Romantic Love

Crowley portrays a strict dichotomy between those who truly understand love and those who only assume that they do. She sets up Amy, Rachel, and Frederick as foils for one another in order to communicate the differences between true romantic love and a superficial romantic love. Frederick, the oldest, understands the true meaning of love throughout the course of the narrative. He was in love with his late wife, Elena, until she passed away about two decades ago. Frederick loses her the same way Rachel loses Cal. Though he is never truly able to move on and still spends sad years searching for a book containing the memories they shared, he is able to give Rachel good advice about moving forward. He is a lifelong romantic, and his relationship with Elena is something he cherishes. He shows Rachel that it is okay to grieve, but...