Gilly is the central character of Thornyhold, and her growth and maturing is the core of the novel. As she blossoms from a shy, sad girl into a lovely and loving young woman, we see the events through her eyes. All the other characters are minor and shadowy. The mischievous, seductive Mrs. Trapp, the handsome recluse writer Christopher John, and the retarded, brutish but somewhat pitiful Jessamy are almost stereotyped in their roles as the evil witch, the prince charming, and the monster. The fairy-tale parallels are prominent. Gillian is the sleeping beauty. When she arrives at Thornyhold, she is shy and insecure, and her personality and emotions have not been allowed to grow — she is truly in a sleep. It takes a fairy godmother to counteract the spell that her harsh and uncaring mother has thrown over Gilly's life. At the magical place of Thornyhold, she...