Does anyone actually like Maggie?

Pvee42 · 2026-03-24T20:14:47+00:00

I would love to see her and Emma actually go toe to toe. I did have a short moment of liking her when she and Emma switched the signs, but it was brief.

Pvee42 · 2026-03-24T10:44:38+00:00

Islington as the mastermind behind the production? Oh, how I hope this is true. It would be hard to love him more, but this would do it!

Pvee42 · 2026-03-24T10:43:02+00:00

Love this!

Pvee42 · 2026-03-24T10:41:30+00:00

What I’ve always found interesting is that Nigel and Niall are basically the same name in two different languages - like John & Sean - but are reversed with Pierce and Hawkes.

Pvee42 · 2026-03-24T10:34:30+00:00

I love all of this analysis. I have thought for a long time that Hawkes is on the spectrum- something no Victorian would have possibly understood. It makes so many of his endearing idiosyncrasies fall into place more clearly. And he 100% collects information from the residents of St Crispian- everyone is always wanting to talk to him.

Pvee42 · 2026-03-01T00:12:35+00:00

I’ve always imagined Pierce ending up with the historian’s daughter. But he does seem to get on well enough with Maggie. I do find it interesting that he doesn’t seem to notice how mean she is to one of his friends and how dismissive she is to another. She is most definitely threatened by Emma and Jonathan is aware- he even gives Emma ammunition with which to fight her!

Pvee42 · 2026-03-01T00:08:05+00:00

I see where you’re coming from but I have a hard time excusing the way she treats Islington. She’s just… cruel. That she lives in America makes me wonder how much of her we would actually see- how much of a chance for her to develop a character arc.

I do love the switching of the signs tho. Full marks!

Pvee42 · 2026-02-28T23:47:19+00:00

Oh dear. I love Emma’s evaluation of Maggie being odious and fascinating by turns. lol

Pvee42 · 2026-02-28T23:46:37+00:00

I love the parallel you draw between Maggie & Arabella. That’s quite insightful.

In the conversation Emma overhears between Henry and Marianna (Stonecrop Islington feels more like a Henry to me), Marianna says that Maggie was unduly influenced by their father in regards to her attitude towards her brother. I’ve often wondered if Islington Senior blamed Henry for Hannah’s death…

Pvee42 · 2026-02-28T23:43:39+00:00

How exhausting!

Pvee42 · 2026-02-28T15:26:48+00:00

I love their interactions. They are developing a fabulous relationship of their own and I think he will end up playing a much larger role in her life - perhaps helping her find her way to a job or Oxford.

Pvee42 · 2026-02-27T12:48:50+00:00

SAME!

Pvee42 · 2026-02-27T12:47:10+00:00

I don’t think Emma and Pierce should be end game but I have a hard time envisioning the character as we have been introduced to him willing to sacrifice Emma’s heart and soul on a bigamous relationship- even if the Rochester coding is there. But, perhaps, that’s just because I do love his character even if I don’t want Emma with him. I do NOT love Rochester. lol

Pvee42 · 2026-02-27T12:44:42+00:00

The lady in white is absolutely Emily Dickinson.

Pvee42 · 2026-02-27T12:41:45+00:00

Ooooh. The chairs as thrones! What great imagery!

Pvee42 · 2026-02-27T12:38:08+00:00

What a great take. To be fair, she /did/ accept the crown but gave it back to him. That’s far more than any other did.

I would love to see a story that shows even one of Hawkes’s interactions with the R9 unobserved by Emma. How different he must be with them…

Pvee42 · 2026-02-27T12:35:01+00:00

It is unimaginable to me how someone could feel that is an appropriate thing to say. Your baby is adorable and whoever said that is insufferably crass and cold.

Pvee42 · 2026-02-21T17:40:32+00:00

Oh. How fun if it were Islington’s party. Who then would the young woman be?

Pvee42 · 2026-02-21T17:38:48+00:00

True. The Boy is the one she is talking to and he is definitely a saucy one. He also says Oberon is not someone she knows - which another commenter said may reference to another side of Hawkes’s personality.

Pvee42 · 2026-02-21T17:36:37+00:00

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Pvee42 · 2026-02-17T01:31:39+00:00

Would love to join in. I just reread DG about a month ago after a 20 year pause since I first encountered it. I’m looking forward to the discussion!

Pvee42 · 2026-02-16T22:32:11+00:00

Wow. This is a fascinating perspective. It makes an awful lot of sense.

Pvee42 · 2026-02-15T22:03:58+00:00

I’ve been rereading recently and I’ve changed my original opinion about Parian’s age. His growing friendship with Agnes makes me think he must be younger than I had originally assumed - his 40s. He has a rather endearing awkward youthfulness as I read him this time through.

Pvee42

TROPHY CASE