nts and raves over her husband's ways. And what does she want to do? Leave D'elmont for someone else? No! She wants to "tear the eyes out of the one who bewitched D'elmont." Chalk one up to sisterhood. Both Amena and Meloria are no better. While they protect their "honour" from this ravenous would-be rapist, they still manage to fall deeply in love with him. This unrequited love sends them directly to the monastery unable to recover from this cat and mouse game they find themselves in. Yet again, the women must suffer for their inability to resist the snake's charms. Melantha is another extreme characterization of women. She is the ultimate vamp, tricking D'elmont into bedding down with her. While everyone is abhorred at this madam for being so openly flirtatious, they quite conveniently forget that D'elmont is married. The only woman character with any type of wit, charm, and senses is Allovisa's sister who is only active for three pages of the novel. Most of her story is told through Brillian.
             Another uncertainty in this novel is the lack of close friendships between women. At first Amena believes Alovisa to be her friend yet there is only jealousy and devious intentions on her part. And all three women in the second part are mostly concerned with winning over the impossible D'elmont. Does he love me? Does he feel anything for me? I can't live without him! Pages and pages are dedicated to spewing forth such preposterous praises over a man, who while his features and overall appearance are said to be charming, his actions are unforgivable. He toys with women's emotions, drives them crazy, and then moves on to the next victim. His only true friendships are those of his own sex. He is only truly close to his brother, the Baron, and Amena's brother. Women are there only to fulfill his need of adventu
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