The Shadows Between Us

As a novel that takes place at court, The Shadows Between Us reveals social hierarchies within the nobility and Alessandra’s mostly unrepentant classism. Alessandra’s quest for power is primarily selfish; while she wants to change things in her society, she mainly focuses on changing the things that would benefit her the most. As a high-born lady, Alessandra cares primarily for issues that affect high-born women. Her quest for power, moreover, leads her to leverage social authority for her own gain. When she receives bountiful invitations after her courtship with Kallias is announced, Alessandra goes through them with an eye only for social advantages: “Invitations from duchesses and marchionesses go in one pile. Countesses and viscountesses in another pile. And those from baronesses I don’t bother to open” (64). Her ruthless quest for power causes her, particularly in the beginning of the novel, to see people as equivalent to their status.

Though Alessandra’s friendship with Hestia and Rhoda leads her to begin to look beyond title somewhat (as long as she is within the upper classes), she is still unable to understand why Rhoda cares so much for her manservant: “I’m still baffled by how much she interacts with her manservant, but I like her enough not to say anything of it.