dream

It’s 1933, and though the country is stuck in the Great Depression, movies are the ultimate escape. But Hollywood is skilled at selling lies, and nothing is as it seems.

Frankie Donnelly is scrappy, smart, and ambitious. Her knack for spinning any story into stellar publicity has made her an invaluable “fixer” at RCO Studios, where she works under the tutelage of powerful Nico Marconi. Frankie’s latest fix is the upcoming marriage of Hollywood royals Jack Sawyer and June Finney, and millions of fans can’t wait to see their favorite silver-screen lovers tie the knot. But Frankie knows the truth: The marriage is an artful cover for Jack and June’s darkest secrets.

When a shocking murder occurs, allegiances fracture, the tabloids go wild, and a devastated public is left reeling. Frankie uncovers new layers of scandal and deception and is forced to choose which Hollywood player to protect and who to destroy. Now, more than ever, the country needs a happy ending—but at what cost?

Genres: Historical Fiction, Fiction, Mystery, Historical, Romance, Ebooks, Suspense

299 pages, Paperback

Expected publication February 1, 2026

About the author

I'm the author of the upcoming novel LAND OF DREAMS, as well as the novels WHEN THE WORLD GOES QUIET, TAKE WHAT YOU CAN CARRY and YOU WERE HERE. In addition, I co-authored the book PSYCHIC JUNKIE.

Currently I live in Los Angeles, but have also lived in Colorado and Minnesota, two states that are big in my heart. I'm obsessed with reading, gardening, football, baking, and any form of procrastination.

If you have any questions, I'd love to answer them. :)

Reviews

[Heather~ Nature.books.and.coffee · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love a good old Hollywood historical mystery, and this one hit the spot. 1930’s, our ambitious main character Frankie, works in Hollywood as a “Fixer”, and when a murder occurs, she gets caught up in drama and secrets. The setting of the times in Hollywood was vivid and enjoyable. The mystery was suspenseful, and although I kind of had an idea of where it was heading, I was still left surprised by the outcome. A really well written story, and I would definitely recommend it to historical fiction lovers. 

Thank you to the publisher, author, and Suzy approved book tours for the gifted copy.

[Christine Nolfi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Set against the glittering backdrop of Hollywood’s golden age, Land of Dreams delivers a dazzling story of ambition, betrayal, and redemption. When young PR fixer Frankie Donnelly sets out to uncover the truth behind a shocking death, she’s drawn into a web of secrets that test her courage—and lead her to unexpected healing. I was captivated from start to finish.

[Literary Redhead · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another gorgeous cover, perfect for the story of 1930s Hollywood with murder, public disgraces, and shameful secrets that gripped me from page one. An intriguing must-read!

[Christine M in Texas (stamperlady50) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Land of Dreams
By: Gian Sardar
Pub date: Feb 1, 2026
Publisher: Lake Union Publishing
Your: Suzy Approved Book Tours

5⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

The Golden Days of Hollywood filled with all the glitz and glamor. Sardar immerses the reader in this fascinating world.

After Frankie has some losses in her life and needs a new direction in life. Nico offers Frankie a job in Hollywood. She soon realizes nothing is as it seems.

Hollywood is a dream of many! Frankie will realize all the studios will do to protect their stars. Contracts come at a high price.

Get ready for an interesting story which will take you back in time.

Thank you Sardar and Suzy Approved Books for
Having me on tour.

[Dianthe C · Rating 5 out of 5]

I just finished the ARC of Land of Dreams and it’s magnificent. So beautiful and moving. A work of art I couldn’t put down.
The writing is beautiful and the plot perfectly paced. Frankie, the protagonist, loses her mother and dreams of a better life for herself-which she thinks she’s found working for an executive at a Hollywood studio. Set in the golden age of film in 1933, Land of Dreams is more than historical fiction, so much more. And I loved the parrots!
Thank you Lake Union for letting me read.

[Cori-lyn · Rating 3 out of 5]

Amazon Prime first reads.
Truthfully this is a 3.5 star but not enough for a four.

I really enjoyed this read, especially the portrayal of a strong female lead in a time when women were rarely seen as anything other than background characters. She was intelligent, capable, and unapologetically herself, which added real depth and made the story more compelling.

