Winter Rose

I just finished reading the book Winter Rose. I've read Winter Rose three times. I think I finally understand the ending.

And I don't mean that as in it being a strange concept, too complicated to understand; what I mean is, I finally get what the book is all about. Well, one of the things I suppose. I guess that's what's so lovely about rereading, you get something new out of it every time.

Anyway, the new concept I finally realized in the end: freedom. Whatever the reviews say about desire and longing and need, the end is about freedom. Of course, all the desire and longing and need is in there, too, but that's there as somewhat of a contrast for the ending. It's...difficult to explain without going through the entire plot of the book, but it was so very new and lightbulbish to me that I have to write about it. So, the breakdown:

Corbet needs Rois to pull him out of the fey world so he can be human.
Rois needs Corbet, because he makes her human. Her needing subsequently gets confused with desire and longing and love.

But all of this needing and longing can't be love, because they aren't free to love. And that's what's so wonderful about it! I was going to write a contrast with this and Pride and Prejudice and whether love is better worked for--out of need--or given freely. But now I realize I don't need to, because they're both the same.

When they needed each other, it was lovely and some of the most awesome examples of self sacrifice ever, but it made their feelings for each other more...gratitude and...well, need. But Corbet even says himself, "You have tried to help me, and I am grateful. But love is not gratitude. I can't be content with you because of that." This is when he's...not actually exactly Corbet, but it stands true to how it really was. But after she saves him, and he, in a way, saves her, it's so much better. They don't need each other, but they now have the ability to want each other.

They have a really awkward conversation in the end, but it's wonderful because you can tell that they can really see each other now, and pick out things they like, and in time they can give their love freely.

The first time I read the ending, I was highly depressed by the lack of closure.
The second time, I was rather more hopeful but somewhat confused.
The third time...I have no doubts they will get together in time, adore it all, and can't see it turning out any other way.

A few quotes, just to point out how much I love this book:

'They said later that he rode into the village on a horse the color of buttermilk, but I saw him walk out of the wood.' (1)

'"You come to me," he whispered. "Into every dark place. Into every memory. Into the empty eyes of winter. I go alone and find you with me. Why do you care for me?"

I did not know until I spoke. "Because you are making me human."' (212)

'I met his eyes filled my eyes with him, looking for all the small things I had loved. I found them still there. I could reach out to them or not; he could say yes, or he could say no. He smiled at me suddenly, not understanding what he saw, but drawn to it. Freedom, I could have told him: a new word for both of us.' (262) (The part which apparently never hit me until now)