A Curse So Dark and Lonely

Many of the relationships between the characters of A Curse So Dark and Lonely emphasize loyalty. Many of the driving motivations for the characters also concern loyalty to family or country. However, the novel shows that healthy loyalty requires a reciprocal relationship; if the parties involved are not on equal ground, loyalty may end up being a weakness. Through the development of the characters’ relationships, both with each other and with the groups they feel obligated to protect, the novel explores how loyalty can be both a help and hindrance.

Loyalty can bring benefits when both parties are able to act freely to protect one another. In the beginning, Harper views Rhen as the man who kidnapped her, and Rhen sees Harper merely as a prickly means to a necessary end, making them distrustful and wary of one another. Their loyalty to one another grows as they each open up about their troubles (Rhen’s curse and Harper’s home situation, respectively) and begin working together to address these problems. Their conversations involve honesty and boundary setting, with Harper in particular laying out guidance for how Rhen should discuss and respond to her cerebral palsy and Rhen respecting those guidelines. Ultimately, the relationship they build will allow them to defeat the enchantress, as their loyalty to each other—when manifesting with a balanced dynamic—allows each one to shoulder equal risk.

However, when a relationship is not well balanced, loyalty can generate drawbacks. There are many examples of this pitfall throughout the novel. Both Rhen and Harper struggle with their intense loyalties to other parties—that is, Rhen’s people and Harper’s family, respectively. Both characters are sometimes over eager to sacrifice themselves entirely for the sake of those they love. In Chapter 28, after Lilith wounds Harper, Rhen asks Harper what she would give to go home. Harper initially says “anything”; in response, Rhen urgently warns Harper against that offer: “Never offer blindly, my lady. Not for your family. Not even for yourself. Certainly not for me” (240). This statement draws attention to the danger of an unequal partnership in loyalty; though Rhen claims to know better in this scene, he is in fact still learning this lesson. To save his people, he will ultimately have to rely on them, even though that will mean allowing many of his people to put themselves at great risk in battle. Similarly, Harper’s brother, Jake, seems open to destroying himself in order to protect Harper and their mother; despite his gentle nature, he is acting as a “bill collector” for the men their father borrowed money from. He does not wish to lean on Harper at all. In short, such a zealous approach to loyalty is a mark of an unequal relationship. In a partnership, both partners help each other; in the grim context of the novel, healthy loyalty therefore means that both partners must risk wounds, accept pain, and take losses.

Grey is another example of the potential benefits and drawbacks of loyalty. For over 300 seasons, Grey has remained at Rhen’s side. Grey confides in Rhen that he wasn’t truly loyal until he watched Rhen deal with the aftermath of the curse’s first season; after those extraordinary circumstances, however, Grey dedicated himself to Rhen entirely. This degree of loyalty has allowed the pair to survive the tortures of the enchantress; it has fostered an absolute trust that lets them cooperate effectively. However, Grey’s loyalty also has drawbacks. He has also embraced the role of protector to the point where his own sense of self-preservation suffers. Moreover, Grey has given up any chance at a real life to help Rhen and keep the monster from killing, sharing very little of his past. His resulting lack of presence as his own man is reflected by his perpetually unreadable expression; his persona as “Scary Grey,” as Harper calls him; and his name, which is simply a neutral color.

The novel also explores the nature of loyalty as a factor in whether loyalty will bring more benefits or more drawbacks. During the reign of Rhen’s father, people feared the king because he led with an iron fist and an uncompromising will. Those who crossed the king were punished and made an example of, which resulted in a forced loyalty backed by fear. When the curse began, Rhen locked himself away from his people, hiding behind his father’s lingering reputation. However, this forced loyalty was already tenuous, and Rhen’s absence only makes the people question the royal family even more. In contrast, Harper’s compassion and courage demonstrate to Rhen how to foster genuine loyalty. Harper’s involvement shows him how people respond more to leaders who treat them well. Thanks to Harper’s influence, Rhen’s plan to build an army and protect his subjects succeeds, as he finally begins to foster true loyalty from the people of Emberfall.

When earned through organic means and implemented within a balanced partnership, loyalty can be a strong force. However, if forced or taken to an extreme, loyalty can weaken people’s ability to work together or even prove altogether useless. Loyalty based on mutual respect, caring, and understanding forms the strongest bond, allowing people to be loyal to one another without sacrificing their sense of self.