The setting and atmosphere were well done, and the overall pacing kept me turning the pages. That said, while the journey was engaging, the mystery itself was a bit too easy to unravel. I found myself guessing everything well before the reveal, which took some of the suspense out of the ending.

Still, the strength of the characters—particularly the female protagonist—and the thoughtful depiction of the era made this an enjoyable read overall. A great choice if you’re looking for historical fiction with a refreshing female voice, even if the mystery doesn’t quite keep you guessing until the end.

[Lee · Rating 5 out of 5]

Land of Dreams is a thoroughly captivating read. The narrative is packed with unexpected twists that held my attention from start to finish. I especially appreciated the way the story unfolds entirely through Frankie’s perspective—this unique viewpoint allows the reader to catch some of Nico’s deceit and manipulation early on, while still being caught off guard by others. This narrative technique cleverly mirrors the experience of the public he misleads, making the story both immersive and intellectually engaging.

The enigmatic storyline and underlying mystery is skilfully interwoven from the outset, making it hard to step away from the book. Beyond the suspense, I admired how the novel delves into deeper themes, such as the tension between professional ambition and personal integrity, and how well-intentioned actions can sometimes lead to unintended harm.

The book is rich in atmosphere, subtle in its complexity, and intellectually stimulating. I found myself immersed in every chapter, gradually pulled into Frankie’s world and the unsettling circumstances she faces. What truly resonated with me was the rich atmosphere. I found myself immersed in every chapter, gradually pulled into Frankie’s world and the unsettling circumstances she faces. It’s far more than a simple mystery — it’s a poignant exploration of desire, self-discovery, and the sacrifices made in pursuit of ambition. The romantic thread is gentle and nuanced, offering a subtle warmth that balances the darker themes beautifully. Loved it and one of my favourite books of this year

Thank you to Netgalley, the author and publisher for an advanced copy of the book, all opinions expressed are my own.

[adina ✨ · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’m such a huge fan of books that cover old Hollywood and the studio system (for better or for worse), and Land of Dreams was one of the best books I’ve read to cover that recently. It felt like you were sucked into Los Angeles in the 1930s, on something like the MGM lot, milling around with the stars and learning their pains and secrets. I really appreciated the more “behind the scenes” perspective of the studio system combined with the actors and their perspectives on contracts and shady business. It makes you wonder what exactly was kept hidden about the stars - with a focus on how to handle a scandal and the lengths people will go to in order to protect a reputation.

I enjoyed Land of Dreams a lot, more so in the second half as I felt it took a bit too long to get to the mystery. I also found the ending to be a bit unsatisfying - it wrapped things up too quickly for me, and I wanted to see more from some minor characters. Honestly, I’d read a book about the reporters too; I wanted them to have a bigger role, but maybe that’s just because I like a bit of drama.

3.75 rounded to a 4. Thank you to NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing for the ARC!

[Emma · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love a good Hollywood golden age murder mystery. Frankie Donnelly is an excellent ‘30s protagonist - a woman who grew up in poverty, given a comfortable life as an RCO Studios fixer on the condition it will be taken away if she steps a toe out of line. Even so, Frankie has a strong moral compass, and this is what drives her to look into the murder of a Hollywood starlet after suspicions start to surface. I guessed the killer midway through the book, but Sardar turned my own guess back on me and then managed to shock me AGAIN. This is a great book to pick up if you’re looking for a quick but engaging read.

[Mollie · Rating 2 out of 5]

I got this as an early release from NetGalley. I really enjoyed the author’s writing. It was engaging. This just wasn’t a book for me. While engaged I just never felt for the characters. I found them mostly to be unlikable and had a hard time feeling invested as a result.

[Melanie · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received Land of Dreams through Amazon First Reads and was drawn to its premise, but the writing style made it a challenging read for me.

I often had difficulty following what was happening on the page. The sentence construction felt unclear at times, and I frequently had to reread passages just to understand basic plot movement or who was doing what. That lack of clarity created distance and made it hard to stay emotionally engaged with the story.

I appreciate the importance of the story being told, and other readers may respond differently, but for me the prose ultimately got in the way of the narrative.

