Do you think the person Maud ultimately evolves into is a better person than she was? How so or how not?

Maud in the first part of the book is something of an innocent. In what ways do you think she changes in the second part of the book? Do you think the person she ultimately evolves into is a better person than she was? How so or how not?

I'm not sure I agree that she's a different person. Her act of arson back in England leads me to believe she had a vengeful persona buried in her from the start. If anything, I think her "innocence" in the first half is the part that's out of character - the part that isn't quite her. Perhaps she was blinded by the new-found comfort plus her closeness with Silvie?

I'm not sure I would say that Maud is a better person--I would say that circumstances she faced in Paris changed her though I don't think I would call her an innocent in view of her past actions in
England. She found ways--good or bad depending on one's perspective and values--to cope with what trials and tribulations came her way. She became too trusting because she was facing hard times and that trust almost led to her demise. Sad how getting revenge possessed her.

Not sure if she is better but she had some life experience that made her look at life a bit different

I agree with the others - I think she is most certainly more wise to the world ... more clever, more willing to stand up for herself. Not sure that makes her 'better.'

I think Maud does grow, evolve, not just "wise up," here. Yes, she did commit the arson before Paris -- but that was an act of desperation, and she came to Paris still frozen in her misery and trauma from a lifetime of loss and abuse. She had a lot of trauma to work through, which had isolated her and prevented her from making friends. Her guardedness didn't protect her either, it made her very naive, taking things at face value. Through her friendship with Tanya and Yvette, she learns to trust and to value herself despite the way the Morels used and abused her. It wasn't their death, her revenge, that helped her, as much as her attempt to fight for herself, her literally facing them down, while being supported by friends who cared for her. We see that this freed her as an artist, in the postscript that tells how she and Yvette lived a creative and productive life when she finally returned to England. The many "catalog" descriptions of her paintings throughout the book show how she fulfilled her promise as an artist, working out her experiences by capturing them in her paintings.

She doesn't evolve in my eyes. Maybe she is less trusting but not sure that makes her better just more worldly and mature

I think she is a better person ultimately. She fought her way back from near death, pursued her enemies and with help from her friends, cleared her name, made restitution in a way she thought fitting, took Yvette out of danger and back to England and paid her debt to the countess on her own terms. All of it made her more aware of the value of friends, the need to take a stand sometimes and be a worthwhile member of society. I think she always tried to do what she thought was the right thing for herself and those she cared about.

I'm not sure that giving into the desire for revenge makes anyone a better person and she was a pretty nice person to begin with.

The definition of the word "better" can be widely defined. I think Maud was not a mean or destructive person. She was a person trying to live in a world that just did not seem to be on her side.

i think her near death experience transforms her. She becomes more assertive in her dealings with other women. I don't think we can judge her for her desire for revenge. Although it wasn't known at the time, she was most certainly dealing with PTSD and probably depression. Sometimes the only thing that can pull you out of that is time and becoming proactive. I think at the end, she finally learned to trust and that was because she finally got support from other women.

Maud was truly changed by the near drowning and the discovery of the planned murder by someone she had totally trusted. Who wouldn't be changed by that kind of realization? She had to mature following this experience. She became a bit crazed and self destructive. If her friends hadn't exercised such extreme caring and loyalty I don't think she would have survived. She still was not able to think beyond herself until the very end when she came up with a plan to protect Yvette. She finally then realized I think that her friendships were the most important thing in her life and since the revenge was gained she could not focus on that in going forward. I think she was a better person in the end.

I really do not think Maud was that bad to begin with. I agree that the arson was wrong, however, she may have felt that this was the only way she could go. I do believe that her experiences in Paris certainly changed her, how could they not. She and Yvette made a good life for themselves in England.

She originally seemed a victim of circumstances and rather naive at that. I wasn't sure I liked the bitter, revengeful person she turned into. However, I can't blame her after the way she'd been taken advantage of. She seemed to find happiness and success in the end with Yvette