Violet made a promise to herself, this year would be different. No more hiding; this year she would start to really live again. But her first taste of freedom put her on the road to true captivity. Why did she expect anything more? She wasn't in control of her own life. Her decisions were not her own to make. The only thing that felt real, that she looked forward to was BioGuy, the guy she was tutoring in Philosophy on the school's Extra Credit site. He seems to enjoy talking to her as much as she does but maybe it's all in her mind. After all, her life has never been a fairy tale.
The story of GildedGirl and BioGuy is an imaginative, modern-day RH retelling of Rapunzel. I love the premise. The anonymity of screen personas allowed Violet so much more freedom to be the person she was working to be. Without this beginning there never would have been a chance for these characters to become family. Violet's character being an introvert was only a minor obstacle compared to the damage her mother had inflicted on her confidence. She would have never been able to allow herself to be seen in a way needed to start down the road to relationships. Jude, Lincoln and Tobias would have never gotten past her walls of insecurity. The guys all pretending to be one person made them work as a team, see each other with new eyes, and be more considerate of one another. What started out as an innocent deception worked beautifully to solidify a brotherhood and find love. My favorite line of the book, "If we were her strength, she was our heart" says it best.
Beyond the relationships, this story was psychologically compelling. Violet's parents all failed. Each one. The damage inflicted on her due to mental instability, weakness, fear, and good intentions was overwhelming and almost overpowering. Without Jude, Lincoln, and Tobias, along with Thea and her guys, and even Brodie Violet would have been lost to the world. She reminded me of her namesake. Violets are beautiful, yet fragile. Their blossoms can be a beautiful blanket or they can be easily trampled. Being along with Violet as she allowed herself to be who she wanted, take what she needed to get her HEA was enchanting.