[Shawna Mayerson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Golden age of Hollywood

If you love the sparkle and mystery behind "oldies" Hollywood this should be on your list. While a work of fiction, it is steeped with references and facts people don't often like to think about from the days when Hollywood was "golden". Wonderful complex characters will keep you rooting and a thrilling web of events will keep you engaged with this new novel. I'm glad I selected it for my January First Reads.

[Rosemary Dreyer · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a good film noir novel about a studio and its stars during the early 1930s. What I liked: the history woven throughout; the acknowledgment of “studio fixers;” the idea that the public has a right to know the private lives of its Hollywood stars; the concept that manipulating things somehow helps and the fallout from that belief; the ending. What I didn’t like: there were several anomalies that really jarred; the unnecessary rollercoaster at times between Frankie, Nico and Jack. Overall, I would recommend this book.

[Caroline · Rating 2 out of 5]

Boring. It was only 297 pages but somehow it dragged out as long as possible. It took me longer to read this than the 400 page book I finished just days before.

The writing is redundant and verbose, but somehow if you skip one line you miss something vastly important that comes up a few pages later. It’s all not great. I don’t know why this has such a good rating

[Rebekah Riggs · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars

This book starts great then hits a lull for a while before picking back up in the last third. Once I got past the lull in the middle, I quickly finished the rest. I think the ending was well written.
That said, there is a lot of foreshadowing in the beginning which gets annoying. There are also times when pauses or better transitions were needed to provide guidance for a character’s train of thought.

[Gabby Long · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ehhh I hope for this since it’s a historical fiction in Hollywood 1930s. But it read more like just a plain fiction, fiction book. I was really interested but the characters felt so flat and not fleshed out.

[Rebecca]

Amazon First Reads - January 2026

[Kristina Robinson · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 Stars

Great character development through the novel. Both beginning and ending were just a little too drawn out for my liking. I figured out the mystery about half way through and there was just a lot of back and forth before the reader learns the truth. This book was interesting throughout. I would rate 3.5 stars but not hardly 4.

[Lilli · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Overview
Land of Dreams is a layered historical fiction that combines political intrigue, moral tension, mystery and romance. Set against the backdrop of Hollywood’s golden age, the story follows Frankie, a fixer whose job is to manage scandals, control narratives, and maintain the carefully constructed façades of Hollywood Stars. The book blends genres and explores themes of deception, loyalty, and the moral compromises people make in pursuit of success.

My Thoughts
I found Land of Dreams to be a really enjoyable read. The story is full of twists and turns that kept me completely engaged. I particularly loved how, as the reader seeing things from Frankie’s point of view solely which means you’re aware of some of Nico’s lies and manipulations, yet others take you by surprise. This clever structure puts you in the same position as the public he deceives making the experience immersive and thought-provoking.
The element of mystery was woven in beautifully from the very beginning, making it difficult to put the book down. Beyond the intrigue, I appreciated how the novel explored meaningful questions such as whether a person’s professional ambitions outweigh their personal values, and how acting in someone’s “best interests” can sometimes cause their downfall.
The characters felt raw and honest, each with their own flaws and motivations, which made them believable and compelling. My only criticism is that a few questions were left unanswered by the end, leaving me wanting just a bit more closure. That small point aside, I thoroughly enjoyed this story - it’s a nuanced, atmospheric, and thought-provoking read.

[SnowDevil · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5*, rounded up. Read as a Kindle First Reads pick, Jan 2026. (This is NOT a review of an advance copy; not sure why GR is labeling it as such.)

In Land of Dreams, we follow Frankie through a couple weeks in March 1933, in her life and her job as a "fixer" for a fictional Hollywood studio. The first ~1/3 of the book establishes Frankie's background as a tenement kid from NYC, her current life as a well-cared-for, if not well-compensated, employee of the studio in Los Angeles, and the moral dilemma she's faced with when her career ambitions come in conflict with her personal desires. Then we have the catalyzing event (a death... maybe a murder), and Frankie starts to lose track of where the truth is in all the lies and whether what she's doing is benefitting the right people.

After 6 months of First Reads, I've come to have low expectations (especially in historical fiction which in my experience so far have mostly been poorly written romances nominally set in a prior decade) - so this book was a pleasant surprise. I did my best not to grade on a curve, and I think this book sits solidly between a 3 (pretty good) and 4 (really good, might re-read later) for me. In other words, I don't think it'll make American historical fiction canon/classics, but it was a good story with consistent pacing, well-rooted in the time and place.

Sardar does a lot of things well in this book, in my opinion. She does a great job of capturing the sentiment of despair and downtroden-ness, juxtaposed with desperate hope, that I imagine was prevalent in the early 1930s. The dark past of Hollywood is, as far as I know, real (and maybe not so much of a past as ongoing culture). The web of lies is woven seamlessly, and although all of the characters are built to be somewhat untrustworthy, it's still enjoyable following Frankie as she oscillates between understanding what's going on, and realizing everything is out of her control.

There are a few areas where the history has been... stretched? Dialog between characters, to start, is a little too straightforward and modern, particularly when it comes to conversations between Frankie and Jack. Frankie's relationship with Nico's family also seems a bit unbelievable to me - I find it hard to believe that Nico's wife would just happily have a single woman over to dinner regularly and have no problem leaving her alone with Nico behind closed doors in 1933.

Then there's the earthquake - it isn't required for the story, so I got the sense that the author explicitly set the story over the date that it happened so that she'd be able to include it. Based on my reading of news articles and summaries of the Long Beach earthquake of March 1933, the 6.4 shock and the damage did reach to areas just south of downtown Los Angeles... listed as industrial areas. But as far as I can tell, Frankie is in Silver Lake and Echo Park in the book when there are chimneys and parts of walls falling around her, and her neighbors are out in the streets with bonfires because their buildings are crumbling. Seems the damage spread much farther in the book than in reality.

Overall, though, the little "stretches" were just that - little - and didn't disturb my enjoyment of the story. (Contrast this to the other 1930s Hollywood historical fiction I read a couple months ago from First Reads - As Long As You're Mine - which was disjointed and unbelievable and didn't make me care a bit about the characters, nor really feel I was in the time and place.)

Part historical drama, part mystery-thriller, this was an enjoyable way to start my First Reads challenge for the year.

[Kelley Abbas · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hollywood, 1933. The country is drowning in the Great Depression, and movies are the illusion everyone desperately wants to believe in. Land of Dreams communicated the tension perfectly.

This book grabbed me immediately and refused to let go. I genuinely couldn’t put it down. Forbidden love, buried secrets, studio politics, and the dangerous machinery behind Hollywood’s golden façade kept me guessing right up until the final pages.

At the center of it all is Frankie Donnelly, a scrappy, sharp fixer working at RCO Studios under the powerful Nico Marconi. Frankie’s job is to spin lies into fairy tales, and her latest task is selling the perfect Hollywood marriage between screen idols Jack Sawyer and June Finney. The public sees romance. Frankie sees damage control.

What makes this novel shine is its thorough research and thoughtful layering. Gian Sardar doesn’t just recreate old Hollywood—she interrogates it. Sexual freedom, prohibition-era hypocrisy, studio power dynamics, and the early marriage between media, celebrity, and public consumption are all explored with nuance and bite.

Some lines stopped me cold:

“A boss is like a three-year-old who believes a room doesn't exist until they're standing in it.”

“We've turned entertainment into reality into entertainment, and somehow it's all become a lie.”

But the question that lingers longest is this one:

“What has more impact, the value of a dream or the cost of a lie?”

That question is the heartbeat of the story. When a shocking murder fractures alliances and sends the tabloids into chaos, Frankie is forced to decide who deserves protection—and who is expendable. It’s a brutal reminder that happy endings are often manufactured, and someone always pays the price.

Land of Dreams is glamorous, devastating, and smart. It’s about ambition, complicity, and the moral gymnastics required to survive in systems built on illusion. A sharp, compelling historical novel that pulls back the curtain and asks what we’re willing to sacrifice to keep believing.

Highly recommended for fans of old Hollywood, media ethics, and stories that refuse to give easy answers. Having a family history with both Paramount and Warner Bros., I thoroughly enjoyed this. My great-grandfather built sets, and both he and my great-grandmother were frequent extras during this era of film. They also took my grandma along for the studio ride, and she was an extra in The Little Rascals. So the familial history with Los Angeles and the studios added a little extra nostalgia for me.

Thank you to Lake Union Publishing and Net Galley for the advanced copy and opportunity to read this fabulous book! The opinions offered above are my own.

[Valeria · Rating 5 out of 5]

I pondered the rating for this book . . . and decided that it checks all my boxes for a five-star rating:
✔️It's well written; it certainly kept me reading steadily.
✔️It's well researched and covers a period of history that's recent enough to have lots of sources.
✔️The characters are well developed--flaws, warts, halos, and all.
✔️It has a mystery that kept me guessing "whodunit"--and why--to the very end (and the answers were logical).
✔️The side stories are interesting and in no way detract from moving the plot along.
✔️At no point was it a struggle for me to suspend disbelief.

The plot is set in the Hollywood of the Depression years, when the movie-producing studios practically owned their contracted stars and the movie-going public needed to believe that those stars were leading charmed lives. In order to maintain the illusion of perfection, the studios employed "public relations" specialists whose job it was to see that the only stories reported to the viewing public enhanced the desired image of the star or stars described--or at least didn't detract from the public image.

Today we may know a lot more about the actual lives of those 1930s stars . . . different era, different culture, different restrictions, different acceptances, different taboos . . . and we may have a different opinion of the methods used to achieve those goals. What I found here was a return to the mindset that would have been held at that time by the various people involved . . . and it rings strikingly true.

[Fran · Rating 5 out of 5]

First Reads had another great book out about a year ago titled Glamorous Notions by Megan Chance about Hollywood in the McCarthy era of the 50s. I found it so interesting. So when I saw this book offered I snapped it up. From the twentieth century and into the twenty first, the corruption in Hollywood was really sad. I think it's much better now and actors are able to protect themselves with savvy contracts and a union. At least I hope so. But I love reading about the surface level glamour of old Hollywood (around the 20s to the 50s?). We think of that era as pretty naive but many of those films were really excellent and socially inciteful.

So it's not so much that scandals happened in this story, but how they were handled. And the spin and fast talking and rationalization are presented so well that we can sympathize with Frankie's character, who grew up poor and wanted to keep the good fortune she had fallen into.

Now that my interest is really sparked I want to read each and every book about this era that the author referenced in her Acknowledgments. Undoubtedly they will be enlightening and fascinating.

[Doreen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Amazon Prime First Reads choice
Not a bad story--i think I wanted more depth of what was going on during the time period and for the characters who are being forced by the studio to put forth a particular narrative that even includes marrying someone just for the image.
It’s 1933, and though the country is stuck in the Great Depression, movies are the ultimate escape. And everyone is enamored with the current leading man and woman. The studio wants to capitalize on that insisting they marry, even though they are not even a romantic couple. That is part of the "fixers" job. Frankie Donnelly is ambitious. As she learns how to spin a cover story from her mentor, Nico, she has become an important “fixer” at RCO Studios. However, she is forced to "fix" Hollywood royals Jack Sawyer and June Finney. But, June is murdered and the interference begins in order to save her image. Mystery surrounds who murdered June but it is not the complete focus of the story as the studio spin isa focus as well. However, Frankie is starting to question these "fixes" and when she discovers the truth she wants to change the way things are done

[Judy · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Hollywood is the land of dreams, and people need the dream. They need the idea of happiness and success, and to think they can rise up from the ashes into something great."

During the Great Depression of the 1930s, movies were an big escape. Frankie Donnelly lands a job as a Hollywood fixer to protect movie stars' reputations and keep scandals and secrets behind the big screen. She's smart and ambitious so she's good at what she does trying to make things right out of wrong. But when a scandalous murder happens, she begins to question her loyalties and preconceived notions of her employer.

The story covers forbidden love, personal struggles, hope, and mystery with lots of twists. The characters were well developed and backdrop of the Hollywood studios interesting. This might make a great movie about the movie business.

I've loved every book I've read by Gian Sardar and this one is her best.

[J E Suver · Rating 3 out of 5]

All that glitter… for a rather same old same old reveal
I enjoyed this book, but the buildup to the big “secret” didn’t quite deliver. After all that careful layering, the story circles back on itself instead of landing with the punch it promises. The 1930s Hollywood setting, though, is terrific — a sharp reminder that the film industry has always been in the business of polishing illusions and hiding inconvenient truths about its stars.

I started out rooting for Frankie. She’s smart, capable, and knows how to survive in a town that eats people alive. But as the story goes on, her edge softens in ways that felt unnecessary, and some of her shine gets lost. For a character with real potential, that was disappointing.

There’s a lot happening here, and while the author clearly tried to flesh out a wide cast, it sometimes made it hard to know who to root for. Land of Dreams has atmosphere, ambition, and insight into Golden Age Hollywood — it just needed a sharper focus and a stronger final act to truly sparkle.

[Janine · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a complex mystery/ romance set against 1930s glamor Hollywood where secrets abound, morality is grey, and anything can be fixed. It’s also very fine historical fiction. Old Hollywood is brought to life in its glitz and glamor.

It’s the 30s and life is tough for most Americans. Movies become escapism. In the movie world it’s all about hype, deception and PR. Enter Frankie Donovan, a “fixer.” Working for studio boss, Nico Marconi, she’s often called in to “change the story,” or cover up for a wayward star. She’s also in love with Jack Sawyer who is handsome, a bit of a womanizer, one of the studio’s biggest stars, but who seems to care about Frankie. However, complicating their relationship is June Finney, to the public an American “sweetheart,” whose relationship with Jack makes them the ideal American couple on screen. When circumstances require June and Jack to marry to guard June’s reputation, things start happening that distress Frankie. And then, when murder happens and Frankie knows something is amiss as she investigates, the plot thickens as they say.

I loved Frankie - she’s strong, tough and resilient. I enjoyed the descriptions of old Hollywood glamor - the jewelry, the dresses, the houses, the cars. And, the murder mystery part kept you guessing. I think the ending was perfect for the times and the setting.

I would like to thanks NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing for allowing me to read this ARC.

[Teri L ward · Rating 4 out of 5]

50 Shades of Truth

Hollywood in the early days. The stock market has crashed and the country needs something to hang on to. A young woman, employed as a fixer to the stars struggles with her culpability in the manipulations used to keep them in line, to ensure the perfect image, perfect life, perfect love, is what the world sees. But she can't ignore the effect their methods have on the two stars she and her boss must control. She must face the control her boss has over her life and career in order to right a terrible wrong. Will she find a way? I could totally believe the characters and thought the author added depth to their relationship by making them relate to each other with a bit of a family vibe in which he seemed protective of her, even when she suspected there was something very wrong with the story he had spun. No spoiler here, but let's just say, it's worth the read.

[Cat Rayne · Rating 3 out of 5]

A January FIRST READS choice and partnering with a goal to read the stash on my Kindle, this was my choice.

Enjoyed the story, the twists subtle, and only slightly predictable. Set in Old Hollywood in the thirties, it proved only a small flow of the story as today’s entertainment culture is not very different. As one of the characters pronounces later in the book, “ We’ve turned entertainment into reality and reality into entertainment.”

Characters are well developed though the protagonist Frankie seemed formed by a background story that was only hinted. It was like a sub-plot that the author changed their mind about.
Another quote in the book by a cynical character ties us the story and also gives relevance to today.

“ Perception takes more casualties than the truth ever does.”

[Nancy Broe · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this well written story which peels back the layers of Depression era Hollywood. I started out appreciating it as historical fiction then enjoyed the ride as it took on elements of a thriller while also weaving in multiple love stories.

It was fascinating watching Frankie navigate her way through increasingly complex moral dilemmas as she rises from the horrors of the tenements to the glamorous homes of the stars. Plenty of fodder for book club discussion: on divisive characters such as Nico Marconi, a studio master of promotion/manipulation; and on themes such as the value of dreams versus the importance of realism in inspiring hope in hard times.

Fun tidbit for PR practitioners: Edward Bernays, an early father of public relations, is quoted several times and his principles debated in light of decisions the characters face.